AVOIDING TRAGEDIES

 

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

13/VI/2025

 

It was a fine morning today but we were still trying to come to grips with the tragedy of the plane crash in Ahmedabad. What a way to go! So much of grief is inexplicable. My heartfelt condolences to all the families and friends of the deceased and get well wishes to all those who are injured. God Bless you all.

 

As usual, my routine in the garden got me on my feet. Today, it was watering and fish tank cleaning day. A little taxing but manageable.

 

The sun had come up by the time I finished with all that. It was not all that fierce today. So, I thought I might take a walk in our common lawn infront of our house.

 

My heart was also heavy because a huge Drumstick tree which was the ‘centre of gravity’ of so much of activity of birds, insects and reptiles was chopped off as the owner is getting his house renovated.

 

It was painful deep inside but the positive was that our seed grown babies collected from the pods of the same tree are now about fifteen feet high and will mature into great trees this year. All the activity which used to happen on ‘mama tree’ will soon be happening on baby trees.

 

When I saw the beehive, which had been there for almost two years on the ground, I felt so sorry for them. They lost their home and will have to start from a scratch. My Bee Eaters would now have to find another place to hunt. Rather, all birds which used to roost and pose for me would now have to change trees or relocate. I hope they won’t go away. Chopping the tree was another tragic event.

 

Life has to move on. I walked in the common lawn with my camera in hand where I met Ms TikTok with her curled tail, taking a walk too. It was a good time to get into a conversation with her.

 

“Hey”! I greeted Ms TikTok. “Strange to find you going in the opposite direction”. “You guys love to get into action in our garden once the sun is up. What makes you walk to the lane across”? She bobbed her head and went “cluck-cluck-cluck”. “What do I infer my dear, I asked her to explain”?

 

“Well, you see, last two days you have brought no cockroaches for us”. “I am sorry, I said, but there weren’t any”. “Believe you me, we looked under every wash basin, sink, bathroom just for you”. “Both my wife and I go on shikar the first thing in the morning just for you, even before having our cup of tea”.

 

“I see”, she clucked. “The bigger problem you see is the chopping off of the huge Drumstick tree in your neighbourhood”. “Well, you guys roam around our pots catching insects and larvae, how does that tree make you defect to another garden”?

 

“You see, so many birds used to come on that tree, right”. I nodded my head in affirmation. “The insects used to get startled and would rush to hide in between your pots and shrubs”. “That is where we used to lie in wait”. “We used to have enough food on our table, thanks to the drumstick tree”.

 

Hmm! I said, what else could I say. Felling of one tree, would leave so many birds and reptiles hungry was food for thought.

 

“Not only that”, said Ms TikTok, birds were the best alarm too”. “They used to warn us when some Kingfisher, Kite or Shikra would be lurking around”. “We used to get adequate warning and time to hide”. “Even the Sparrows and bulbuls have gone quiet, you would have noticed”. That was the truth.

 

Lovey-Dovey, the pair of doves who used sit and coo the whole day were now sitting on a wall of the roof. So was the Bulbul and Ms Squirrel trying to find the tree. They must be wondering that we had left the tree intact last evening and today it has gone without a storm.

 

“Our garden is always open to you my dears”. “By the way. where is Mr TikTok”? “He went ahead for a preliminary recce early this morning”.” Can’t you hear, he is calling out to me”. “You let me go before he gets annoyed”. “Of course, you may leave, because sitting here in the open, you are more vulnerable to a surprise attack”. “All the best and have a nice day”.

 

I wished her goodbye and moved home. The mind was still unsettled because of all the tragedies churning in the mind. I closed my eyes and pressed the refresh button.

 

I had no solution but can such tragedies be avoided? I wonder!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

©® NOEL ELLIS