yet again ... getting lost ... then enjoying self-discovery ...

Pal pal peepal  No theory, no gyaan comes to mind as I stand and look at this tree each time i visit CHITS The only line that does is Majrooh Sultanpuri's classic bahon me chalo aao And it is as stunning from the 'other' side too Previous posts on trees Pakhad Peepal Campus trees Peepal in Banaras Banyan in Banaras Akshay Vat

Some spots are special The other day, I was left wondering all of a sudden Why isn't this the logo for our school Peepal, Ganga, Dufferin Bridge, walk-path, the hour of cowdust And Yogesh's classic from Anand   कहीं दूर जब दिन ढल जाये  सांज की दुल्हन बदन चुराए  चुपके से आये  As carpets and locations go, this will have few parallels Leaves move towards the river, the river moves towards the sea,  Does it also want to meet the sky?  Indivar's lyrics from Anokhi Raat  come to the fore ओह रे ताल मिले नदी के जल में नदी मिले सागर में सागर मिले कौन से जल में कोई जाने ना The branches dance with grace, happiness and abandon They remind of Shailendra's classic from Madhumati ये गोरी नदियों का  चलना  उछलकर की जैसे अल्हड चले पि से मिल कर More about the spot and the tree in another season 

There is something about Banyans  The place I grew up at was named after Banyans - Vadodara - Vad being Gujarati for the Banyan Banaras too has some stunning ones  And, of course, I am not the only one enamoured by these This awe inspiring one at the gate of the CIHTS at Sarnath "जैसे मुझे जानता हो बरसों से देखो, उस दढ़ियल बरगद को देखो मुझे देखा तो कैसे लपका चला आ रहा है मेरी तरफ़" Kedar Nath Singh These at the BHU campus  This a grand presence  This one sneaking up amidst the bricks along with a Peepal , both towered by a Mango  "बरगद के नीचे चबूतरे पर  रेंगता कीड़ा सर उठाकर  देखता है : एक पत्ता और गिरा।"   Ashok Vajpeyi These at the KFI campus at Rajghat  An elephant herd?  A raptor's talons? "मेरे रास्ते में एक मोड़ था और उस मोड़ पर पेड़ था एक बरगद का  ऊंचा घना जिस के साये में  मेरा  बहुत वक़्त बीता है लेकिन हमेशा यही मैं ने सोचा  कि रस्ते में यह मोड़ ही इस लिए है  कि यह पेड़ है" Javed Akhtar The final o...

Peepal along the Ghats   The Ghats of Banaras boast not just of temples, akharas, steps ( and more steps ), hotels ( and so on ) but also trees. Here too, like at many other places, the Peepal stands out.  Right from the north at the Krishnamurti Foundation India's campus to the temple at Tulsi Ghat ( abutting Assi ) - the Peepal registers its presence along the Ghats.   Gaay Ghat  The early morning light makes the Ghats more special!  A light which is difficult for mortals like me to capture in clicks or words! Swimming camps used to be organized here ( during summers ) before masks came to our lives! Hanuman Garhi Ghat Two Peepal's stand next to each other at the Akhara!  Do they also join the Akhara proceedings I once wondered! This Ghat is the point we can walk up to ( from Rajghat ) when the water level is high! Bundi Parkota Ghat  This is where we crane our necks to admire the Peepal! Where does the tree gets its food and water from - a colleague...

A very special spot The Peepal is at the fulcrum here. Initially this tree felt like a person I am familiar with. Today it is a friend I am comfortable with. One I like to share silences with. The tree stands mid-way between the edge of the river and the verandah where I often sit these days; ie when I am not sitting beneath the tree or walking in the vicinity. At the same height as the verandah, it stands at the edge of the slope which rolls, away from the verandah, down to meet the river. The Ganga. At Banaras. It appears unbothered by the other plants and trees around – other than of course the Neem which stands some feet away. But it does appear to tilt, as if in reverence, towards the river. Naresh Saxena in one of his poems talks about space – the need of space to enable better relations, stronger bonds. The Peepal appears to have that space and bonding with the river. From the verandah I many a time notice the buffaloes wallowing at the opposite banks. For all our talk and st...