My late wife Prabha would have turned 75 today (27th July,`26). A Platinum Birthday! Prabha's passion for gardening as a hobby is legendary in our family circles. I always used to tease her that her first love was gardening – everything else was secondary. As a tribute to her memory, I would like to share an article I wrote about her passion for gardening some time ago.
.Excerpts from the original article:
Over the last several years that we have been living in our own
house, Prabha managed to grow hundreds of flowering plants and other green
plants. We have over six varieties of jasmine (Malli): Nithya Malli, Pavala
Malli, Mullai,Jadhi Malli, Adukku Malli, & Gundu Malli,
and over forty varieties of crotons and scores of colourful Hibiscus, Exora and
Arali plants; flowering plants with no fragrance.
We even have fruit-bearing trees – Sapota (chikku), Guava, lemon-sized Japanese
oranges (called Kungfat) besides a coconut tree, banana tree, mango tree and
even a drumstick tree!
In the absence of a regular gardener, Prabha tends to each plant herself.
Every morning she would go around the compound checking, trimming,
weeding, cleaning and generally looking after the plants. Spending nearly
60 minutes on this particular activity.
Whenever we were travelling, she constantly worried whether the maid
had watered the plants or not. Almost akin to how pet owners worry about their
pet dogs or cats when they are away on tour.
As soon as we returned from any tour, the first thing she would do is to
go round inspecting the plants as if saying “Hey Guys, I am back to look after
you!” There is a perceptible difference in the appearance of the plants as
well; those drooping suddenly seem to perk up! I wonder if there is any truth
in the belief that plants can also communicate with their patrons.
In the morning she would pluck flowers for Puja, and in the evening
she would be busy collecting Nithya malli (jasmine) flowers growing
on our terrace. Come rain or sunshine, she spends about 60 minutes every day
plucking these fragrant flowers (nature's aphrodisiac) and spends another 30
minutes tying them on a string to make a nice ‘maala’ for her hair or for use
in the Puja room the next day.
Like all women who are crazy about gardening, when we visited friends and
if she found a garden around the host's house, she would go on an
inspection tour of the garden before she even said ‘hello’ to the host! But
when she tried to pluck saplings from plants in public gardens, where plucking
of flowers and saplings was prohibited, I would feel embarrassed.
A week
before she passed away, on her request, I took her around her favourite plants
in the compound. She was in a wheelchair. Suddenly, she looked up and
asked, “If I die, who will look after all my children?”I was
confused. Why was she asking me this question when our children were all
married, and we had four grandchildren? She clarified, "I am talking
about all these plants which I have looked after for the last thirty years like
my own children" I was moved to tears. I assured her that I would
look after them as long as I am alive.
PS:
Sorry,
Prabha. I was looking after your plants with help from Mythili ( my brother's
wife) until both of us moved out of our houses to make way for the
redevelopment of our homes. Soon, not only your plants but the whole house
would be going under the bulldozer.
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