What are considered 'wild' flowers in the worlds gardens?

Dandelions can be pesky, but look at their flowers! I belong to a gardeners group based in the UK, but it has members from across the globe. Today there was the picture which I have copied below, with a question by a member asking if the flowers and plants were ‘wild’ and if they need to be pulled out and relegated to the compost heap. The responses were so controlled and commendable. “ Depends on what you consider wild, they look like perfectly beautiful flowers,” said one.

Is this a weed asked one gardener! Another said, “ The birds and bees would love the flowers for their nectar and pollen, so why destroy them?” Others said “ It is a weed, pull it out before it spreads.” I felt the same. Today the world is waking up to the common concept of what are considered weeds in a garden and how wild flowers and gardeners understand that weeds are actually food for the birds and bees and nature at large. This is an important part of the circle of life and could not have been included by the creator, if not to be part of it.

Delicate and dainty and considered a weed! My little grand- daughters woke me up to this concept of looking at weeds with a more benign eye. They just could not understand why Grandma and Dad spent so much time weeding and taking out the prettiest flowers in the garden! Pure white daisies, golden yellow dandelions, delicate pink Impatiens, the reddish or white scented clover, the golden buttercups. They found the flowers lovely and did not understand our adult need to remove what we called ‘weeds’. Now there is a new wave sweeping the world where gardeners are asked to have at least one ‘wild’ area in their gardens for the bees and birds to enjoy. And so many are even buying what are called ‘wild’ flower packs and sowing them in one section of their gardens, to attract the bees and butterflies.

Love 'em white daisies which pop up all over lawns in the UK It takes me back to when I was a child and our garden here in Hayes road was a beautiful rumble-tumble of plants, where scores of butterflies and bees flitted all day. Instead now the roadside flowering beds have the flowers we enjoyed in our garden. Ours is manicured and boring, which the dogs anyway destroy with their pee, allowed by nasty pet owners.The joys of community living. Reading up on the various ‘weeds,’ the first one I read up on was the Dandelion. They are a family of flowering plants that grow in many parts of the world. You may be most familiar with the dandelion as a stubborn weed, that never seems to leave your lawn or garden. I have taken out over 250 plants over a month in my son’s garden in Tennessee.

The beautiful red clover which grows wild in the US The name dandelion is taken from the French word “dent de lion” meaning lion's tooth, referring to the coarsely-toothed leaves. Dandelions have one of the longest flowering seasons of any plant and their seeds are often carried as many as 5 miles from their origin. Botanists consider dandelions to be herbs and people use the leaves, stem, flower, and root of the dandelion for medicinal purposes. The common daisy is also known as the lawn daisy and the English daisy. Hundreds of them grow in the UK on my sons lawns, both up front and back and in all parks and gardens sprinkling their emerald green lawns with specks of white. And, like the Dandelion my son there dislikes them. I am rather partial to the pretty white flower, The flower is born on a long flower stalk, which rises above the base rosette of leaves. The leaves grow close to the ground and are spatulate, or spoon-shaped. Like the dandelion they leave a hole when I pull them out ‘cause of the spreading leaves.

The pretty little buttercup which can be found across the UK Another favourite of mine in the UK is the buttercup, which is a herbaceous perennial. The first time I saw the delicate, golden-yellow cup-shaped flowers in my sons garden I just fell in love with their delicate beauty. They belong to the ranunculus family, which has around 400 species of flowers, however, the most popular one among this family is the five-petal, bright yellow buttercup which is considered ‘wild’. When I spent four months in Tennessee, helping with my little grandson Aiden who was suffering from repeated ear infections, he loved spending time in the back garden pulling out the clover flowers growing on the lawn and running up on his fat little legs, to give them to me, with a huge smile. Several species of clover are extensively cultivated as fodder plants. The most widely cultivated clovers are white clover, and the red clover. Gown in the agricultural areas as fodder for the cattle, it grows freely, shooting up again after repeated mowings; which annoys my son no end! However, it is palatable to and nutritious for livestock; it fixes nitrogen, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers; and it grows in a great range of soils and climates; and is appropriate for either pasturage or green composting. No wonder the compost that I make in the US yields fantastic returns.

The spectacular California poppy now grown in homes as a domestic flower But what I will never forget on my trips to edit Britisher Tom Bates books in Berkeley, California was the Golden Poppy or California Poppy. This stunning flower is the California State Flower. The California Poppy is a perennial and one of the earliest wildflowers to grow in gardens. My memories emblazoned across my brain are, of California's rolling hills , set ablaze with its golden blooms. Now I have seen many homes in the UK grow them inside their gardens along with their wild scarlet poppies. So what can we call wild and weeds is my question? And my little grand daughters Alaina and Natalie nod their heads sagely, holding my hand and looking at the flowers when I visit.

The exotic orchid is all the rage in Bangalore, India

A unique display at the Orchid exhibition in Lalbagh My exposure to orchids was as a young woman in Shillong. Dad was posted for two years in the Air Force station there and we enjoyed the most beautiful part of India, in my opinion. Nothing can beat the untouched and magnificent hills and mountains that the North East commands and the wonderful flora and fauna of the area. Ofcourse it was on our family trip to Bhutan a protected state, but not a protectorate, of India that we really saw the splendid diversity of hundreds of species of orchids. What amazed us as kids was the mind boggling varieties that grew everywhere, even in old tin cans on people’s roofs. It was there that my Dad and Mum’s interest and love for orchids grew.

