Flash Post 224!

Button, I’ve suddenly become fascinated with trees. When we were in Shimla some months back, the tall statuesque eucalyptus trees actually made me notice their presence and that’s when I realised that while trees stand rooted to their spots, they have a unique charm and beauty all their own and, if you see closely, you’ll find that no two trees look the same. Each has a unique formation and, maybe, even different personalities. Like you and me. Like human beings and animals. Like the birds and the bees. We are all physically unique. And have unique personalities as well.

Even inanimate things, like buildings and bridges and flyovers are unique. No two buildings look the same, except for row houses and government blocks. There is no similarity whatsoever between the Howrah Bridge and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.

Since then, every time I travel, I make it a point to notice trees and I am amazed at how unique and stunningly beautiful each and every tree is. Even the bald ones.

I see your point.

Do you think our government will now go out and issue Adhaar cards to each and every tree like they have tagged us? While buildings and bridges have names and addresses, I don’t think trees do!

Won’t that give our trees an identity so they are not hacked down at the whim and fancy of our builders and politicians? If our government ever did that, what do you think would go into those cards?

I guess the name of the tree for example, Banyan, Peepul, Mango, Jamun, Tamarind, the address, meaning where that particular tree stands and their ages.

A Banyan tree in Kolkata

The Baobab tree

A giant Pipal tree

A bald tree. The trunks look like human sculptures holding hands.

4 Comments

Kamini Sachdev September 19, 2016 at 8:06 am

It’s fascinating right! There’s a thought which has always crossed my mind. We take trees for granted. Don’t even give them a second glance when we pass by. But what if these trees take note of every passers by? What if they are actually watching over all of us?

Reply
- author September 22, 2016 at 1:03 pm
  
  Kamini,
  
  Maybe they are. If we can see them and appreciate their beauty and talk about them, what stops trees and plants from looking at us and forming an opinion! Wouldn’t that be fun: Trees watching us and talking amongst themselves about us, even laughing at us seeing some of our antics! They are alive, after all. Like us.
  
  Reply
Radhika Pillai September 19, 2016 at 8:10 am

We admire buildings and trees. But has anyone thought of what’s going on in the minds of their makers? What would an architect be thinking of while creating a design. What did God have in mind while structuring each and every trees, each and every leaves.

I just wish I had the answers to these questions 🙂

Reply
- author September 22, 2016 at 12:59 pm
  
  Radhika,
  
  To create. And to do their best. When an architect puts together a plan for a building and develops a blueprint, I guess he knows what he wants and is excited about what he has put in place. When God created trees and planned how each would look and what kind of leaves, flowers and fruits each should bear, simply imagine the thrill he must have enjoyed while creating a blueprint for each. Just to think about how he must have done it with so many trees, plants and shrubs we see boggles the mind. And he created animals. He made us. And the birds and the bees and…
  
  Reply