deponti

Well, Yathin... let's see, where shall I start? :)

Actually, my post is less to do with the article than the happiness I felt in having 5 people who are committed naturalists in the paper, particularly Shiva,who has been a good friend to me on the photographic front (and who has a great sense of humour as well.)

Then...
"the gulmohar than that it is an invasive species originating from Africa - with shallow roots and a short life span - which makes it more dangerous to have around than other native trees."

I do agree with you since you have the facts to back this up, but the fact is that Bangalore (and indeed, the Old Madras Road) is totally identified, not by local species, but the Gulmohar and Spathodia trees....

"thousands of exotic plants imported by Tipu and the British should be seen as a 'tragedy' and not a commendable thing."


What *I* appreciate about it is that...in those days, when they had no concept of what such importing might mean, the rulers were still keen on horticulture and tree-planting (part of the Islamic culture that really impresses me) in spite of being engaged in wars. It's only now that we know that such planting of exotic species might harm the ecology.

And *I* don't know if the gulmohar is harming the ecology....Strangely, I found the landscapes of Tanzania and India to be very similar....or was it because I am already familiar with the Gulmohar all over our landscape? I am still musing on this.


"i think people giving out interviews should also take responsibility in speaking from the mind and not from the heart"

Shiva has already mentioned that they have been wrongly quoted. So...give them the benefit of the doubt Yathin!

"most reporters write reports with their hands and not their brains... ;)"

Sadly, yes, some do...but hopefully, only some! (And here's your ;) emoticon back to you!) When I write an article, I usually send the draft of it to the people concerned to correct factual errors...and if there is anything the person doesn't want said, or said differently, I try and accomodate that, too. But then, I am not a professional reporter!

"... the urbanities score high on ignorance." I agree in protesting against this statement for a different reason..it is SO patronizing. Why must we always assume that the town-dweller is an ignorant mutt and the villager is the one who, because of being in touch with Nature, is very knowledgeable? A generalization that is just not true.

I know a young man,who, at the age of 25, impresed me by his knowledge of many aspects of Nature. He is a little older now, but he has shown me more about Nature and wildlife in his own country, and then the country where he moved to, than I have seen on multiple visits.

Most of the members of INW ARE city-dwellers as far as I can see; and the amount of knowledge I find there is truly amazing.

And yes, I do agree with your statement,"don't you think it's just enough for most people to know basic things about the environment - about loving it and saving it - and leave the science part of it to the scientists?"

I too believe that today, I cannot hope to know a lot about a lot of things. So the important thing is to know how to access the information.....oh, that's going to be a post on its own. Thank you for making me think about it.

Thanks Yathin, for a really well-thought out and well-expressed comment. MUCH more valuable than a word of praise!

so what's the alternative to Gulmohar?

honge? I just love its shade!

Good analysis. You know, after reading the article in DH, I had believed that kites were taking over crows in bangalore. Though I did have a vague suspicion that importing species was not the greatest idea. Why don't you write up your comments as a letter to the editor commenting on the article so that more people don't continue to harbour these misconceptions?

Each according to his intellectual abilities - it is important to do the right thing. To do that we need passion tempered with knowledge . Knowledge without action is inaction. We need to become karma yogis. Carping and mindless criticism does not help.

And do not destroy the faith of the unlettered - most of the time that is all he has. Without that he will perish.

As long as all roads lead to Rome , I have no issues if some chose the high road and some the low road.