A mottled beauty at the exhibition On our return to Bangalore, Dad brought with him a collection from Shillong which grew and flourished under his care and love under a large Raspuri mango tree up front of the garden which had been planted by his father. The plants were either tied to the branches of the tree or just placed in moss and hung from the branches. They grew and flourished in the shade and humidity and ever so often we would get an excited call from Dad or Mum to “ come see the Blue Wanda has flowered.” It was time for celebration for them and we enjoyed their happiness. In Goa too one finds orchids flowering in the trees in the jungles, clinging to rotting branches and their roots free flowing in the air above. The most common are the Fox Brush orchids which throw out a long and breathtaking inflorescence, hanging from the trees. Stupidly we would carry them home to Bangalore where they clung,barely alive in the heat of the city and died.

Wish Dad and Mum could see these! But today there is a huge variety of domesticated orchids, and a growing community of orchid lovers in India and particularly Bangalore. I recollect carrying one from the Singapore airport for my Dad on one of my conference trips. Today those Phalaenopsis or Butterfly orchids are grown the world over and my son has 10 year old specimens that bloom and happily grow in his kitchen in London. But he spends time and love on them to keep them that way.

Crowds at the exhibition and the tickets were not cheap! Visiting the Orchid exhibition at the Mari Gowda hall in Lalbagh recently the huge variety of orchids being grown in Bangalore was displayed. Crowds visited and the display got immense coverage in the local newspapers. A friend and fellow jogger - Everest D’souza displayed his collection and won a second prize at the event. Prizes encourage the grower to enjoy the hobby even more, as we humans enjoy recognition. Most orchid roots have NOT to be stuffed into potting soil so, look for a porous mix like cocopeat, coal and tile. Direct sunlight should be avoided. Some common types of orchids that thrive on bright light are Cattleya and Vanda, while low light is preferred by Phalaenopsis, among others

The variety of species on display entranced the crowds. It is estimated that there are more than 1,300 species of orchids found in India, primarily in the Northeast -Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh -and also in Sikkim and south India. Most orchids are perennial and if raised in the right conditions, they should last eight weeks with flowers, after which the blooms slowly start dropping off. They eventually re-flower. A word of caution: Never cut off the aerial roots, and never, ever remove the shoot on which the flowers bloomed. They may reflower. Growing orchids can be addictive. But you can take proper care of your orchid only when you know its genus.Most orchids you get in nurseries are hybrids, created specifically for flowers. They are easy to care for at homes and offices. However, a few things should be kept in mind, like light and humidity. If you can imitate a plant's natural habitat, it will thrive.

Yes! It's a black beauty that had people queing to oggle it. The most commonly available orchids, such as the Moth Orchid, Phalaenopsis and Cattleya are so popular because they grow well at home. Phalaenopsis hybrids are usually considered the `beginners' orchids', simply because they re-bloom under the conditions most windowsill growers can offer them. They require lower light. The Vanda, is one of the most beautiful group of orchids. “Vandas could be mostly found on trees. And unlike most plants, they do not grow in soil, but air. Their roots attach to trees or rocks, and they draw moisture and nutrients that wash over them in the forest,“ says Everest an orchid enthusiast with 300 plants.

Prizewinning orchid which was very unusual and stunning Beginners often make the mistake of assuming that orchids need to be potted in soil like other blooming flowers. That would be a grave mistake. Most orchid roots need far more air than potting soil would give them. So, look for a porous mix. Direct sunlight should be avoided. Some common types of orchids that thrive on bright light are Cattleya and Vanda, while low light is preferred by Phalaenopsis and Pahiopedilum, among others. Orchids should be given as much light as they can tolerate.Varieties with thicker and erect leaves can tolerate more light than those with thinner or more horizontal leaves. Too little light is one of the common mistakes beginners make.

The Phalaenopsis are the most loved and sold extensively in stores across the globe Most orchids like about 70 percent humidity in the atmosphere, which is more humid than most homes. So, you have to make an effort to provide your plants with extra humidity . Orchids usually appreciate misting with a spray bottle. If the plant has aerial roots growing up and out of the pot, those roots will like getting some moisture. At home, you can keep the the planter on a tray. Fill it with water and gravel. As the water evaporates, it will provide some extra humidity to the plant. For anyone keeping orchids on a windowsill in the kitchen which is usually more humid than the rest of the house, this technique really helps. Orchids need nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium for growth. You can purchase a ready spray or fingers of nutrition which can be inserted into the pot like my son does.They are the best, though expensive. But I did buy a 2$ frothy nutrient spray from Home Depot for my son in the US and his orchid which was sad looking has thrown some aerial roots he says excitedly. Everest says he uses butter milk which has been left to stand for a few days and gets the best results with that.

Look at that golden beauty quite unusual and not the regular variety Overwatering kills far more orchids than underwatering. When in doubt, just don't water. The potting mix also has a lot to do with how often an orchid needs watering. Most orchids are sold in mixes that allow for weekly watering. Don't water until the soil is approaching dryness. To water an orchid, just submerge the pot in a bucket for a few seconds, then lift it out and let the excess water drain off.

Star fruit grows easily in Bangalore, India

Carambola growing in Bangalore on our trees in Hoskote A few decades ago, we were first introduced to starfruit or as it is otherwise known - Carambola (Averrhoa carambola) while enjoying a picnic at a relative’s friends farm in Bannerghatta. A lone, fully-grown tree was giving them bags full of fruit and really did not need much looking after. As kids we had seen the fruit on the carts we passed to and fro from school, but those open cut fruit, were out of bounds for us kids. But I did wonder at the taste and the chilli sprinkled on them. Curious I checked on where the word carambola is derived from. Apparently its from the Sanskrit word karmaranga meaning "food appetizer". Star fruit was called carambola in the Malayalam language, and when the Portuguese took it to Africa and South America they kept the original name.

