Trees exploding in spring...

For the past few days I have been seeing a few trees of Dhak (Butea Frondosa or The Flame of the Forest). They are full of flowers. It is as if they herald the end of winter. No wonder they flower around Basant Panchami, the festival of spring. I am always reminded of the words of the poet Ezra Pound when I see this tree in flower: "The difference between a gun and a tree is a difference of tempo. The tree explodes every spring." This is how the tree looks when it 'explodes'. And this is an illutration from a book which was presented to the directors of the East India Company.
I would love to upload a few photographs I had taken of this tree some years ago. Let me see if I can find them.
p.s. An entry in my blog at sulekha.com on the same subject

Something about the songs of Geeta Dutt....

Geeta Dutt died in 1972. She was just 42 at that time. ("Those whom the Gods love..."). I was too young then. Not even into my teens. But I knew songs like 'Jaaney kya tuney kahi' from Guru Dutt's Pyaasa thanks to the open air cinema of the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE) Mhow (MP). My father was posted there and every thursday used to be the day for Hindi films. A weekly event I and my brothers looked forward to with great excitement in those pre-television days. Even though I couldn't understand the words of Geeta's songs their words and music hypnotised me. Add to that the stunning black and white scenes from Guru Dutt's films. Today I happened to see a VCD of Geeta's songs. Titled Shradhanjali it contains ten of her most well known songs. These are (1) Babuji Dhire Chalna from Aar Paar (2) Jaaney Kahaan Mera... from Mr. & Mrs. 55 (3) Aankhon hi Aankhon mein from C.I.D (4) Thandi Hawa Kali Ghata from Mr. & Mrs. 55 (5) Yeh Lo Main Hari Piya from Aar Paar (6) Waqt ne Kiya Kya... from Kagaz Ke Phool (7) Jaaney Kya Tuney Kahi from Pyaasa (8) Na Jao Saiya Churake Baiya from Sahib Biwi Aur Gulam (9) Hum Aapki Aankhon Mein from Pyaasa and (10) Mohabbat Karlo from Aar Paar. I bought it with a lot of happiness and joy. I have just finished watching these ten songs once and as they play in the background for a second time I type out this entry in my blog. What a beautiful experience. Recommended for all you music loving blog readers out there. Mohabbat Karlo.....