A walk with “the people with the green heads” and then uphill…

Last Sunday instead of sleeping in until 7, I was up as usual at 5 am. So was my son, without a murmur of protest for a change! Why? Because we had registered with Nizhal (Shade) for a “Tree Walk” as part of the Madras Week celebrating the founding of the city of Chennai in 1639. This was held at Guindy National Park, one of the handful of parks around the world that is situated within a city. It was an absolute treat. Resource person, Mr Kamaraj, who has worked at the park for long years, led us, stopping at intervals to explain the salient features of a variety of trees. I learned, for instance, that the tree I (and many others) believed to be the Flame of the Forest is in fact the flame tree (Delonix regia or Royal Poinciana). The real Flame of the Forest is Butea monosperma (also called the parrot tree due to the shape of its flowers. As it resembles the teak, it as also known as the bastard teak. Unfortunately we missed it in full bloom as flowering gets over in June.

The shrub that stood out was mother-in-law’s tongue, ostensibly because the edges of its leaves are razor sharp! Though it is widely grown as an ornamental, purists call it a weed!

Then there was the Prosopis juliflora (belonging to the same genus as the North American mesquite) , a very hardy, drought resistant tree, which does not, however, allow other trees and shrubs to take root nearby. Another variant the Prosopis cineraria is very common to Rajasthan.

Lovely “extras” were the fauna we spotted – macaques (Rhesus monkeys), squirrels, kites, butterflies, and bugs…

We also saw a small group of deer, one at a distance of 2 feet! What gorgeous animals they are! Why anyone in their right minds would want to hunt the gentle creatures is beyond me.

So why did I go? Have you read the 2-page (not kidding!) short story, The Distinguished Stranger by R. L. Stevenson? I, too, love “the people with the green heads”!

Also I saw it as a chance to pass on some of my passion for the environment to my son. He already has caught the reading bug from me. It is really amazing – and sometimes disquieting – to consider how often we influence our children’s likes/dislikes. Other benefits – we spent time together but his attention was elsewhere and he didn’t get in my hair! It also clubbed exercise with learning. As we left the cicadas were just getting their act together – a farewell in their humming crescendo.

Then on Monday morning we climbed up and down St Thomas Mount (a hillock) twice by two different routes. It took about 2 hours but didn’t seem like it. I thought i’d pay for it the next day with sundry aching muscles but my fears were unfounded. I must be in better shape than I imagined! Hmmmm….

© Sosha Srinivasan