Today, on my morning walk, I came across a very familiar tree. The pink rain tree! It was like I was home, though thousands of miles away. I felt so happy, I just wanted to go and hug it. I walked this path all year, and never realized it was the same tree until it bloomed with these delicate pink flowers!
I grew up under this tree, literally! We had these two huge rain trees. They created a humongous umbrella in dad's garden/nursery. It would change according to the season. In spring it bloomed with fresh green leaves that turned a deep hue by summer. The flowers were a plenty. Pink silk like threads in little bunches. The white petals would end into a light pink tip. When they dried, the winds would carry them and carpet the entire garden with brown feather dust. I know our helpers were not very pleased sweeping up heaps of dried flowers.
There was an old lady, who swept the rows of plants in the garden. She was very feeble and could hardly stand up straight. She always sat down and pushed her way amongst the narrow lots. Dad had hired her just so she could make a living. She was happy just being there. My sisters and I spent two decades enjoying its beauty.
In the peak of summer this tree would bear fruit, longs brown pods with sticky gum like pulp. By fall, the leaves would shed and the trees went barren. Many birds and monkeys took shelter in it. Even today, they stand strong, like pillars holding up a green castle. Dad has all his ornamental and semi shade loving plants under its shade.
The summer holidays were long and beautiful, but monsoons were so much more fun. When it rained, it poured, but we barely got wet under the huge trees. It was pure thrill to get wet. We stayed in the garden and made excuses not to go home. My Amma and Appa would be screaming on top of their lungs in fear that lightning might hit us, or worse, branches could break and fall over. We had coconut trees, and that was an eminent fear, what if a coconut hit our head? LOL
This tree just poured so many memories into me today. I searched up this tree on google and read that this tree is native to America and Africa, I always thought they were Indian. Hmm, who knew?