One tree gives heaps of fruit The tree was at least 15 feet tall and spreading with the fruit hanging along the branches. We were told to pick only the ripe ones as the green were not really great for squashes. “ Much more sugar has to be used if they are green,” we were told. Today it’s difficult to find to find in shops and markets but there are so many ways to source fresh produce straight from farmers these days. What I made our squash from was the fruit from the two saplings I have planted in our farm. I sourced the plants which are not regularly found in the Lalbagh nursery. Over the years they have started giving us fruit and are the graft variety, so fruited from year one.

Steam the fruit and the squash gets this golden colour The trees are around six feet tall now and we do get some fruit if the caretakers kids leave some for us. Being young boys naturally they polish off most of them. But with the copious rains, the trees fruited extra and I was able to get a kg of the fruit to make squash for us at home. I do not allow carton juices and fizzy drinks in the house as they are unhealthy and prefer making home made juices for the family. The whole fruit is edible and it is sweetish once it is ripe! It has a juicy, sweet, sour taste. You can turn it into a jam or a pickle if you’d like to store it for longer, but we like to drink it as a squash which I make, minus preservatives..Each fruit contains on average 26.2 kcal, 6.2 kcal of carbohydrate, 2.5g of dietary fibre, 0.3g of fat, 3.6g of sugar and 0.9g of protein says Google.

Pick the yellow ones and not the green to cut on sugar in your squash The fruit is about three to six inches in length and the flesh colour ranges from greenish yellow to yellow and is crisp and tart in taste. It may or may not be loaded with two to five tiny edible seeds. When the carambola fruit is ripe, it is light yellow in colour with slightly brown ridges. The smaller and green coloured carambola fruits are generally quite sour and unpleasant to eat, while, on the other hand, the yellow ones are much tastier and sweet. Today the carambola is one of the most sought after fruits due to its nutrient density and antioxidant levels. It is an extremely low-calorie fruit that is rich in dietary fibre, vitamin A, B and C along with minerals like zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, iron and potassium among others. Moreover, it has high amounts of antioxidants like polyphenolic compounds, quercetin, gallic acid and epicatechin. This fruit is native to south and south-east Asia.

Careful when picking as the ridges get damaged So, what makes carambola so amazing? It’s a rich source of vitamin C. A single starfruit could provide you with up to 52% of your daily requirement of vitamin C as well as 4% of your daily vitamin B5 requirement. Vitamin C has a wide range of positive effects on our health, and these include - *Antioxidant properties *Boosting the immune system *Promoting healthy skin, hair, and nails *Increasing calcium uptake *Increasing iron absorption

Grows easily and happily in Bangalore The daily recommended intake of vitamin C is 40mg per day. It’s anti inflammatory, as Starfruit is rich in Polyphenols - this can positively impact anti-inflammatory processes and can help repair cell damage. Polyphenols have also been known to help with type-2 diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity, as well as reducing the risk of heart disease. Apparently it is antidiarrheal and boosts digestion. Starfruit has been used in ayurvedic medicines for thousands of years. It is also known to stimulate your appetite. Since Starfruit is 80% water and it is a good source of hydration.

Can be grown in pots if you do not have garden space. Due to the fiber content and minimal amount of fruit sugars, star fruit is unlikely to have a big effect on blood glucose levels. Almost half of the carbohydrate content of starfruit comes from fibre. Eating a diet rich in dietary fibre will help keep your digestive system healthy. Carambola is super low in calories and has a high amount of dietary fibre. It contains on average 26.2 kcal and 2.5g of dietary fibre per fruit. It’s a whole food source that will give you an amazing amount of energy. This is important for people with diabetes and others who are looking to control their calorie intake. References: 1. Manda H, Vyas K, Pandya A, Singhal SA (2012) Complete review on: Averrhoa carambola. WJPPS 1: 17-33. 2. Muthu N, Lee SY, Phua KK, Bhore SJ (2016) Nutritional, Medicinal and Toxicological Attributes of Star-Fruits (Averrhoa carambola L.) A Review. Bioinformation 12: 420-4. 3. Shui G, Leong LP (2006) Residue from Star Fruit as Valuable Source for Functional Food Ingredients and Antioxidant Nutraceuticals. Food Chem 97: 277-84.

Romancing the Violin

Patricia Rozario being conferred the OBE by Prince Charles FB has it’s merits, as it spreads the word instantly and quickly. So flicking through my FB page yesterday, I was surprised and delighted to see that Patricia Rozario OBE, FRCM from London, who is related to us through cousins in Mumbai, was performing at the Bangalore International Centre. Patricia is a world class soprano who is known across the globe for her amazing range and voice, for decades.We had read about her singing all over the world in the news over the years, but had never heard her sing. I shared the invite with my son so we could attempt to go, especially since he is keen on learning to play the violin. The concert was in memory of our famous Bangalore violinist Philomena Thumboochetty, who used to play in the Max Mueller Bhavan Orchestra with my Uncle Priest who was a noted violinist.

