NATUREism...

Heaven is where there are Mahua trees and hell is where there is no mahua tree to make wine – a popular Gond saying. Art by Anaga N Mahua trees (Madhuca longifolia) are considered sacred among the Gond communities of Central Indian plateau of Chota Nagpur region. It is widely popular amongst them as ‘Kalpavriksha’ - Trees of Life. During childbirth, Mahua oil is applied to the child after cutting the umbilical cord. As a tradition, newlyweds hold the sticks of Mahua tree, during marriage. Also, Mahua drinks are served as well. The dead corpse is tarnished with Mahua oil. Hence, right from the birth to death, the part played by Mahua trees in Gond culture is irreplaceable. Majorly found in Central India, Mahua trees are also spotted all the way down south. In fact, ancientSangham literature mentions about the significant relationship between mahuaflowers and bears . Project Madhuca This culturally and environmentally significant tree is found in Puducherry as well. While its ...

Covid-19 pandemic has made everyone motionless and indolent for the past few weeks. Given the current situation of our country and the contagious nature of the virus, this locked-to-house condition might go on for a while. Hence, it would be good to keep up the momentum to stay hopeful and active. While reading gives peace, there is something that can give unimaginable pleasure - Observation. It’s something you can do at ease without compulsion or exhaustion. Careful selection of subject is key in making your observation delightful and fun. Not to mention  the patience required. Obviously, it will be good if your subject is a living creature. Spider, Spider where are you? Art by Anaga N I selected a tiny but beautiful creature, the spider. One that is easily spotted in our homes and can also fascinate you with its incredible architectural skill and inquisitive self. To start with, spiders are not insects but Arachnids. Insects have six legs and belong to the class Insecta unli...

Lone Pond Heron getting ready for hunt Sunday morning are best suited for travel and explorations due to less congested roads. People sleep and hence no traffic. What more do you need than an empty road in the winter morning? Grabbing the opportunity like a hungry cat, we decided to visit the nearby wetlands – Kazhuveli – located around 16 kms north of Puducherry along the east coast. We hit the East Coast Road (ECR) early in the morning. Winter was not at its peak but pleasing. There is something beautiful about winter mornings, especially in Puducherry. While fog keeps you cold, the warm sea breeze stimulates your senses. It’s just enchanting. Riding in ECR was fun but its short-lived as we took a detour into the village after crossing Anumanthai toll. The roads were narrow and rugged, giving us an adventurous ride. After passing through some sharp turns and a lot of humps, a water body caught our eyes. It wasn't as massive as I visualised. Wetlands flou...

Common Myna foraging along the banks of the lake An American naturalist, Aldo Leopold once observed, “January not just brings a new calendar but also spring thaw.” And it’s the same across the globe. January takes away, with it, the pleasing cold weather; snow in some places (polar regions) and fog in other places. My place. Pondicherry. I hit the road, gasping the morning breeze, to Velrampet lake. The headlight beam pierced through the fog-covered road. It was tough. The roads were empty as it was early in the morning – 6 am – allowing me to ride with ease. Yet the fog was at a disturbing level. It was not up to this level the day before, I thought. And while on the drive, it struck me as I saw people burning something. Yes, It’s Bhogi! The day before the most auspicious Harvest festival – Pongal. It was on this day, people get rid of their old and unused stuff by literally burning them. People gather and discard their stuff by lighting a bonfire. The occasion i...

“Sir, I told you there are owls in this school campus,” a student exclaimed after having caught sight of this beautiful bird standing idle on one of the branches of a badam tree just outside the school campus. --- Spotted Owlet We were doing a count of all the birds on campus, or what we called the Campus Bird Count , in one of the government schools in Puducherry with primary school students. Initially, there was a discussion amongst the students about the birds they were familiar with and where they had seen them. Students were very enthusiastic and were sharing their encounters, “I have seen many parrots on the tree.” “I have seen peacocks on the farm” “Crows are everywhere” “I have seen pigeons on the electric cable” “I have seen owls in the school” “Owls?”  I was surprised and checked with the teacher. “Though I have not seen it myself, I've heard people say that there are owls here within the campus,” the teacher said. “Don’t worry sir, I will...