Environment

A childhood's memories Of looking and waiting For something exciting From the grove of coconut trees A busy woodpecker An agile tree climber Two young boys Who made little noise If we missed these We simply counted the trees What rekindled these memories Was Visthar's coconut trees! Situated in an eco-friendly campus in Dodda Gubbi off the Hennur Road in east Bangalore, Visthar is a treasure trove of nature's bounty that drives one to reflect inwards while celebrating life. A veritable hub of socio-cultural and environmental consciousness this organization turned twenty one recently. Famous for hosting annual festivals and events that…

I was going to photograph something else, when this generator housing caught my eye: The housing said, Caterpillar, which is a well-known brand..but what really caught my attention was this "Butterfly Enclosure"!I wonder what this particular "Butterfly Enclosure" actually is? There IS a picture of a butterfly on the generator housing...but I don't really think they capture butterflies....or if they do, someone must tell them that...butterflies are free! ⊕

I was going to photograph something else, when this generator housing caught my eye: The housing said, Caterpillar, which is a well-known brand..but what really caught my attention was this "Butterfly Enclosure"!I wonder what this particular "Butterfly Enclosure" actually is? There IS a picture of a butterfly on the generator housing...but I don't really think they capture butterflies....or if they do, someone must tell them that...butterflies are free! ⊕

I posted once about the Monkey Puzzle Tree with its beautiful leaves (go see the huge trees near the Glass House  in Lalbagh, if you can!)and later, I got theMonkey Puzzle Butterfly amongst other things, on a nature trail:A few days ago, it was very nice to see that someone still cares about our Bangalore heritage, and has re-created the Monkey Puzzle architectural detail for their home:Possibly this feature was so called because monkeys used to sit on it...it's also called "Monkey Top".

I posted once about the Monkey Puzzle Tree with its beautiful leaves (go see the huge trees near the Glass House  in Lalbagh, if you can!)and later, I got theMonkey Puzzle Butterfly amongst other things, on a nature trail:A few days ago, it was very nice to see that someone still cares about our Bangalore heritage, and has re-created the Monkey Puzzle architectural detail for their home:Possibly this feature was so called because monkeys used to sit on it...it's also called "Monkey Top".

Having been away from Bangalore for a very long stretch, it felt wonderful to go to the monthly (second Sunday of the month) birding outing at Lalbagh.Those who came for the outing included people who were coming to Lalbagh for the first time, and  those trying birdwatching for the first time, along with more seasoned birders. Apart from the regular birding group, Anil G T and Guruprasad also brought about 30 children from Rajarajeshwari Nagar, and they formed a separate group who went to the Lalbagh Lake first.By about 8am, an assorted group of people got together, with experienced birders…

Having been away from Bangalore for a very long stretch, it felt wonderful to go to the monthly (second Sunday of the month) birding outing at Lalbagh.Those who came for the outing included people who were coming to Lalbagh for the first time, and  those trying birdwatching for the first time, along with more seasoned birders. Apart from the regular birding group, Anil G T and Guruprasad also brought about 30 children from Rajarajeshwari Nagar, and they formed a separate group who went to the Lalbagh Lake first.By about 8am, an assorted group of people got together, with experienced birders…

We seem to not bother too much when things don't work...or when people don't work! Here's a busy, busy autorickshaw driver...We also like to make things work in our own way, to suit ourselves....the regular fence and gate will not have enough space for the car to fit in, so we customize it.. an ingenious construction which does not violate the letter of the law, as this is the driveway, even though the fence goes outside the dimensions of the residential plot!

We seem to not bother too much when things don't work...or when people don't work! Here's a busy, busy autorickshaw driver...We also like to make things work in our own way, to suit ourselves....the regular fence and gate will not have enough space for the car to fit in, so we customize it.. an ingenious construction which does not violate the letter of the law, as this is the driveway, even though the fence goes outside the dimensions of the residential plot!

As I walk around my home, I am struck by the brightness of the colours around me, especially since the monsoons have moved in, and the trees have shed their summer dust and sereness. Here is the COPPER SHIELD BEARER, the tree is almost done with its yellow blooms that carpet the ground below it...now the copper-coloured pods that give the tree its name are out, and the tree looks so beautiful...The tree of the summer, theGULMOHAR,also sports a lot of green, and some of the red blooms that brighten up the summer days are yet on the tree: Would…