By Dr. R Sudarshan T he week that passed was washed clean by incessant rains. Not only that the leafy vegetables drowned in flooded soil, the fruits and leaves withered and began to decompose. An army of metallic green scarab beetles took chance and invaded the farm brutally but beautifully. We guarded the jack in the cleft for months. When it ripened yesterday, we immediately announced the banquet and the farmhands covered it with a thick sheet, to protect it from the night riders till the guests arrived. And over 10 guests were assured of driving in. But this morning, when the farmhands went to lay the table for the banquet, they discovered that the jackfruit has been hacked and eaten by the real custodians of nature, overnight. Bees and insects are now swarming the broken fruit and competing with pecking birds. The shield of a sheet that we spread, is torn to pieces. On the tree, there are tell-tale signs of a conflict between the claimants. Sorry folks. The covenant of banquet had ...