Forest on Fire

Summer has come and weather is getting warmer day by day. A lot of birds can be seen flocking together as they come into heat for a mating season. While all this is happening, some of the tress have also been seen adopting few charming ways, specially the ones with blood red flower.
         Out of all "Bloody Blossoms" my favorites are Silk- Cotton tree and Flame-of-the-forest (Palash/Tesu). They are looking amorous in the season and have one common entity of red and rowdy petals. But these lovelorn trees dress down their leaves and bear bright flowers. To this I got to hear an interesting fact from my husband that I would like to share. He said that the sudden burst of flowers on the dead-looking trees is triggered by the heat of the summers and the dryness in the air and soil.









Standing at the far corner, all alone with might. Silk- cotton tree or Semal is indeed beautiful with large red flowers, which I love to pick every morning on my walk. On a lot of mornings I do spend some time seeing birds like drongos, barbets, leafbirds, treepies etc. which feed on its nectar. In return for the nourishing breakfast, the birds are made to deliver packets of pollen from one flower to another.

Palash.... The fallen palash are not disgrace but, enchants me into the lore of nature. Once barren, and now covered in velvety Red, the earth soothes my inner conflict whenever I pass by. The flame-shaped flowers make the entire tree appear to be on fire against the dry landscape of a deciduous forest or lifeless fields, and that is how the tree gets its English name.

The trees, which became naked just a little while ago and had seemed like they had lost everything, have suddenly burst out with colour and life. Nothing in your life is over, until you say so.