By Dr. R Sudarshan
There's at least one tree on the planet that has no idea how much weight its branches can bear. The water apple of Malayan origin goes blissful in summers, wearing an un-liftable pink armor of tons of fruits. The plant suddenly becomes an enormous exhibition of inexplicable oodles of beauty and bears a kind of floral innocence of not knowing its own capacity or limit.
As it happens unfailingly every year, the branches bend down by the burden of their own charm. And even if a couple of birds jump over the branch to tease the fruits, the twigs fracture and bite the dust.
This picture of a bending branch was taken yesterday. This morning the farmhands called to tell us that the branch has broken and a thousand fruits are on the floor.
Yes. Those who blush can't raise their heads.
For any relevant query, message 81051 12990.
Padma Farms, Farmer's House, # 1A - 13th Cross, Kalidasa Road, VV Mohalla, Mysore.
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Addition dated April 11, 2022
WATER APPLE - AS DURABLE AS WRITING ON WATER
By Dr. R Sudarshan
Some four years ago when we saw the fruit first on a friend's farm, we fell hook, line, and sinker to its beauty, simplicity, and its refreshing crispness and texture. And we now have some 8 plants of 4 variations, gloriously fruiting and painting the farm red.
If you haven't seen the water apple fruiting, you haven't known how a paradise looks. Abundant, spectacular, and like all that's beautiful in the world, very delicate, fragile, and fleeting. It is certainly not as much a market fruit as it is a farm fruit. The sheer numbers with which it explodes gravitate birds towards the trees. It drops in tons on the farm floor to create the nicest moist manure. And it is actually more mood-elevating than tongue teasing or cash making.
The water apple date with your romantic mind is short-lived. Come April, it erupts in your heart. By the time you grow on it and begin to beg for it to stay longer in your life, it is gone.
Like writing on water, it has no obligation to stay or engage you for long. It is just an organic farmer's angelic illusion at best.
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Addition dated April 14, 2022
KIRAN'S FLIGHT AND FRUITS OF LABOUR
The water apple tree is as delicate as its fruit is and the branches break like a toothpick if you stepped hard on them. But the best of fruits is perched high and you either need nimble feet or the wings of a bird to reach over.
Kiran is from a deplorably marginalized community in the village and works at our farm early in the mornings and late in the evenings. During the day, he goes to a college to pursue a degree in economics, history, and political science.
A boy with flying ambitions coupled with hard work, he reached today where only the birds reach to bring down to ground the prime fruits of our labor.
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