Patricia Rozario OBE Almost immediately Patricia replied on FB, saying she was looking forward to seeing us -- the amazing power of the net and FB! We had never been to BIC and so called a number of friends to find the easiest way there. Nothing easy about travelling in Bangalore, traffic is horrendous especially at that time -- 6ish in the evening when everyone is scurrying home. Romancing the Violin -- the invitation looked awesome and my excitement began to ebb when we were caught in traffic all the way. However, we finally found the imposing building and rushed in. We landed up to closed doors and a stern young man who said -- NO SPACE even standing on the steps! Sorry! And very firmly closed the door shut.

No one says NO to an Arian, no one! I was not going out in that horrendous traffic again. (I claimed relationship by virtue of being Lynn and Gloria Rozario's first cousin! ) The young man shifted stance when he heard the word cousin. And relented and let us in. I gasped with shock, he was right, there was no place even on the steps going up. People were just squatting all over the steps and listening to the music. Bangalore does love Western Classical music, I had forgotten my DH days covering shows. So there was I inching upwards and trying to squeeze in right at the top of the steps. Lucky as the concert progressed people left and standees went to sit. With each performance, a few more left and I even got to sit for the last few songs! Rozario is a Mumbai born British soprano. Her wide concert and opera repertoire ranges from Baroque to contemporary music. Her career according to the brochure, included concerts at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, the BBC Proms and has sung under the worlds leading conductors from North America, Canada, Russia, East Asia, Australia and throughout Europe. Many of the pieces were written especially for her.

Performing at BIC in Bangalore Patricia was awarded the OBE in 2001, Asian Woman’s award in 2002 and the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award in 2013. And the latest in 2014 a fellow of the Royal College of Music. She is currently professor in the Royal College and at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire.,Impressive? Stupendous more likely, her stature is phenomenal and yet she is so simple. . Her husband Mark Troop, British pianist, broadcaster and writer is the founder of the Chamber Music Company, a creative performance group. He and Patricia his wife, run a teaching project here in India, training future Indian vocalists. Troop from 2014 lectures in Goa University and trains the next generation of pianists and teachers.. The violinist was Phillippe Honore who played on the ‘Kustendyke’ Stradivarius on loan from the Royal Academy of Music. His single solo piece-- Meditation from Thais by Jules Massenet just snaked out and enveloped us as we stood entranced listening to him, standing on the steps. His rendition was magical and had the hall enthralled with the beauty of the notes he coaxed out of the instrument.

Singing at the Bangalore International Centre on the 13th October As the evening progressed all that resounded in my head was --Patricia, what a voice! What an outstandingly stupendous voice coming out of that sllght and petite frame of yours. And your breathing control was remarkable to say the least. I am so glad FB connected us and I got to finally hear you sing. What a gift and you are using it so wonderfully. Thank you for the music, no wonder you got Bangalore to give you a standing ovation and we all begged for an encore.

Patricia and me after the concert, backstage. Coming back stage to meet you was fantastic. Looking forward to your next event at the Bangalore Club on the 17th.We are not members but in a jiffy ‘passes’ were arranged for the three of us, while Ambassadors and Ministers waited. Thank you for your simplicity and graciousness.

Eliud Kipchoge's marathon blazed the streets of Vienna

Photograph by Thomas Lovelock / The INEOS 1:59 Challenge / AP The whole world was agog with the Marathon, which world champ Eliud Kipchoge was to run in the streets of Vienna. I love watching the man run, light and lithe and effortlessly. Kipchoge ran a timing that was, until recently, considered impossible-- below 2 hours. It had never been done before. Believe you me, marathon’s are not run by the faint hearted. They are run by champions who rule the track. Though I always believed it was the sprinter who did! Happily after the run, we will never look at a marathon the same way again. Last week, on a flat and arrow-straight avenue in the Prater park in Vienna, Eliud Kipchoge completed the distance in one hour, fifty-nine minutes, and forty seconds. It’s a time that was, until a few years ago, unthinkable—and, even after Kipchoge has done it, continues to feel unreal. Kipchoge’s run in Vienna was a time trial, designed with only speed in mind. Watching it I felt it included an obvious transgression -- as there were, interchanging teams of pacesetters to protect Kipchoge from the head wind. I have watched my son’s run triathlons and I thought the pacesetters seemed quite unfair, like a teacher standing at a students elbow, helping during an exam.

Kipchoge running in London Infact when my boys ran or cycled no one could stick to the other competitors back, as it was considered ‘drafting’. Drafting or slipstreaming is an aerodynamic technique where two vehicles or other moving objects are caused to align in a close group, reducing the overall effect of drag due to exploiting the lead object's slipstream. It was banned during the boys triathlon events and we looked at it very seriously if any competitor tried it. But, official or not, the two-hour barrier has been broken for the marathon. It is a moment in athletics like Roger Bannister’s first sub-four-minute mile, in 1954. When I first saw the pacesetting structure of five pacers, many of them Olympians and high-caliber athletes themselves, who protected Kipchoge, running in an open-V shape in front of him, it looked definitely staged. They were kept in position by a laser line shot out by a pace car driving fifteen metres in front of them the whole way. Two more runners ran at Kipchoge’s tail. The aerodynamic experts who designed the formation expected it to create a bubble around Kipchoge, and to carve maybe a minute from his time and they were right -- well almost.

