It Pours Again in Delhi

Hi All,

The thunder-storm which hit Delhi late afternoon last week took all by surprise! The ferocity of the winds and the intensity of the rains which lashed most areas for over two hours was unprecedented.Those indoors like me, felt protected.But those on the roads, mostly daily commuters trying to make their way home after work, were the worst affected.The traffic ground to a halt over long stretches of the wide Lutyens Delhi avenues.Chaos and frustration overtook the capital for almost four hours. Fortunately, despite the uprooting of several trees, there were no serious human casualties.

The inabilty of the capital to cope with heavy rains made headlines on TV channels and the national dailies the next morning marked by the usual blame games between civic authorities and the traffic police. I saw few comments on how the heavy unfetted construction activity in Delhi has chocked up the drainage systems and the natural reservoirs,leading to extensive water logging.More evidence of utter lack of planning by the city authorities.

But the good news is that the steady drizzles over the NCR since the deluge has revived hopes of the gap in the monsoon deficit being narrowed.

Have you wondered about the future of our country? We are all proud of our freedom, democracy and recent signs of rapid ecconomic progress. But few take notice of the all round devaluation in the values- both family and social which have overtaken the younger generation.Pursuit of money and material acqusitions have taken a toll of consideration and reverance of traditions and for elders,integrity and discipline in public life. But the votaries of rapid economic development say that cosumerism and buying drives the economy! Can't we have both?

Before I end, allow me to make a mention of jolts ahead for my passion for gardening.In the next six months we shall move out of the spacious ground floor Govt accommodation to our own multi-storied aprtment in NOIDA. The challenge, therefore,is the relocation of my plants- a variety of palms, crotons, evergreens and flowering perennials. I have faced similar predicaments in the past as well and each time I used to distribute my collection among fiends.Unfortuntely,there aren't too many "Maalis" among my male friends or extended family in Delhi.Therefore, this time I am planning to shift them to a location which I can visit regularly to take care of them. My Bonsai collection I shall move to our apartment terraces.

My blog is incomplete without pictures of flowers I grow. So I am adding a few taken by me today. These are blue Ruellia blooms in pots- pretty perennials which continue to bloom after intervals of a few months;Plumbago Capesis, also blue flowerng perennials and the multicloured summer flowering Portulacas including the variety which unlike te normal ones, bloom till the evenings called " Bathua Portulcas" ( because its leaves resemble the Bathua Saag)!I am also carrying a picture of " Sweet Potato Wine" which is so lush green and spreads rapidly to provide ground cover, and also excellent for hanging baskets and Window Boxes. I feel sorry that few exploit this local plant available in plenty to adorn the gardens during the otherwise bleak season for gardening in Delhi i e., from July till November.I am also adding a picture of a "Pilkhan" tree from my Bonsai collection. Unfortunately the picture is vertical! Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Till then wishing you all happy Ganesh Chaturthi which is about to end and and the Holy month of Ramadan which began about a week ago!

Happy Janmashtami & Independence day

Hi All,

Yesterday was JANMASHTAMI.It's Independence Day today. Janmashtami continues to be observed with great fervour throughout the northern, western and eastern parts of the country, but Independence Day is losing some of it's sheen and enthusiasm. No " Prabhat Pheris" or flag hoistings, 'Laddus' distribution in schools and colleges. This is natural: those who fought for Independence are either no more or are fading away; Independent India which seemed a distant dream then, is now a fait accompli.The youth of the country which constitutes the bulk of the population is clearly and undestandably disappointed with the poilitical and bureacratic leadership over various issues- enempoyment, lack of education and health sevices as also infrasture development and CORRUPTION being the key ones.The general mood is , however, upbeat and the pace of development all round is picking up.The world is looking upon the Indian Democracy with admiration and our neighbours with awe and bewilderment.

