life in general: nature at its greenest best!

The serenity that nature offers when it is at its greenest best is amazing. Thanks to good rains in and around Bombay the mountains of the Western Ghats are lush with smiling trees and their sparkling leaves. Some days back I went to Matheran (about 79 kms from Bombay). I share below some pics (click on them to them enlarged & clearer) from there -- they speak for themselves.

life in general: bombay citizens' apathy towards trees

I really enjoy commuting on Bombay's roads and suburban railways during national holidays. The sea of humanity is not there and its just a stream of humanity. Today is one such day, the 26th of January, a national holiday in India on account of it being the Republic Day (when the Constitution of India was formally adopted on this day in 1950).

Anyway, thats not the main thrust of this post. After having lip-smacking sambar with authentic dosas and idlis at Mani's Udipi hotel in Matunga Central (where I specially went today for a different but delicious breakfast), I decided to walk for a km before catching a taxi to go to my office that is 4-5 kms away from Matunga.

As I was walking in the inside lanes of Matunga-Dadar, I came across a small garden (see the image to the right). As I passed by it I was shocked (yes, such things still shock me because I do not care about those who say we should not be sensitive towards these things) to see trees fallen inside the garden. See the image below.

My heart goes to the trees of Bombay and all those other places in India and elsewhere where insenstive citizenry, bureacracy, politicos and corporates are mercilessly and cruelly hacking trees way in excess than required and all in the name of the much-abused word 'development'. This is not development. It is plain and simple murder.