DEADMAN’S FINGER

DEADMAN’S FINGER

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

19/VIII/2024

Sometimes your eleventh sense tells you that it is your lucky day for photography. How? I do not have any specific answer. However, if you find a subject without looking for it, that’s it.

Today, the rain took a break and the sun came up playing hide and seek with the clouds. The well washed garden and surroundings looked greener than usual this morning. Leaves looked as if someone had washed them and hung them to dry. Their brilliance was eye-catching.

In between all this, two of our vines need to be watered daily. As I was about to pour some in its pot, I spotted Mr Grasshopper hiding in a vine after ages. Hello, I said, long time no see. He stretched his leg and kept staring at me as if telling me that he had been wet too long in the rain. His eyes suggested that he should be spared from getting wet. I obliged.

This was the trigger for a lucky day with the camera.

Having done the routine inspection of the pots, I strolled down the lane to see if my luck continued. At the end of the lane there was a flurry of bird activity. A few Bulbuls and Sparrows were chasing a Koel. The Koel instead of scooting away came down to the ground level and sat next to a water container.

It was not afraid of me to say the least. It gave a friendly look and hopped all over. One bulbul dived towards it and the Koel, like an expert boxer, avoided the attack with a dodge. A couple of clicks and I returned home for my cup of tea.

Why not go to the riverfront to try my luck, I thought!

Having greeted the Pandit ji at the mandir, I walked towards the river. A pair of ‘Wire Tailed Swallows’ flew over me. Why not tell them that I just met their far-flung cousins yesterday. Maybe then they would pose for me if I could give them a reference to take a close up of theirs.

Here in Marwar, everything works on personal relations/references. Every shop you go, every deal you do, some ‘jaan pehchan’, some ‘rishtedari’, some relation is worked out to get that little discount or to become friendly with someone.

Today, the birds were not in a mood to get friendly. The pair were guarding their nest from a distance. Dogs in the area let off an alarm followed by the squirrels. The pair got alerted and took off from their favourite perch. The lady however returned to continue her watch. The male was elusive.

On my way back, I saw a small white ant (Deemak) hill. Next to it was a protrusion. A quick check and it was a mushroom for sure. It is called Termite Inkcaps/Podaxis. Its common name is ‘Deadman’s finger’. Suddenly, it started looking like one. The dead man must be buried under that ant hill and he was trying to get out.

Before, the ‘spirit’ of that mushroom and its fingers tickled me, so I scooted back home as fast as I could.

Have you guys had a close encounter with a Deadman’s finger? I wonder!!!!!!!

JAI HIND