At the very outset, let me make it clear that I am not here refering to a person but nonetheless to something just as dear to the heart. I am talking about a giant of a flowering Gulmohar tree that stood like a sentinel guarding our garden wall. It has unfortunately passed into history and it is so difficult to come to terms with the fact. This tragic occurence took place a few days back, when the giant of a tree just keeled over and collapsed to the ground with a crash, unable to withstand the gusty monsoonish wind. The tree had a special place in our hearts, since the day we planted it as a sapling outside our garden. With every passing day our attachment to the tree grew manifold. We were however impatient to see some blossoms adorning the branches of the tree and we even came to the conclusion that maybe the tree is barren, and that it will not flower; in comparison to similar Gulmohar trees that were in bloom way down the street. So, when our tree finally bloomed, there was celebration all around, on seeing the orange flowers come on. The tree then grew with a vengeance!, affording us a canopy of strong and healthy branches laden with beautiful orange flowers, and their fallen orange petals carpeting our house porch and ground. We proudly displayed it as our own Onam festival and shared it in our photos in the family album. We were so happy with our creation and we got used to its presence outside. The tree even helped in guiding the bougainvillea creeper in its growth, as it used it as a support, to gain in height. Not to mention, its competitors in the kesar mango tree and the neem tree. The gulmohar tree is no more but will always be green in our memory.
