Sunday was an eventful day for my family. Early morning at 8 am, we packed up for a trip to Nature’s open air auditorium, a delight to the senses we all are gifted with. We were off to the Ovalekar Butterfly Garden, at Thane, near Mumbai. This one is an open air natural garden created by the Rajendra Ovalekar, a #Teacher and a #Butterfly enthusiast who has given these winged creatures a new home to come and flutter their happiness. We started our morning with an introductory lecture about butterflies, birds and Nature’s cycle. This was followed by a visit to his wild and natural garden wherein different species of butterflies share space and flutter freely, hopping and jumping, drinking nectar and yes, laying eggs. Watching a butterfly lay her eggs was a surreal experience to us all.
Here are 3 learnings that stood out in this experience :
1) Butterflies require a “Host” plant/environment :
Butterflies get attracted to host plants. The word “host” suggests a friend who will take care of the guest. On this plant, the female butterfly will scratch the leaf to lay her chemical scent, eventually followed by egg-laying. This information of “host” plant is carefully stored into the “butterfly DNA” right from inception i.e. egg laying stage. In return, the butterfly acts as a pollinator.
Question : What is your host plant/environment and do I/we recognize it or cultivate it?
2) Tiny Seeds of Growth :
Normally, most of us throw away the mango seed in the garbage pile. Ever wondered, that seed holds a tree that can be home to 5 specie of butterflies. How about the lemon seeds, as this is the most common ingredients in most kitchens across the world. This tiny seed when planted is one of the favourite plants for a butterfly to lay eggs. It is a magnet for attracting butterflies to lay eggs. In return, the lemon tree becomes your biology lab for watching the entire butterfly cycle from egg to cocoon to butterfly stage. Perfect example of Give and Take. Not to mention, as the sapling grow, you also get lemons for free.
Question :Do you recognize the potential #Seed of Transformation you hold within?
3) Power of One :
The power of one is often under-estimated. During the conversation with Rajendra, he mentioned the garden that now greets us was once a farm land, dry and not tilled for years. He planted a few butterfly friendly plants, and noticed how #Nature took over the land to create it into a beautiful garden, with the few species of plants multiplying with his love and care, and our #Winged Beauties. In fact, the idea when proposed was written off by his own immediate family. Today, the whole family are the host plants, taking guests around one of the greenest patches in the concrete jungle of Thane.
In return, these #Butterflies have brought visitors from far and wide, ranging from botanists, scientists, photographers, students and families to come and behold them. As one catches the drift, this simple man and his butterfly friends are continuing to inspire many to befriend these #Winged beauties. Notice here the selfless act of of Rajendra being multiplied manifold by #Nature. The simplicity and passion with which he continues to touch people’s lives is hard to put in words. Its best to experience it yourself.
Question : Are you willing to experiment with the power of #ONE and expose yourself to a world of possibilities?
I am smitten already and have sown the lemon seeds in the womb of earth waiting to germinate.
Here are 4 #DIY ideas for attracting our #winged friends :
1. Plant butterfly friendly plants e.g. Verbena Bonariensis, Marigold, Hydrangea, Curry Tree (Kadipatta)
2. Keep a little part of your garden moist as butterflies love moisture.
3. Keep a small bowl of over-riped fruits in a corner of your garden. Yes, there are a specie of butterflies which love these over-riped fruits too. Nothing goes #waste in #Nature.
4. Collect #Seeds and sprinkle them on the soil as you travel in the city and the countryside. Come rains, these seeds will germinate to establish a personal relationship with you. It is a very fulfilling experience to do this #Dance of Nature.
Rains are round the corner and our parched #Earth waits to quench her thirst.
Will you become #ONE #Butterfly Garden?
* Credit for the Poem : Google
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