What The Jacaranda Tree Taught Me !!

In the evenings ,the lights of Mussoorie twinkled in the  fore front –a  glorious uninterrupted view because  there were no buildings high enough to block them(Now Mussoorie and its lights are no longer visible from my house) .In the winter months –we could see the Himalayas  draped in white snow ,and trying to kiss the blue skies –the snow looked  so white ,and  beautiful and the sky so blue and tempting.Lovely birds would  chirp  throughout the day ,and I have never seen so many butterflies and “jugnoos”,in my life as when we used to stay in Guro Bhavan( the name of our house ) .In short –it was a fairy tale living .

Things changed .Clement Town changed .The beauty of Clement Town caught the eye of the people .It was invaded by outsiders .With their coming , the entire character of the place changed . We grew older ,we no longer climbed the Jacaranda tree,the weeping willow grew old and the unrelenting termites ate into her 60 years old trunk,and finally a storm did her in one day .The jamun tree started to grow too big for the new electrical wires and the electricty department cut it down .The twinkling stars of Mussoorie got hidden behind ugly unplanned buildings ,and one could no longer see the snow clad mountains .The trees no longer attracted the birds ,and when humans encroached on the adjoining  Rajaji Game sanctuary ,the monkeys made their way into our compound .About 4 years back ,a leopard came visiting Clement Town .!!It created panic .The police and the wildlife authorities were informed .I don’t know what happened subsequently.

The Jacaranda Tree And Uncle Sumra !!

I visited my house in November last year( 2011) .I went to meet Uncle Sumra ,our father figure housekeeper  .I was told that the once Hammer Thrower for India ,was slowly fading away from life .I entered the gates of  house .It looked very dilapidated .My car came to a halt beneath the Jacaranda tree .I looked up at it .?Where and which one was the branch from where my younger  sister had fallen off? Which was the highest branch that the young jet black haired  impish schoolboy climb, and said "hurray"!! ? The one on the right or the one on the left,  as the  50 plus grey haired man looked at it ?Could not make out .There were some lovely purple coloured flowers on its branches .The tree looked old but beautiful- trees always age more gracefully than human beings . A squirrel dashed up and down its main trunk,and looked at me as if i was a intruder .There was a breeze that rustled  through the leaves and the flowers . Ah just like old times .!! I entered the house and went to the room where he lay .It was the room that was once occupied by my Mom and Dad .

He looked very frail .But he recognized me in a flash Kulu,I have been waiting for you.” He mumbled .And then made a effort to get up .

“Chhotti,bring the whiskey”he said (Chotti is the name by which he used to call Aunty).

“No uncle ,I don’t drink now .And its only 10 in the morning.Maybe next time after sunset !!”,I said .

He looked at me and replied “Boy ,for me the evening may not come”.

I was stunned into silence .Memories of him dancing,of him taking me for patridge  and water duck shoots ,of him and me driving to Delhi and Ludhiana ,and of him ,lifting a steel trunk above his head to load it into a tempo –all came flashing back.Surely ,the curtain was about to fall .I reached out to him.His hands were cold .He whispered “One for the road Kulu”.And then those words –“You have to think of selling Guro Bhavan now .I dont have much time left now .And none of you wants to stay here”.

Uncle was dying ,Clement Town as i knew it, was already dead .I was reminded of a poem of Javed Akhtar

mujhko yaqin hai, sach kehti thee,

jo bhi ammi kehti thin,

Jab mere bachpan ke din thae,

 chand mein pariyan rehti thee

 ik ye din jab sari sadakey roothi roothi lagti hain

ik wo din jab ‘ao khelen’ sari galiyan kehti thee

ik ye din jab jaagi raten deewaron ko takay

ik wo din jab shakhon ke bhi palken bojhal rehti thee

ik ye din jab zahan mein sari ayyari ke baten hain

ik wo din jab dil mein sari bholi baten rehti thee

ik ye ghar jis ghar mein mera saz-o-saman rehta hai

ik wo ghar jisamen meri budhi nani rahati thin

Uncle passed away peacefully in his sleep on the 25^th of December .I could not attend his funeral .I did not want to see his dead body .I lack that kind of courage .But I do remember ,the last time I left Guro Bhavan while he was alive .I had stepped out of his room .I knew my professional commitments would not have allowed me to meet him again .I stood beneath the Jacaranda tree .I looked up .I searched for the moments and the birds .Suddenly a gust of breeze ruffled its leaves and the purple buds .And they rained on me .I did not brush them off my hair or my jacket.It was as if Guro Bhavan was applauding me and showering its blessing .I also remember telling myself –“See Kulu ,its crying”!!. Suddenly a squirrel ran up and down a branch and looked me in the eye.Was it pleading me to stay the night and leave the next day as Mom and Dad would have done ? 

And then  a small flower fell into my eyes .It brought out the tears .After many years ,I was bonding with something that had dared to stay there without any of us –the Jacaranda tree .It was teaching me another lesson

“Cry if you must –but don’t you quit”.
It also taught me another lesson .Dont invest much of your heart in men and women who will pretend they love you .Its better to invest it in animals and trees .They are more loyal, -even if they cant say "I love and i admire you".And they dont desert you even if you leave them .!!
I planted a Jacaranda Tree in my adopted home . It will outlive me .I hope it teaches all the subsequent occupants the lessons it taught me in Clement Town .Schools ,Colleges and Universities can never teach you what animals and nature can .Provided we are willing to learn from them .