Staring outside the window looking out as the world slowly moves about, I often stare outside the window from my room. Many years ago there was a huge mango tree that covered the entire length of the plot which belonged to our neighbor, We use to enjoy fresh air, birds chirping, and bees who flew inside our home buzzing. The noise of the bees buzzing, flies, birds chirping, the branches of the mango tree swaying with its leaves all green was a sight worth staring at lying on the bed by the window gloomily looking away at the distance. We had a sleepover at a cousin’s place over the weekend, I returned home to pick up some change of clothes, and Boom! The friend I had who stood there for many years was no more, She was chopped away branch by branch and a group of people stood aside her picking up what’s left and leaving the sight. For many days I was disturbed by the fact that she was no more. I lost not only the tree but the chirping birds, bees and little flies which flew around, the small sparrows who built its nest fallen broken still leaves me disturbed of what a sight I use to have by my window gazing at the juicy mangoes, now only the memory of the branches swaying and lush green leaves of the tree is what I remember. Today there is a huge glass plated building on which a tower remains its red bulb is left gleaming into the night sky and into the night, when I look out at the window I see the tower, the red light buzzing, flickering about, the glass plated windows reflect my building and its windows left with a wall.
As I sit down to read the Newspaper in the morning by the window in the living room sipping Hot milk I am reminded of another flower-bearing tree which stood Its branches were filled with yellow flowers paired in a ball, many parrots sit on these trees chirping around, the Indian brown eagle too sways around the trees, the sparrows fly from one balcony to another and the trees, picking a small broken branch and flying about. One night it rained pretty bad in Bangalore the roads were flooded with water, the road could not be seen at all, the muddy rainwater flooded the roads, and suddenly as usual in Bangalore, the Bangalore Electricity Supply limited loses its power supply, the lightning and thunder in the sky grew louder and just like that a flash of lightning struck down the tree which was seen from the living room by the window. Many flower-bearing trees are found on the same stretch by the road in our neighborhood, the trees feel trapped by the stone walls adjacent to them choking their branches from swaying, the walls were being constructed around the trees and are left. The view of all the trees swaying about along with stone walls is normal in the city here in Bangalore, as everyone is at home #stayhome. We can see all the birds flying about more freely, Yesterday evening I called mum quickly by the window, “Look, mum, the birds are flying” An eagle flew swiftly, a crow craws flying diagonally, different birds flew together and to see so many at the same time flying in circles. I wondered what’s disturbed them! I realized they were having fun gliding by spreading their wings, it is a sight beautiful to remember for many days to come. The sound of vehicles I haven’t heard much these months, boy I can get used to the sound of the birds chirping.
Another day I joined the scheduled class and as the professor began to speak I could hear the sweet chirping sounds of a little bird in the background. Use to the vehicular movements and the noise, the silence brought forward the sound of nature which in itself is calm and soothing. Well, the birds are happy you can hear it in its chirping sound they make every day here in Bengaluru

Shreyas Johan Selladurai