Practice Session

15th July 2010 

Commonwealth games have created quite a fervor among Delhiites. For the past few months our Deer Park has been in for makeover for the better. Everyday we found some new activity happening; signboards erected advising various excercises, pathways made, flower- beds created along the road, etc. On our regular walks in the morning, some new additions did meet our eye, like a welcome surprise.

A little over two months ago, practice sessions were held at Dlt Khanna stadium. The entry was through the district park of mostly known as Deer Park. Police posted, banners for rules erected, screening of participants and so on…Lot of hustle and bustle so to say!!

 What to talk about the human beings, even the 

animal world got impacted by its fervor. As I was taking my usual rounds alongside the lake, to my surprise saw all the white ducks come out on the inclined bank and marched past the concrete path in neat rows of fours. I stood there at a safe distance in dumb silence watching this breathtaking scene. A neat marching past practice! Grappling with my camera as I got ready to take pictures, a man came rushing from the other side scaring the ducks to retreat. Before they got inside the water, I was just in time to click few pictures. I would like to share it with you. The sight is still so vivid and fresh in my mind.

Simple Pleasures

 Nature has its own way, delivering simple pleasures, for the eyes to savour and music to the ears. Today we went to Lodhi Garden for picnic with my daughter, her in-laws family and grand children. There we went for nature walk. Walking on the stone laid path in a little while reached near a small canal type of water body. Fish swimming in the shallow water, ducks and geese majestically gliding on the water was treat to the eyes. Moving further saw a net enclosure—a natural habitat created for the ducks to move around. From the little opening we entered inside and witnessed a pen. Two three ducks sat on the eggs and three little chicks hobbled around, trying to get some food. Instinctively, the mother duck without moving craned her neck, picked up soft grass and threw beside the fledglings. We watched all this with great delight.

Moving further ahead, we saw a bed of green patch of non flowering plants. Inside this patch there was another delight waiting for us. In between the plants the ducks lay there enjoying their afternoon siesta. They were unmindful of anybody watching. Their necks rested on the plumes of their body serving as pillows. I had never seen ducks sleeping like this. Savouring everything we reached back to our places.

Looking around it seemed as if the whole town had come to the park to enjoy the afternoon sun. So much so, a family had come to celebrate birthday of their child. From one tree to the other, they tied a rope with placards hanging from it written—Happy Birthday. Cluster of balloons, like pillars, were placed on either side of the tree trunk. A table was spread with tasty goodies.

What a beautiful way of celebrating a birthday in the open lawns of the garden—making children learn to enjoy nature. What a novel way of celebration, far from the maddening craze of lavishly spending and showing one’s wealth as an ego boost!

Vishrut’s remark said it all, “Aunty, This has been my best picnic in Delhi.”