DilliMeriJaan

The male hornbill eats the toxic Bish tendu fruit. Then spews out vomit to feed the female hornbill, who is kept hidden in the nest! Geeta from BNHS (bnhs.org) told us this and many interesting things about birds, butterflies, trees, on a walk arranged by NDNS (https://www.facebook.com/newdelhinaturesociety/?fref=ts) in Sanjay Van. This forest is part of the Southern Ridge, which is part of the oldest mountain range in the world – the Aravallis. We learnt about the importance of indigenous trees and collected seeds to help proliferate them. We understood the difference between Desi and Vilayati Kikar and that the former, is the real deal, while the latter does no good – not even serve as a home for birds/butterflies. We also realised that most ailments could be cured by fruits/barks/leaves of trees – so the forests heal us, in more ways than one. Walls of the original red fort of Delhi, Lal Kot, still exist in this forest. Originally built by the Tomars in 8 th century A...

There is a math to this. The rate at which the number of cars in CR Park increase, as the days approaching Puja decreases, is fascinating. That’s all that fascinates me about the ‘grand festival’. As the clock strikes ‘Navratra’, my pulse starts quickening – with sheer frustration. At the inane consumer habit of travelling far and wide to buy ‘things’ ( have they not heard of the internet?), the further lack of logic of blocking entire streets to conduct ‘bhandaras’.  As the 6 th day approaches, it is now very trendy to make a beeline for CR Park to see the enormously wasteful Pandals – replete with plastic and asbestos, dust and dirt. The sudden interest in Bong Culture is very overwhelming! I welcome the last day with joy, as the crazy melee ends and I can start getting out of my house again, and utter despair at the ecological damage that the immersion and the burning of Ravana cause. If you want to really destroy evil and bring good, please do it with less toxic pollutants...