Thursday, July 22, 2021

CADAMBA TREE IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD - STORY OF RESILIENCE , REJUVENETION

 

 Blossom in 'Shravan',1428/2021

Last year , cyclone Amphan   damaged  the trees of Parnasree  - the south-west neighbourhood of Kolkata where we live - very badly.  A large nos of trees, young and old, were uprooted, and those  which withstood the  gusts , were severely mauled.


     Bent & broken .    Gusts pulled the left & right-side branches apart !

      The creeper hangs on !!- Amphan, 2020


One of this second lot was the  full-grown Cadamba tree that stands 100+ meters  south of our  balcony.  Its branches were broken , some deep brown dead leaves were   hanging dead, rest scattered on the ground.  The day I took the photograph - perhaps  twelve days after the cyclone -  people have removed most of the  dead branches/leaves and piled them away [ view the next photograph ], yet some were still hanging in position, as telltale sign of the devastation .  Noticeable is the resolute creeper clinging on to the tree ! It withstood the rampage !!

But, that was Summer , 2020. During the following months, the Cadamba tree garnished  itself with rich green leaves. The haggard ravaged look of My/June, 2020 is now gone , a distant memory. Flowers blossomed in early 'Aasharh' month  . Fresh   blossom in early- 'Shravan' has appeared now, declaring its rejuvenation being complete.

 

    Young green cover -2021