Mourning the loss

March 21

Today is the vernal equinox or the beginning of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere. The sun rises exactly in the eastern direction and sets at a point on the horizon which marks the exact western direction. The sun remains above the horizon for twelve hours and remains below the horizon for the same period and so "equinox".

New leaves and shoots are on many trees. The Peltophorum or the Yellow Gold Mohur is abloom all over the campus. The golden petals drop off from the trees and form a virtual carpet under the trees. This tree is a native of Sri Lanka.

The Capparis creeper is in bloom in the NCC parade ground area on campus. The plant is the thondai (or athondai) creeper and the Pallava rulers used it as an emblem and wore a garland made of these flowers. The flower is mainly a bunch of delicate filaments which are white in the morning and turn pink in the evening.

March 20

This is the last day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The earth has completed its course round the sun. Tomorrow is the vernal equinox, the first day of another spring and another new year.

Gift Siromoney : From a Campus Residents Diary