Another point of discussion was that Kipchoge was also wearing brand-new Nikes: a version of a shoe called the Vaporfly Next% that is stuffed with highly responsive foam and fitted with a carbon-fibre plate. The shoe has proved controversial, because of the significant gains it seems to lend runners. We will never know how much help the Nikes gave Kipchoge, except to say that the assistance was consequential. It’s also true to say that technology always develops. Every marathon runner wants to compete in the best shoes available. The two-hour barrier didn’t fall because of footwear; it fell because of the convergence of many factors, of which footwear was one. The most important factor was Kipchoge himself. When my sons swam for Karnataka state, we bought them the most expensive Speedo equipment. Flippers, trunks, caps and goggles all the way from the US. If even a second could be shaved off their swim timings by wearing a costume that could cleave the water, rather than hinder, was sought by us parents. Cycles which would help them leave the competition behind was what we invested in. We never thought twice searching Bangalore for imported racing bikes. The boys were finally Asian level champions. But finally, no matter what the equipment is, the sportsman is the winner and the achiever. But the equipment definitely helps.

My Dad bought me my first pair of spikes and starting blocks only after I proved myself. The blocks and spikes did improve my timing, but only because all the other kids already had them. So equipment and the right equipment does matter but does not make the winner. Kipchoge is the most beautiful runner to watch. Like a gazelle from the spectacular continent of Africa that he hails from, Kipchoge, nestled in his aerodynamically protected position, behind the axis of the V shape of the pacesetters, he seemed relaxed and confident. The changeover of the pacesetters every five kilometres—a complicated piece of choreography, at thirteen miles per hour—did not seem to trouble him or break his rhythm. Kipchoge draws massive crowds when he runs and as the miles clicked past, he stayed rigidly on the correct pace to break the two hour barrier. The spectators, packed several people deep against the barriers along the route, grew more voluble. Many of the spectators were from Vienna, but some had travelled from as far as Park City, Utah, and the Gold Coast of Australia, simply to watch Kipchoge run; he has that effect. A large Kenyan contingent sang songs from home. Some pounded the barriers on the sides of the course. As it looked increasingly likely that he would succeed, people found whatever vantage point they could to witness a moment of sporting history. They climbed up trees and on top of public toilets say news stories from Vienna.

With a thousand metres to go, the pacesetters let Kipchoge run alone. He summoned one more burst of energy, and—it seemed hardly possible—ran quicker than he had all day, while motioning to the crowds to cheer him on. The closing sprint was magical. Kipchoge’s knees pumped, his face broke into a broad smile, he gestured to the crowd, and wild celebrations erupted on either side of him. Looking at the history of the marathon. It was founded on the myth of the Greek messenger Pheidippides, who ran from Marathon to Athens to convey the story that the Spartans had been beaten in battle. (“Rejoice, we conquer!” Pheidippides said, before expiring.) As Kipchoge ran down the final straightaway, he looked like a man with good news to deliver and he did.

Kipchoge beat his chest, then wheeled toward his wife, Grace, after he crossed the line. It was the first time that Grace had ever watched her husband compete overseas. There was pandemonium thereafter. Pacesetters, politicians, world champions from other sports, coaches, managers, and at least one billionaire—Jim Ratcliffe, the owner of the event’s sponsor, Ineos—had gathered to welcome Kipchoge. Together, they raised Kipchoge on their shoulders in his moment of triumph. Kipchoge's coach, Patrick Sang, said the Kenyan had "inspired all of us that we can stretch our limits in our lives". And that is why I needed to write about this tiny, slim, wiry man who rules the world Marathon record and who has broken forever Hitler’s fallacy that it’s the white man who is superior. Three cheers for Kipchoge.

The Arboretum walk in NGMA, Bangalore

The gorgeous Manikyavelu Mansion on Palace Road, now NGMA Besides writing, reading and lecturing in Mount Carmel’s College for a few hours, I spend my day leading a sedentary life. But if the event has anything to do with gardening, I stretch myself out of my comfort zone and feel inclined to attend. When the Arboretum walk invite from NGMA plonked itself into my inbox it was a snap decision to go along with my son, as he too enjoys trees and the open spaces. NGMA is just a few doors away from where I lecture at MCC, and we jumped out of the Ola cab and made our way into the fabulous campus, of the National Gallery of Modern Art on Palace Road or the Manikyavelu mansion.

Sculptures displayed on the front lawn So how do I get these invites from NGMA? Well, I am a journalist so these institutions are always looking for exposure. But, the real reason was, I would pass this beautiful young woman on my way to college down Hayes Road and she was walking up to catch her bus to NGMA, on the top of Hayes. Her hellos turned to ‘what time is it?’ looking at my wrist watch, into --do you have a card we must chat! So, here we were for the Arboretum walk, @ 11:30 am on a Sunday morning and the crowd swelled from a few of us, to over 50 mostly older people like me, who love trees. TS Srinivasa a botanist from the IISc, took us around this living out door classroom, with trees that are a growing gift from the past to the future. All the trees were well over 30 to 100 years old in the campus with broad trunks and spreading branches.

TS Srinivasa a botanist from IISC takes us on the walk Srinivasa talked about the history and cultural connections of each species, starting with the False Ashoka. Called the Mast Tree ( Polyanthia longifolia) I am not fond of the tree as the neighbours have them growing infront of their compound and the bats love the fruit, with which they litter our lobby and garden, leaving large black splashes of their faeces across the walls ! But the bole of the trees are straight and strong and were used to make the masts of ships in the past. The outstanding Cassia Grandifolia, is a tree I love from my old Bangalore days. There was one species in the campus -- the Grandifolia, but I have seen several others across Bangalore. We had a beauty in the Chandy’s compound on Hayes Road as kids and I remember seeing drifts of the pink petals floating down the road, when it rained. There are the stunning specimens behind the King George’s statue in Cubbon Park, which have borne the brunt of the Metro coming up so close to them and one has sadly died. In Mount Carmel’s as I lecture there is one stunning specimen just outside the windows, in the impeccably maintained campus.

