THE GULMOHUR

I don’t know what draws me to it..but I surely have started noticing it everywhere I go. Almost as if it is waiting for me so that I can admire it - The Gulmohur Tree..

It is this year that I can’t help noticing the way the very green leaves turn into flaming red flowers just before the monsoon. It looks as if the tree is on fire..shades of orange and red..and an occasional yellow. And there is always a carpet of these bright colours below the tree. It is soooooooo pretty!!!!

There is one Gulmohur at my bus-stop which I keep on looking at..while waiting for my bus which arrives according to IST.

There was one in my college ground. The red on the very brown earth used to look..er…hmm..lovely..I used to feel like getting out of the library and sit under the tree with my books spread around and a light breeze playing..with the mynahs chirping happily. Zzzzzzzzzzz…I am daydreaming.

There is one just at the corner of the road where I take a turn. Again as if expecting me to stop and just look admiringly.

Hmmmmm…I look out of the window. Onto the Yeoor hills…all green..very green..and there it is…a tree on fire..here..and hey..there too..trying to hide itself behind the vast green foliage.

The flower of the tree is also a beauty. Five petals - each one as bright as a flame..yellow merging into the orange..the orange merging into the red. Actually a flame is blue and yellow..I guess..what the heck!! IMAGINE IT! ;)

And there are five “things” other than petals. I have no idea what it is. Some rectangular pointy things..as kids..we used to scrape off the red part on it..and that part would be a little sticky. We would stick that onto our nails..and pretend to be witches and monsters. WOOOOOOOOOOOOO…

Moral of the story: I like the tree :D