Monday, May 16, 2011

Gulmohars and Cherry Blossoms


Summer has been here for a while now. And though it has been quite mild this year, compared to the usual, and though nights are actually quite pleasant, it is quite hot during the day.  And driving on the road in the afternoon, you can feel the heat as well as the brightness of the Sun.

But when you drive around, in the city, and especially outside the city, you can’t miss the Gulmohar trees. They are everywhere… and in full bloom!! They are a riot of color on the background of the blue sky - You can see various shades from dull orange, saffron to fire red… and even some very deep red – almost close to maroon. They look wild! And oh so beautiful!! Every time I look at them I am mesmerized. I watch these trees as long as I can, and I don’t feel like looking away. I just can’t seem to get enough. 

And every time I look at them, I also remember the Cherry blossom trees…  They of course belong to very different climatic regions. They won’t be able to bloom in this heat; in fact they would not be able to tolerate this heat at all.

The two are quite different – Cherry Blossom are extremely delicate, even in their coloring – its so gentle... They also look very, very soft and refined. Gulmohars, are definitely not delicate – they are hardy – they have to be, to bloom in the heat like this. And while Cherry Blossoms are all soft & refined, Gulmohars are completely wild!! Cherry Blossoms are all pastel shades – soft, soft pink – could almost seem white. Gulmohars on the other hand are loud colors like bright Red!!

And yet, I find something similar in these two – both are, for one extremely beautiful. Somehow, no matter how much you look at them, you don’t feel satisfied… you want to look some more.. And there is that same abundance in the way they bloom.

In “The Last Samurai”, there is a quote – “The perfect blossom is a rare thing. You could spend your life looking for one, and it would not be a wasted life”. – I think that’s beautiful – and maybe it applies not only to Cherry Blossoms.  I think that is true about Gulmohars too.
And the last words of the same person (Katsumoto, I think), in the same movie are – “Perfect. They... are all... perfect...” – again he is talking about the Cherry Blossoms. That, I think holds true for all the trees, trees that blossom with such abundance!!

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