Childhood memories of Janmashatami are fresh with preparations of a variety of sugary sweets made with dry fruits, especially " Chiraunji", "Makhana'. " Gola", " Post or "Khus Khus" and even " Gum" of the edible variety. There was lots of " Charnamrit or Panchamrit" made out of, milk, curds, Ghee, honey, Ganga Jal , Tulsi and Chiraunji alonwith " Kasaar" which was Atta fried in Desi Ghee mixed with sugar, 'Shakar Paras' etc.At midnight, Lord Krishna was given birth amidst a lot of fan fare including blowing of Conch Shells, and ringing of bells, behind a curtain, curiously out of a Cucumber! I am still to figure out the rationale behind this ritual.The " Jhankis" were decorated in every Hindu home and " Mohalla" with forests, water falls, rivers and animals being hand crafted by the ladies and children. My father took a lot of ineterest in this as we watched in facination his creations of mud houses, water ponds and forests with scenes of Lord Krishna's birth in Mathura.

How can any topical blog be complete without a word about H1 N1 or 'Swine Flu' which has been declared to have acquired epidemic proporions, affecting a number of countries across continents. As long as there were no fatal casualties, the people in India took it in their stride. But about 10 days back, as deaths began to be reported from a few cities like, Pune, Bangalore, Ahmedabad , Mumbai and Delhi, the media started ringing panic bells! The lack of preparedness of the Govt. hospitals and health authorities made headline news over teh innumerable the TV news channels and even the national dailes leading to a scare , especially among parents of school going children. The Indian mass media has again come into sharp focus for its irresponsible coverage of national events. Factual reports and dos and don'ts are welcome but not the ones predicting mass casualties among children. In the US and Canada which are much worse affected, while the mediacl labs and researchers are working over time to discover vaccines, no school or college was closed down.

I ahve added pictures of Janmashtami Puja being perormed at our home by Antara our 2 1/2 year old grand daughter, and, of course, a couple of pictures of the flowers in our garden taken on Janmashtami.

Lord Indra seems to smile over Delhi agin with good rains being experienced in the past couple of days. The mercury has dipped and hope of a good vegetables and Ravi crop revived.

I end with prayers for more rains in the northern parts of the country.

Love you all

I Blog Again

Hi All,


Have finally managed to get rid of my lethargy & enertia to start blogging again.

Delhi has experienced perhaps the hottest and driest summer in living memory. After the smart showers which caused flooding and traffic snarls last week, there has been no rain, though dark clouds have been gathering intermittently. The notoriously incorrect Met ofice daily predictions of rains and thunderstorms have ben proved wrong for almost one whole week.But the overall monsoon scenario has improved with the south, west and the east getting copius rains. The north inluding Delhi and its neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana,and westerm UP being very deficit. Let us pray to Lord Indra to bring us more rains and soon.

My extended tenure of three years with the Govt.ended on July 10. Do I find myself at a loose end after 40 yers of hectic work scedule? No.Now I can now plan my day ahead, spend more time with family and friends> No grappling with files, and meetings. Both processes of the Govt.with no beginning or end which seem to last forever! Thank God, I don't have to face either again.

The mango season has been mixed.There were just a few good Dussehris and Langras and now the juicy and sweet Chausas, my favourite, have made their appearance, reminding us that the season of the King of Fruits will soon be over.

How can the Desi Maali's blog be complete without gardening.This is perhaps the leanest season in Delhi for growing flowers and vegetables.Only the muticolored Portulacas which open in the mornings and close in the afternoons, yellow Gillardias,Balsoms ( an apology for the more handsome original Impatience) the purple but dry Gomphrenias, the crimson Amaranthus and bright red Cockscomb can be seen in home gardens.The Sweet Potato Wine os Shakarkandi Bel,is an excellent lush green ground cover which I have used in my home garden. And, of course, the mauve, pink and white blooms of Crepe Myrtles or "Saawanis"( Lagaestromia Indica) on bushes adorn the parks and roud abouts of Lutyens Delhi. The Delhi Gymkhana boasts of a very large variety of these.

I am adding a few pictures of the monsoon blooms in my home garden taken this morning for your viewing pleasure.

But this is the time to start sowing your Chryanthemums by planting cuttings or by root separation from plants saved from the last season. They will herald the long winter annuals season in Delhi, beginning November.

Happy " Rakshabandhan" which falls on August 5 . Unfortunately, tying of Rakhees by sisters in our family is taboo. But the good old Pandit used to come along and do the honours on the day, also carrying away the return gifts meant for the sisters in his Jhola!!

Love you all

Desi Maali