Thoughtful Thursday

When nature asks us to co-exist with other follow-species, it is for our common good... 

So many life-forms, insects, plants and bacteria and viruses and fungi... They have co-existed since our planet evolved. 

We, humans, came much much later. We are the new-comers. 

Bigger and mightier species than us existed and became extinct, because, probably, they did not play the basic rules, or things did not work out for them in the long run and because they could not evolve as per changing surroundings, situations. 

For us to survive, we need to adapt, change, and evolve. This is a good opportunity to do so. 

 

Hues of beauty...

A beautiful evening sky...

It is April .. We are reeling under an unprecedented pandemic... The lockdown has inadvertently given us a lot of choices.. Choices to reflect upon, to rethink, to look back and take stock.. The earth is trying to tell us something.. Do we listen?  Better we take note.. 

Mattupatti Dam, near Munnar, Kerala

Mattupatti dam is near Munnar hills in Kerala state. The dam was almost devoid of water when I visited it in the last week of May 2019. With rains predicted to come in about 10 days time, I could sense that the vast space of the dam was patently for the waters to flow in, to be full till its brim. There were occasional visitors and I could even see some tourists going on in boats. The beautiful contours left by the receding waters have created wonderful graphical patterns.  The sun was its peak and the heat was too much. Still, the area had a beautiful ambience. 

The water near the dam had these green algae growing giving its beautiful hues. 

The boatmen were waiting for the tourists too - may be the last set of tourists since it will all come to an end once the monssons start I suppose.

The Honey bee tree in Munnar (Kerala)

 This is a huge tree while one goes from Munnar to Mattupatty dam. One can see huge bee-hives on this tree. Though I have seen similar bee-hives in other places as well especially when goes up from Thiruppattur to Yelagiri hills. The hives at Munnar are at a distance of about 4-5 kms from Munnar to Mattupatti road and I could almost all the vehicles taking a stop to see and take photos of this tree.

Interestingly, there is only one tree having all these hives. Quite honey-bee-friendly tree it should be !!!

Shankhupushpam - Another beautiful, edible flower ....

Shankhu Pushpam - (Shankhu meaning Conch-and Pushpam meaning flower) or Clitoria ternatea commonly known as Asian pigeonwings,  bluebellvine, blue pea, butterfly pea, cordofan pea and Darwin pea is a beautiful flower commonly seen as a creeper on the fences (and as fences have disappeared so this plant also) in villages. Rarely I have seen this in pots in the cities too.

This comes various colours from blue to purple, to white, even yellow etc, it is quite refreshing to the eyes.

 As kids, we used to collect this flower especially for Onam floral circles called "Pookkalam" and it is not that easy to make a full circle with this flower alone. After the first summer rains they come to life and in Kerala, one can see them during the rainy months.

Only recently I came to understand that this has quite a few medicinal properties and one can make beautifully coloured juices by boiling water and putting a handful of flowers in it and leave overnight to get a good dark blue tinged juice which you can drink with lemon and sugar or even jaggery.


I found that this is supposed to have some memory boosting capabilities and if one is especially stressed out or too anxious about something, a glass of cool juice made of this flower actually soothes you much. Interestingly there is also a variety of gin called Ink Gin in Australia coloured using these flowers. In Malaysia, these flowers are added while cooking rice to get a bluish tinged coloured rice.





So next time you see these flowers, get some and try your blue rice or blue lemon juice or even a hot blue tea. And also start cultivating a few plants in your garden or in a pot on your terrace (if you have) or verandah. Think of some innovatively coloured Biriyani or other dishes ..!!!

The setting Sun with its beautiful hues and colours...

Though the summer is something not all people can take it so easily, everyone cherishes the sunrise as well as the setting of the Sun. The change of the night into the day during the sun-rise and the change of the day into the night during sunsets brings about a variety of reactions from nature. Though as human beings, we have lost the importance of these important times of the day, other life-forms are quite active during these occasions.

 

 

 

Here is a sunset which I could catch at Matrikunj through the trees and I was amazed at the hues and colours that it brings about and the change in the mood of the surroundings, including birds which come back for nesting around huge trees, the call of the peacocks, the sound of distant cattle etc. The artificial lighting that we have, have taken away the beauty of the sunset and the dusk that follows, but still, every sunset, day after day, have always amazed me time and again.