The mature Rain Tree which has spread it's branches out over at least a quarter of an acre! Srinivasa educated me on the Yellow Trumpet Tree or the Tabebuia spectabilis. I have seen a glorious specimen in the Bishop Cotton’s Girls school, quite different from our specimens - Tabebuia argentia, that we planted on Castle St and Hoskote I wondered at the difference. Like the Tabebuia that we planted, this tree too gets covered in golden yellow flowers before they all fall off and the leaves appear. But the spectabilis is a massive tree and quite spectacular in it’s formation unlike the argentia. We went on to look at the Fern Leaf tree ( Felicium decipiens) which seems to have been planted on the pavements of Residency Road. The tree has a fern shaped leaf and can grow quite large if allowed to. However many in the group were happy to know that it can be planted near a building and will not disturb and foundation and the sewage lines.

A massive Strangler Fig has killed off it's host plant Alongside the Cassia was the Sandalwood tree or the Santalum alhum. I remember the neighbours had one when we were kids and an Army officer and his family lived in the house. One day they chopped the tree growing at the back down as it was in the way and the first thing I did was to take a chunk of the wood to smell it. There was no smell, but much later as the chunk dried the scent of the tree tantalisingly filled our girls room. Today there are tree thieves who roam around the city using electric saws and chopping down mature trees and spiriting them away in vans, as they are so expensive. That’s because they take decades to grow. But he informed us a very interesting development.Sandalwood trees grow very well in the arid regions of Australia and that is where the world’s sandalwood is being sourced for today. Ofcourse one of the men in the audience had to ask, 'must be inferior to ours no?' And promptly was told the trees are of excellent quality and the topic was changed.

TS Srinivasa who made the whole walk so interesting and enjoyable Along the side of the huge Manikyavelu building was a massive Indian Blackberry tree or the Jamun or Eugina jambos. The Jamun is well known for its medicinal properties of all parts of the tree. We have grown up with them in Bangalore spreading their branches across Hosur Road, planted by the British. The tree has been domesticated to grow larger and meatier fruit now, which are sold at premium prices, as half of India is diabetic. We are lucky to get bags of the fruit after we planted five trees in the farm in Hoskote. Not a single fruit is distributed to friends, I eat the lot! Will carry on with a Part II of this blog.

The delicious Mancurad mango of Goa

The incomparable Mancurad mango A decade or more ago, a huge mango tree which stood in our property in Goa, fell. Lucky for us it fell across the boundary wall, smashing it but saved the house which could have been a casualty. Those were the ancient giants of the village, who need almost ½ an acre to spread themselves and to pick the fruit,was a terrible and torturous exercise. Torturous because of the fire ants that nest in its leaves and can leave one writhing in pain with their bites. My young sons were in Goa then and had to get labour to remove the massive giant.

The baby Mancurad graft tree standing on the house wall But I always wanted my very own Mancurad mango tree, as the mangoes I had tasted from my husbands family home in Candolim were delicious. Far superior to the Alphonso that people carry on about. Stringless and meaty, the orange flesh was enough to send us, into paroxysms of delight. So when I was told about a famous goan grafter named Anthony, I phoned him for two grafts. He came in his white rattle trap Omni van to the house in Pilerne, to inspect where I was going to plant his babies. It was fun taking his advice and filling up the three feet deep holes with grass and leaves to two feet depth and then bringing in natural compost as a base before the trees were planted.

Anthony the master grafter delivered them from Britona. Then Bonny and Steve raced up to Porvorim and brought in plastic netting and enclosed the baby trees with it, to keep them safe. He advised filling one of my Dads old plastic jerry cans which could hold 10 liters of water and let it leak out slowly over the week, from a small crack in it. Got the caretaker all excited and ready to do his bidding, as he comes from a rural background in Maharastra.

Each baby tree was safely planted with plastic netting around it. A true blue Goan knows that the Mancurad is the top mango variety for us Goans. It has a long history of cultivation and is known exclusively as a table fruit. Infact just outside our dining room in the Goa homestead is a mancurad tree belonging to the neighbour, which has given us grief for decades. The fruit crash through the tiles of the kitchen much to our annoyance and rage and for years my Dad would rant and rave and do nothing about it. The whole village knew of his annoyance, but the fruit kept crashing through. The neighbour would just feign horror when she was told to trim the tree. Finally after Dad’s passing I employed a man to shin up the tree and hack off the over- hanging branches around twilight and spirit them away. We have stopped paying a king’s ransom in replacing tiles each season and sometimes even rafters holding up the roof. When mango season arrives in India, across the country, mago lovers are giddy with rapture over the arrival of the fake Hapoos ( Alphonso) from the coastlines of Maharashtra and Gujarat. But in Goa, the waiting game isn’t for that pale approximation of the original Alphonso, which is left for tourists and others. We goans wait for our Mancurads!

A box of the delicious mancurads worth a kings ransom It has been this way for centuries, and as I age have become particular about the variety of mango I consume. The whole of Goa, from the Ghats to the Arabian Sea, comprises a mere sliver of the vast Subcontinent, but has developed more than 100 varieties of mangoes ever since the Jesuits introduced modern grafting techniques in the 16th century, says info off the net. Within just a couple of decades of the influx of European ideas of grafting, the results of the experiments had become acclaimed, treasured and celebrated across Goa. The Hilario ( original name of Mancurad) was propagated and every tree is derived from a famous progenitor from the garden of Hilario Fernandes in the lovely village of Siolim. The arrival of the annual mango tribute, to the Portuguese colonisers in the court in Lisbon, soon became a celebration, that brought all other proceedings to standstill. Boxes of the fruit went as a gift from Goa to the Emperor who was pleased with the gift.

