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Saturday, May 3, 2014

The Mango Tree


The tree had grown taller since the last summer. The long stalk and the spreading branches opened the arms to a yet new day as the green leaves rustled, with the embrace of morning wind. Just a few years ago it was a tiny sapling with a stem thinner than Kareena  Kapoor’s waist and would dance endlessly to the rhythm of the breeze. On a winter day, it stood silently slowly tilting towards the rays of the sunshine that were breaking out. Everyone in the family doted this mango tree right from its early years. The fertilizer would be added with care and watering done regularly to ensure that it was not deprived of the nutrients in its years of infancy.

It grew at a tremendous pace in the last few years like a teenager who has signs of adolescence showing once it crosses the teens. It grew in height and one had to crane the neck in skyward direction to see the first signs of pollination of the flowers resulting in the tiny mango fruit. The cuckoo would come and sing endlessly while the smaller birds and sparrows danced in delight pecking on the branches as they looked for food. Soon it was mayhem, as two more months passed and the fruits grew in size. The half eaten mangoes by greedy parrots and other birds lay scattered every summer morning. Intruders would jump over the fence to pick the fruits that had fallen on the ground. My father would dash out of the house to chase them away as they indulged in the ignoble act of stealing.‘ Mango people of a Banana  Republic----how dare they could do this’. The prized possessions were picked up every morning for distributing to the visitors after showing the tree with pride to them like a child that has just won a prize in the school!

One day as I was getting ready to step out of the house, I heard a din. My father was shouting at one person who was precariously perched on one branch and held an axe in his hand. I recognized that he was the gardener who worked in the neighbor’s house. He had been instructed by the mistress to chop the branches that had encroached in their territory. I mistook that he was trying to chip away the tree that had been the’ labor of love’. I shouted at him as he climbed down. The neighbors too rushed on hearing my raised voice. Finally it was settled and we allowed the gardener to chip away a few branches that had the audacity to creep into the neighbor’s backyard.


The one’s staying right above them one day called up, that winter was just around the corner and the sunlight was blocked by the branches covering their bedroom window! ‘Have a heart! I told her that they had a full rooftop to enjoy the sunshine but the city dwellers somehow only like to do a lip service to ‘Green Earth’ campaigns. The charity begins at home. Let one poor mango tree breathe and survive! So each one has a fancy reason to get rid of the tree where as I love to see a small oasis of green in the backyard where the shade and constant chirp of the birds makes me feel being a step closer to the creator of this universe

PS: Image Kind Courtesy Google

36 comments:

  1. Very true Rah ul. The most heartbreaking scene is when government fellows mercilessly chop down trees that are many decades old in the name of road expansion.btw do u know there is a tree help line http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/newdelhi/tree-helpline-re-launched-with-new-number/article1-1071639.aspx

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    1. Thank you Jaishree for sending the link! will keep this handy now:)

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  2. Well written. It's sad to see people fussing so much over a few branches and not taking care of nature.

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  3. Oh, it is really sad when people behave in such manner, but then it is a common practice. Loved the way you have written this story!

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    1. Thanks a lot, Shilpa for reading and liking:)

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  4. Some people have weirdness written all over their soul. And getting shade is a good thing right! Now watch them burn during summers.

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    1. I wish people were more kind to the nature around them! Not taking things for granted:)

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  5. Why do people behave like that .. and you are 100% right people have this tendence to SAY all these good words , greener earth , this and that but when it actually comes to do anything , NONE of them re interested.

    but never mind hopefully the SUN will shine so HARD into their bedrooms that they will curse the day they asked you to trim those brnaches ..

    SAD SAD people .. I have exactly same problem in the house that i rent here, the neighbour is &^%^$£ wants me to chop the tree , after a lot of arguments , I have done the PUNJABI thing.. I went ot their house and Asked them that they can go to police or council or ANY ONE.. but next time they stop me on street or send messages through a common friend .. I will SLAP them the moment i see them ..

    maybe i am wrong to say that but at least it has ended the constant arguments, The tree was already there when i had bought the house and it is a protected tree , so CANT be cut ..

    Bikram

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    1. Thank you Bikram for narrating your own experience but it is saddening that just for petty ego, people go to any extent:(

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  6. Heartless people! They just don't know to admire nature...the greenery, birds, their sounds etc.

    One of my neighbour said that we have to grow trees which grow up to just the edge of the compound wall! She asked me to cut the jasmine creepers which were hanging on the other side of the fence that the dried leaves dirty her place even after I asked her to take the flowers which were blooming on her side of the fence! She forgot the fragrance they gave!

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    1. Thanks a lot, Sandhya for that narration of your experience! I agree we forget the good things that come our way but tend to remember the harsh things much longer!

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  7. Very nicely written the obituary of the poor mango tree. I don't know why people make an issue on small things.

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    1. Thanks a lot Ushaji for reading and agreeing that we need to preserve the nature!

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  10. Oh God...why cant people at least spare the innocent trees the ire of their egos? I loved the way you described the tree in the beginning...reminded me of the poems i used to read in school on nature.

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  11. Nature gives us so much but it is so disheartening to see what we humans do in return :( Lovely read, sir.

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  12. Hi Rahul, I become quite impassioned with anything regarding nature, I don't condone the cutting down of trees and deforestation and even the loss of one tree makes a huge difference. Well written as always!

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    1. So nice to know that you feel the same way for the nature around us, Sam! I love to see greenery around:)

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  13. Why some people are like that? Couldn't stop laughing at this - Mango people of a Banana Republic.

    We should do our bit for a better tomorrow.

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    1. Thank you Saru! I know your view resonates with mine:)

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  14. I hate it when people chop branches off trees just because it messes with the view...We have destroyed nature so much despite the fact that Mother Nature nurtures us to boundless extents...I wish we could do our bit in preserving nature and not destroying it...

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    1. Thanks a lot Divya! I wish that people are more sensitive to nature and thank for the endless bounties endowed:)

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  15. I see it all the time here in the community where I live, Rahul. Not only branches, people chop off trees because they feel that the roots may damage the foundations of their homes :/.

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    1. Sad is'nt it, Rachna! For some petty gains we do not mind ravaging the nature!

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  16. how true Rahul Sir, people chop trees mercilessly and the landscapes are being dotted in fact being consumed by constructions with no alternate plans for plantation. An irony that it is, we'll soon have to face the serious aftermaths of it..:(
    A very thoughtful post indeed..:)

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    1. Very true Monica! I have seen this happen even in heavenly Goa where you live! Thanks a lot for reading:)

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  17. Those of us who love in Gurgaon miss trees a lot. There are hardly any trees here unlike Delhi. I don't know where we are heading with concrete, glass and chrome...
    Lovely post. Reminded me of a Langda Mango tree in my garden long ago.

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    1. I know what you say, Alka as Gurgaon the 'future city' has nothing really to boast about other than office places, malls and concrete jungle, thanks to the Indian definition of development! I am sure you miss your Langda Mango tree of childhood times:)

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  18. Rahul, you should see the trees that have been chopped in our city. Its losing the (or has already lost it) the garden city tag. But there are some people who have still managed to hold on to their trees by constructing their houses or restaurants around them.

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    1. True, Rachna and being a frequent visitor to the 'Garden City' , it is saddening to see the denudation and lack of the green cover the city prided with in earlier times:( Good to see you back!

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