Blog
A Room with a (Tree) View
Once there was a tree that I enjoyed watching every day, until the day it was no more… I have always felt at home in the company of trees. So, when we moved house, I was comforted knowing that there were many trees in the new neighbourhood, especially a mighty...
Lady Sheesham Then and Now
Back in 2021, when I was taking my first tentative steps towards living a life more rooted in the Yamuna floodplains, I undertook a plantation on the land I had recently come to steward. This first plantation consisted mainly of pioneer trees on the then barren...
Musings from Pongam Tree
For me, home is where the birding begins. It is not merely a place of shelter, but an environment filled with love, learning, and the roots of who we become. From an early age, I loved discovering the natural world, which strengthened my relationship with nature....
Roots of Resilience
There is an emptiness outside my house – not just on the earth where the Arjuna tree once stood but in my life, in my thoughts. I didn’t think I would miss it this much. But I still find myself glancing that way every day, especially in the afternoons, expecting to...
Monsoon Chronicles: One Tree, Two Insects, and a Few Unanswered Questions
Every year, as the first monsoon showers sweep across Mumbai, something quietly stirs in the landscape around me. The streets grow darker, the air gets heavy with petrichor, and familiar trees start to put on their seasonal show. One such tree is Kaim (Mitragyna...
A memory-laden Tree
The tree can very easily be missed. It is common-looking. A tough, rough trunk and leaves shaped very typically, just like leaves from a child’s drawing. But when this tree flowers, the tiny white dainties with an even smaller orange stalk take centre stage,...
Why I Might Have Written ‘The Trees Told Me So’
People often ask me why I wrote The Trees Told Me So (2017). I wish I had a grand, romantic story to tell — something with butterflies in the stomach or a dramatic turning point. But I don't. What I do have are smaller, quieter truths. As a child, I remember...
Nature’s Magic
Banyan tree A magic machine, a friend, hope, and faith As if a green canopy with the sun, moon, and twinkling stars. As if it were a dream where a bird was peeking and pecking on the branches, Sliding and hiding. Leaping and falling from the blue as if stitching...
Dew Drops on the Rain Tree and Powderpuff Tree
If you ever happen to visit Kamla Nehru Park at Malabar Hill in the heart of Mumbai City, then do take in the magic of the scores of lush trees that bade you to marvel at their vibrant splendour. Each is unique in its characteristic personalities. But two trees...
The Elephant Apple Tree in Northeast India
A beautiful tree with a light brown trunk and large oval leaves. Each leaf with prominent veins and dark green colour- just like the artwork by a young child holding the sketch-pen for the first time! The flowers have much sophisticated colour combination- the bowl...
One tree. Many stories!
The African Tulip tree - Spathodea campanulata, in our community garden, is such a lively and happening place throughout the day. The bright reddish orange flowers, contrasting beautifully with the green leaves, make a pretty picture. The tree glistens brightly in...
The Oak and the Jay: A Seasonal Friendship That Keeps Forests Alive
In the peaceful woodlands of Europe, a beautiful story unfolds every year — a seasonal friendship between the sturdy oak tree and a clever, colourful bird known as the Eurasian jay. It’s a natural partnership that has quietly helped forests grow and thrive for...