Mancurads on sale in the local Panjim market. We also know about the hopelessly mango-obsessed Emperor Akbar. He encouraged the presence of Jesuits from Goa in his court for decades because of their expertise in fruiticulture – eventually he planted an orchard of 100,000 grafts in Darbangha. His equally mango-besotted grandson Shah Jahan spent state resources to carve out a special “fast track” route from the Konkan to Delhi, to ensure rapid supply of the fruit through the summer months. As a result, Goa mangoes were established as an essential tool of Portuguese diplomacy. Crates of Alphonso mangoes were prized tribute in all the kingdoms of the Deccan, and especially in the Maratha court.

The best way to eat the flesh of the mango cheek! In 1792, the Portuguese ambassador to Pune, wrote to the Governor of Goa, advising strict restriction on mango imports to all the territories which are now Maharashtra, in order to ensure that the Estado da India Portuguesa’s treasury of Goan fruit remained rare and precious, thus retaining its fabled allure. In a few decades, the Peshwas developed mango ambitions of their own says the net, and embarked on planting millions of Goa-derived Alphonso mango grafts throughout the Konkan. It is the hardy, hybrid descendants of these fruits, which now flood India and the rest of the world as Hapoos. But even as they are prized everywhere else, these undoubtedly decent and adequately tasty fruits are not eaten with any enthusiasm in Goa. All these different varieties are enjoyable, but the objects of maximum desire and longing, the fruits that strike the deepest chord in every Goan soul are the luscious Hilario, or better known as the peerlessly magnificent Mancurad.

The prices which can be compared of the different varieties of mangoes Try both fruit like a connoisseur of mangos. First take a ripe Mancurad mango, and slice it open next to its Ratnagiri Hapoos equivalent. Now close your eyes and taste them. The size and colour of the two fruits could well be similar, maybe even identical. The consistency will likely be more or less the same. But the cinnamon-caramel-honeyed depths of flavour of the Goan fruit will bedazzle and overwhelm, and so its rival will immediately start to taste perceptibly watered down, and sadly unable to compare.

A quick five day trip to Pilerne on work

The family chapel built by grandfather and usurped by a relative. So I get a call from the builders of the flat we are buying in our Pilerne in Goa. “Do you want a powder room or not?” Powder room in a Studio apartment. Not likely but we wanted to check the lie of the land before saying no. “ Others want it but we want to ask you to decide because we know you would rather have space than a boxy room.” So off we went to buy air tickets with Air Asia which was the cheapest to Goa. We always drove down in the past which really wasted a day going and coming and was exhausting. This way we do waste a lot of the day as both airports are an hour away from home, but it’s less exhausting for us as we age.

We land in the airport to glowering monsoon clouds At the airport, Aldrin waits with our self drive taxi which we keep for the five days we are in Goa. His smiling face greets us as we land in Dabolim, coming out into a really crowded airport. Half of North India has arrived, as I can’t hear any Konkani, only Hindi! Never seen so many cars too on the roads. The buses that ferried us as teens seem to be a diminishing race.

The old 300 year homestead which has housed generations of Furtado's who were tillers of the soil We drive to the village where a smiling Bhujang awaits us with open doors and whirring fans. The old homestead needs work as we could do nothing earlier with the pouring monsoons. “ Still raining heavily madam. Kya karna, never seen such monsoons before, not stopping,” says Bhujang, propping his rattle trap bike against the gate, which he opens to let the car glide past. “ We can’t do any roof work, no one will work in the rain,” he says. That’s fine, let’s work on the electric lines and the plumbing. Old tiled mansions need continuous work as the monsoons destroy all that is done in them, year after year.

We drive through lush green fields which Pilerne is still known for The house looks better because he has fitted the LED bulbs and tube lights we bought on our earlier trip. The grandparents and parents smile down at our entry and we start unloading our stuff and taking out the kitchen implements, which Dad had stacked in the cupboard over the years. My sister added a skillet and I a pressure cooker and now a brand new flask for tea. If we can do any work in the house let’s do the fencing of the front properties I say. Already the cousin who is a skillful encroacher has built his car park on our property. Thankfully I had brought the survey maps, which the government surveyor had marked out for us. Using a pipe a hole was dug and wet cement poured in to make the outline.

Sand, jelly and cement arrive along with the poles to mark the boundary We decided it was time to buy the poles and mark our boundaries. So along with Bhujang my husband drove up to Mapuca and ordered the five foot tall poles. Sixty poles was a lot and the guy said the vehicle could only carry 30 at a time. After which a load of sand, three bags of cement and a load of stone jelly was ordered. We prayed hard that it would not rain the next day and the men set to work. A nice plump Raju from Tamil Nadu, who is now a domiciled Goan and his team of three began the holes. I did not dare walk up too many times to check on them, because the mosquitos, the size of mini dragon flies would swoop in a swarm on my bare legs and arms. Or the fire ants would crawl up my legs, dared I stand still for a second. One chomp can literally light a fire of itching which takes days to leave you.

