Gulmohar...The growing years...

Days seemed to fly by, as there was so much of joy all around. Rose used to be busy with only Fia and the daily chores related to her care. She would spend the entire day with her baby, sometimes giggling around seeing Fia's naughty gestures and sometimes worriedly running around for her food, bib or those tiny socks. The window of Fia's playroom opened right in front of me, and I would spend hours on end just watching her, trying to listen to her soft gurgled baby talk. When Rose would be rush out of room to fetch something, Fia would fix her eyes on my swaying leaves and feel the cool breeze. At other times, of course, she would enjoy her mother's cuddly warm embrace. Over the months, she was growing into a beautiful baby, just as a tiny bud blossoming into a lovely flower. And I, standing by this corner, would start my mornings with cries of Baby Fia.

Her eyes were now more prominent, crystal clear soft blue eyes, which you would like to see forever. Being 4 months old, she could barely twist and turn on bed. Yet she would move her little hands and toes, as if wanting to play around with all that she saw in her room. Her tiny mouth would utter some gurgled sounds, which were more dear to me than a love song.

Whenever Rose would bring her into the garden, I would slowly sway my branches to shower red flowers from my branches. This would always draw her attention and she would look at me with her big clear blue eyes. And then she would gurgle a sweet little "Aaaw gu gu aaw" - only she knowing the meaning of this cute sound!

After spring season, I was bare with very few leaves. Yet as I awaited new leaves, the summer season had become less tolerant for a baby. And so Rose would stay indoors during the day, and come out with Fia only during the evenings. So a considerable time would be lost during the day and I would excitedly await evenings. And all this while love, care and concern for Fia kept on increasing.

Summer too passed away and Monsoons began. And began a stretch of lonesome days, when I would hope for rains to stop and see my little sunshine...

Gulmohar... Looking back on years goneby

I have been here ever since I was planted. I don't know when and how I landed here, or who planted me here. I was too young and tender to realise that. But my growing years have been quite fulfilling. I have known seasons, people, animals, wind, sun, rains, stars - all in their splendour and doom... In happy times and in lonesome days... In playful desires and in dull moods.

Every time a season comes, wrapping me softly and slowly into its bosom and then slowly, when its time for the next season, unwraps its warmth and love, I am left back with myself to witness new world each day. A new world, a new day, new life, new bloom. New people.

Yes, you would wonder how can a tree like me have new people in its life. Though I stand at a nice cozy corner of a garden, I still manage to meet new people. Some old timers still take refuge under my foliage during summers, some rogues still want me down with my branches, some poor souls still pour a bucket or two of water on my roots, some have left my neighbourhood. But one girl is still close to my heart and would always be. I will take you through my story with her, in many phases - because it difficult to summarize her, its difficult to describe her in few good words - because special things in life deserve importance...