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!