The solid concrete poles arrive and are lugged to the plot by Raju and team Raju was a massive immobile target for them and he had devised a method to keep them at bay -- light an aggarbathie as he worked! I was hysterical when I first saw his modus operandi. The others were more practical with long sleeved shirts and pants with shoes. They worked quickly and rapidly and by the time the first load of poles came they had completed the first round of holes. Each pole must have weighed at least 30 kgs each and needed two of them to lift onto the plots. It was exhausting work just watching them, imagine how hard they worked each day. The next day while I quickly shelled the huge tiger prawns bought by the men from Verem, I enjoyed hearing the Golden Orioles flit above in the teak trees, calling out their signature raucous call. Once in a while a blue streak of a Kingfisher, would go shrieking by and Drongos and the Oriental Magpie kept an eye on what I was doing, from the overhead branches. I fed the shells to the rose apple and lichie which I had planted and are way taller than the house.

The freshly shelled and cleaned Tiger prawns simmering in a coconut curry While the curry simmered on my single burner gas stove, I sat outside on the bench which had been Dads favourite too and sipped my chai and downed my buttered pao stuffed with a fried egg. Nothing tastes better than Pao in the early morning in the village. Bought fresh from the Poder who parps his horn, with his fresh and warm load. I think of my Mum as he wraps the ‘butterfly’ shaped paos in newspaper. She loved them with butter and Dad always carried home a bag of them for her. The men arrived and I gave them a mug of steaming hot tea to sweeten their work ahead. Pick- axes, mumtees and the bandlees which have become plastic basins from our days of tin, they dug and carried and erected the poles, steadying them with pebbles and stones. One of the men set to work on the second plot, clearing it of its dense undergrowth. “ Stay away as snakes will come out of the undergrowth,” shouted the neighbour from the next house, and I quickly heeded his advice.

Hard work erecting 60 poles on either side of the chapel The second lot of poles arrived for the second plot and Raju decided they needed to ramp up the work as the morning marched on. He yelled and ranted at his team and I was scared he would burst a blood vessel. “ Why do you shout Raju?” I asked. “That’s the only way these donkey’s will listen,” he said. The other two men in his team were older and so just smiled at his rantings. Steve and my husband took over while I went down to cook some rice to go with the prawns. I usually come prepared with everything from Bangalore in a separate provisions check in bag. Right down to oil, tea, sugar and hold your breath -- onions! Going out for all meals is too expensive in Goa and not really great for our constitutions, plus four prawns swimming in curry is not my idea of eating prawns. We sit and demolish a kilo together, swimming in a delicious rechardo curry spiked with Maggi coconut powder!

Mixing the cement concrete mix in the heat of the noon day sun The men break for lunch and a siesta under the trees. Marvelous how they can sleep anywhere and for a full two hours, on the cement gunny sacks. We too eat lunch and stretch out for an hour, before its time for tea and they begin mixing the cement to pack the poles. I make them another round of kadak chai which they gratefully enjoy and share their chillie pakoras with Steve. In minutes Steve charges indoors to hang his tongue under the tap, as the chillies have made him cry with their pungency and turn his tongue on fire! By the end of the day the poles are up, the cement patted in and I feel thrilled that the job is almost complete. Once the men wash up and leave for the day Bonny and Steve drive down to Mapuca to buy wire to treadle through the poles. Rolls and rolls of wire is bought and kept for the men to put through each hole and enclose the properties.

The beach was crowded with domestic tourists driving the guards crazy trying to control them “ Are we never going to the beach? “ grumbles Steve, so we jump into the car and head for Candolim beach. The crowds and definitely less than the madness of summer and he gets an hour to jump in the waves and enjoy the sea. I stand at the edge in the rough breakers which sometimes slap a large, unruly wave which wets my shorts. Clutching everyone’s wallets and slippers and ofcourse specs is my job, as the waves give me a great pedicure. Again selfies and selfie sticks rule the beach and nothing can be eaten or bought unless its on instagram! Thankfully the idiotic lounging beach chairs are not out in the monsoon season and people actually enjoy sitting on the sand. It’s one hundred bucks to park now in Candolim, but the whole place has been given a make- over by the government.

The food in Fishermen's Cove is as tasty as it looks We drive down to Fishermen’s Cove, our favourite dining spot, to enjoy fried King fish and salad, washed down with fresh lime soda and feni for the men. A beautiful woman begins to croon and then one really gets into the mood a la Goa. This is a popular eating spot and crowds fill up the tables in a jiffy. Our David loved it and ordered all he could see on the menu, when we had come earlier. We are fairly judicious, when we order.

The Golden Orioles are iconic of the Western Ghats and our village. The next morning the men arrive early and we leave them with instructions. We need to go and check on the apartment. Happily we decide against the powder room and request for a basin to wash hands rather than blocking off the limited space for a powder room. I want wardrobes in the single bedroom and cupboards in the kitchen. “ I promise you will get it by July 2020,” says the builder. He loves Pilerne and his previous projects in Pilerne are sold out. I am worried as I sold my apartments in Bangalore to buy this. We cant keep looking after the house, as we are just three siblings supporting it’s upkeep. The others want their share doing *&^% all nothing -- don’t pardon my french. But as another Pilernekar says, do what you can and as long as you can. Then you can walk away knowing you have done your best and you kept your father’s promise. Don’t grab what suits you greedily.

Dad's love for the village and the homestead lives on through the three of us siblings People in the village respect me for what I am doing, for the old ancestral home.They all know me, from the Panchayat to the Communidade. “ Your Dad would be happy, how he loved this place,” they reminiscence. “He would come by bus and struggle here alone”. But I feel glad I am the son he expected to uphold family ancestry.And I feel glad that when I visit, the charlatans are scared, not showing their faces, knowing I am tough. And that I intend enclosing what my forefathers bought, for future generations.