Humans were in lockdown but not spring

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. So said Charles Dickens. Most of the people would agree with the second part when it comes to the lockdown period. But they tend to forget that it was the beginning of spring, the time of year when the City Beautiful breaks into a riot of colours. Slogging through endless cycles of cooking, dish washing, sweeping and mopping and battling the dread of an unknown disease, did the city people forget to notice the colourful mantle Chandigarh wears every spring?

On a particularly tiring day, marooned on the top floor, I was swept away by the dazzling bronze leaves of the pilkhan tree that rises to the sky in front of our balcony. The delicate translucent leaves sparkled like jewels. The top floor had its advantages too. It served as a haven for my tea sessions every day to take a break from the endless household chores.

A toon tree brushing against the parapet of the back balcony exuded a heady fragrance. The clusters of its white blooms attracted multitudes of bees and birds. I watched and listened to the endless “kutroo” calls of green barbets. Parrots, shikras, tree pies, owls, bats, grey hornbills frequented the trees.

The mild spring slowly gave way to scorching summer. The papri tree opposite my balcony bore clusters of light mauve flowers attracting swarms of bees. Every morning, awestruck I would witness a carpet of flowers under the tree. I was so smitten by its beauty that the pall of a dismal future was sufficiently lifted from my spirit. Despite the gloom of the lockdown, the silver lining was that the city, rather the world, got a chance to breathe in clean air and clear their lungs.

Navdeep Kahol, Chandigarh

Chandigarh