picture courtesy: Sajal Mukherjee
Story by Subhro Niyogi
Kolkata: Decades ago, their love had blossomed under its tender shade. Over the years, the tree had flourished and so had their love. For 48 years, the couple has driven down King’s Way nearly every day but never failed to cast a nostalgic glance at the tree that stood majestically by its side.
Meet septuagenarians Shashi and Prem Luthra of Hastings. Nearly half a century ago, the duo fell in love with each other and the mahua tree without quite realising it. Their’s wasn’t a love-at-first-sight romance. It was an arranged marriage that brought with it the usual awkwardness. The couple would go on walks along the Maidan. That’s when they discovered the mahua tree, 50 metres south-west of the Hospital Road-King’s Way intersection.
“It was under the tree that we first encountered the moments of intimacy. I guess, we fell in love with the tree right then,” said the 71-year-old Shashi on Tuesday, lovingly caressing the weather-beaten bark of its massive trunk.
A home-maker and an Ikebana teacher, Shashi has done arrangements with many flowers. But never did she consider plucking the bright orange flowers from her favourite tree. “When the flowers bloomed, the tree looked so pretty,” she recalled.
Prem, all of 78 years and still active in business, never grew tired of looking at the tree on way to office and back. “It’s difficult to spell out its charm. As years went by, the tree became more grand. In many ways, we could see our reflection in the tree. It aged gracefully. I’d like to believe that so have we,” he said, pointing to his son Ashit, daughter-in-law Jyoti and grandchildren Tanuj and Disha.
The romance with the mahua tree also nurtured their love for nature. “We aren’t green activists or anything, just nature lovers. We discovered the beauty of nature and began photographing trees. It all started right here with the mahua tree,” he recalled. That’s what they did on Tuesday, taking the last shots of the tree they had so dearly loved. Monday’s cyclonic storm had split it wide open, disembowelling its hollow trunk. Even in death, its magic captivated the Luthras as they spent an hour with the tree before civic staff appeared to chop it down and clear the debris.
“As I left the house for office this morning, I saw there were trees lying uprooted all over. As soon as I had passed Race Course, I knew the tree had been knocked down. I stopped for a while and then headed back home to fetch Shashi. She would be very sad if the tree was removed by the time she arrived,” said Prem.
The duo returned to the spot and walked down to the tree that lay splayed over the tram tracks. Fighting back tears, Shashi held Prem’s hand and stared at the tree that had been a part of their lives for so long. The two then managed a smile as they posed for photographs. “Looking at the tree, we realise how frail we’ve become. Someday, we too will pass away. We just hope the end’s not violent,” mused Prem. “I was awe-struck when I saw the how hollow the tree’s trunk was. It looked so sturdy but wasn’t really,” mumbled Sashi, feeling every bit as hollow as the tree. Aila had killed more than just a mahua tree on Monday.
Meet septuagenarians Shashi and Prem Luthra of Hastings. Nearly half a century ago, the duo fell in love with each other and the mahua tree without quite realising it. Their’s wasn’t a love-at-first-sight romance. It was an arranged marriage that brought with it the usual awkwardness. The couple would go on walks along the Maidan. That’s when they discovered the mahua tree, 50 metres south-west of the Hospital Road-King’s Way intersection.
“It was under the tree that we first encountered the moments of intimacy. I guess, we fell in love with the tree right then,” said the 71-year-old Shashi on Tuesday, lovingly caressing the weather-beaten bark of its massive trunk.
A home-maker and an Ikebana teacher, Shashi has done arrangements with many flowers. But never did she consider plucking the bright orange flowers from her favourite tree. “When the flowers bloomed, the tree looked so pretty,” she recalled.
Prem, all of 78 years and still active in business, never grew tired of looking at the tree on way to office and back. “It’s difficult to spell out its charm. As years went by, the tree became more grand. In many ways, we could see our reflection in the tree. It aged gracefully. I’d like to believe that so have we,” he said, pointing to his son Ashit, daughter-in-law Jyoti and grandchildren Tanuj and Disha.
The romance with the mahua tree also nurtured their love for nature. “We aren’t green activists or anything, just nature lovers. We discovered the beauty of nature and began photographing trees. It all started right here with the mahua tree,” he recalled. That’s what they did on Tuesday, taking the last shots of the tree they had so dearly loved. Monday’s cyclonic storm had split it wide open, disembowelling its hollow trunk. Even in death, its magic captivated the Luthras as they spent an hour with the tree before civic staff appeared to chop it down and clear the debris.
“As I left the house for office this morning, I saw there were trees lying uprooted all over. As soon as I had passed Race Course, I knew the tree had been knocked down. I stopped for a while and then headed back home to fetch Shashi. She would be very sad if the tree was removed by the time she arrived,” said Prem.
The duo returned to the spot and walked down to the tree that lay splayed over the tram tracks. Fighting back tears, Shashi held Prem’s hand and stared at the tree that had been a part of their lives for so long. The two then managed a smile as they posed for photographs. “Looking at the tree, we realise how frail we’ve become. Someday, we too will pass away. We just hope the end’s not violent,” mused Prem. “I was awe-struck when I saw the how hollow the tree’s trunk was. It looked so sturdy but wasn’t really,” mumbled Sashi, feeling every bit as hollow as the tree. Aila had killed more than just a mahua tree on Monday.
