When it rains trees and thorns

This season has laid out the most bizarre moods of the weather. Sunny, sultry mornings turn into cloudy afternoons and eventually end up as rainy evenings. Along with the untimely showers, we have had to endure the blaring thunderclaps, icy hailstorms, robust winds and more.

New records like ‘the wettest May ever’ and ‘lowest temperature in a decade’ have been set as well. Day after day, newspapers and media report the trail of destruction and its aftermath due to recurring mishaps, falling of trees and electric poles, et al -- not to mention the endless inconveniences such as waterlogging and traffic congestions.

Yet, until we experience it first hand, the unpleasantness of dealing with the havoc of rains is not apparent; perhaps because we do not genuinely realise the gravity of the situation. One rough evening, a massive tree on our adjacent vacant plot succumbed to strong gusts of wind and violently crashed upon our house. The next morning, the stark daylight revealed the enormity of work. