Blog
A Sweet Story
On a sunny morning during the lockdown, I was roaming around my home documenting life using the iNaturalist application. Castor plants grow wild and abundant across Bangalore and there was one growing in a small patch of land next to our home. While watching the...
My father, the ‘Weed’, and Me
The Prelude Try to recall something that you know exists in the world around you and assume that it will last forever. A thing which doesn’t necessarily have a physical form; it can be as simple as a feeling and yet resplendent. This story is about such a “thing”...
The Pomelo Tree Residing in my Ancestral Home
Pomelo is an exotic fruit of the Citrus species belonging to the Rutaceae Family. They are commonly found in the Himalayan region, especially in my hometown Chamkong Pakyong, East Sikkim. The Pomelo is locally known as ‘Phokshay’ and we fondly call them the ‘Father...
Changing Seasons: Trees of Bangalore
My childhood was seasonless and the trees were nameless. I grew up in a house in front of which grew a tree whose branches reached our balcony. A fleet of parakeets would dive into it and peck at its seeds sending the little winged seed, oatmeal-like, scattering. I...
She Spoke the Story of Earth
"When it's over, I want to say: all my life I was a bride married to amazement." Mary Oliver A topsy-turvy world. We became denizens of it in March 2020. What was abnormal was normal and the new normal ensconced itself in our lives quite comfortably. The mundane...
Khinni – Lone Warrior
Standing tall and alone on the edge of Tadoba Tiger Reserve, I'm Khinni. The place where I stand is not for the faint of heart for I see the most prolific changes in weather over a year. I stand on the edge of a lake adjoining farmlands. I'm the tallest of all and...
The Persian Lilac Tree
We shifted to a new house in Delhi, in March 2010, and there, right in front of the house was a beautiful Persian Lilac (Melia azedarach) tree in full bloom. Persian Lilac (Melia azedarach) The stem and branches with dark fissured bark bore small clusters of...
Respite religiosa
Between 2020 and 2022, amidst the 3 COVID-19 waves, I enrolled in a Master's program at a college in Pune. Most of my coursework was online, which meant I attended classes from home, in Bangalore. Whenever lockdowns eased, we were called for in-person classes, and...
One Tiny Odd Red Leaf!
After spending months in the forests of Bastar, Chhattisgarh, I have keenly observed the ever-evolving beauty of its forests. Every passing month brings about remarkable transformations, and these changes have captivated my senses in ways I never imagined. I...
Pava Tree and Its Mushroom Companion
Last year, around this time, I was in Kumbarwada, a place in Kali Tiger Reserve, Dandeli. I was working on my master’s thesis about how knowledge about tubers is passed down from older to younger people in the Kunbi community. The Kunbis are a forest community that...
The Legacy of a Small Fig Tree
With its glossy green foliage, the small fig tree in my house has nurtured many generations of birds. Its rounded canopy, set away from surrounding walls, is a popular spot among small birds looking for a site to nest. Here, one can witness the endless drama of...
The Crow’s Gift: A Lockdown Friendship Blooms
Nature has a unique way of grabbing our attention, often through subtle yet enchanting gestures that can transform our perception of the world around us. My story gives a different perspective on this, rooted in a personal experience during the COVID-19 lockdown....