Morning Walk and Flowering Trees in Chennai

In this series of blog entries, I will share with you some of my observations and experiences during my visit to my hometown of Chennai. Chennai is the fourth or fifth largest city in India. By the Bay of Bengal, this large city is known for its temples, classical music and dance festivals, Marina beach, masaal dosais, and a more "traditional" lifestyle compared to some of the bigger metro cities such as Mumbai and New Delhi. It is also known as Madras, which is the name that I used to refer to it while growing up.

As I get ready to accompany my dad on his morning walk, this city is already up and running. I am greeted by kuyil birds cuckooing sweetly, crows cawing away, pigeons buck-buck-bucking, and squirrels chattering loudly. In the distance are auto-rickshaws happily rushing on the wrong side of a one-way street and fairly empty public buses taking passengers to work.

Chants of Om Namah Shivaya from our home's electronic "mantra" machine merge with these sounds from the outside. At 4:30 AM the early morning prayers of Allahu Akbar are sung loudly from the mosque across the street. The bells of the beautiful Kapaali temple toll with gusto to announce to everyone living within a square kilometer that the temple is open.

Small golden yellow flowers

Throughout my walk from my home, there are beautiful, large flowering trees in full bloom. Our paths are covered with flowers of all shapes, sizes, colors and fragrances. I wish I had learnt the names of these local and native trees in biology class in school instead of some abstract concepts from textbooks written in New Delhi.

Some trees are easy to tell by the shape of their leaves. For instance, neem, banyan, and peepul have distinctly-shaped leaves. These trees are some of the most common ones in several parts of India. These trees serve us by providing large areas of shade and shelter apart from having wonderful medicinal qualities. Neem leaves in particular remind me of their insecticidal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral qualities. No wonder we worship these trees with great devotion here in India.

Neem leaves that are bitter but highly medicinal

Some trees are distinguished by their fruits. This time of the year, mango trees are filled with green, yellow, and red fruits. They say that parrots have a keen sense of smell that help them know when mangoes are perfectly ripe. Other small animals watch parrots keenly to figure out when they can also enjoy these fruits. Just like these mango trees, I see coconut palms in almost every house or apartment complex, filled with many coconut fruits.

Mangoes in bunches right outside my home

Other trees I recognize by their flowers such as the flame of the forest - gulmohar - by its bright orange fiery red color flowers. There are trees with large deep purple flowers that hang down from what look like nature's bungie cords. I suspect that these are “poatthu" trees from which loofahs are made. There are other trees with small golden yellow flowers that look like konnaipoo. My neighbor says they are called aavarai. I see trees with small leaves that close by dusk and open by dawn. They bear lovely fuzzy pink and white flowers that fly gently in the air. I observe many pink and white frangipani trees. My most favorite summer flower is the Naga flower that has a strong sweet fragrance and a beautiful pink color. There aren't many leaves on these fairly short trees but they are filled with many flowers that look like orchids. Their petals are shaped like a snake's hood and hence they are called Naga (meaning cobra).

Fiery red flowers of the Gulmohar trees

The flower vendors don't sell these types of flowers but others that are used for worship and adornment. These vendors sell flowers and leaves "loose"or strung together closely. The sweet smelling white strings of jasmine flowers are the top favorites for women to wear on their braided hairs. The sacred tulasi leaves are dear to Lord Vishnu. Some pink lotuses (thaamarai) that look splendid are used to worship Goddess Lakshmi. Vilvam leaves are auspicious for Lord Shiva.

A string of jasmines smell so sweet

The tea shops are open and customers squat outside for their morning cup of hot Malayalee tea. These same shops had been ransacked and stoned during my earlier trip when there was tension between Tamilnadu and the neighboring state of Kerala. Stray cats and dogs search the garbage cans like scavengers. The stench of overflowing garbage containers is mixed with cow manure that is sitting along the almost non-existent sidewalk/footpath.

While in the U.S. we visit most places by car and don't get a real good feel for the smells, sounds, and sights of the place. While in India, I seem to walk a lot more. As an outsider-insider, I appreciate the beauty in these little things that I might have missed in the hustle-bustle of the everyday lives of the city's residents.

Peace and love to all from the great ancient living city of Chennai!