The gulmohars are in bloom again.
Strange that such a fragile flower
Should withstand such
Hardened heat
Ever since I can remember, my journeys in various parts of Delhi have been accompanied by rows upon rows of Gulmohars, made conspicuous by the flowers suddenly growing – as if they are in a hurry to live. Crowding the soft feathery leaf laid branches out, demanding space of their own till the tree looks red or yellow instead of green.
Have you ever examined an individual Gulmohar flower? I would hardly label them as exotic or beautiful – those hollow buds that wilt in no time once removed from the tree. I had not the heart to tell Ananya not to pluck them for her mother’s day bouquet. Yet together, bloom after bloom - they enrich almost every roadside and lane of Delhi – fooling visitors into thinking they’re as lah-di-dah as the rhodenderons or the tulips.
I still remember when I first stepped out for college, I would notice them growing bright and inviting or even ending up as a splash of color on the footpath, blithely smiling and promising that they would appear anew tomorrow. It is still the same, as I step out of my home and walk up to the lab.
So many seasons have come and gone. Residences, lifestyles, possessions, promotions – everything comes and goes.Yet, the twinkling, transient gulmohar flower lives forever.
Has it heard of that hindi word…….kshanbhangur?
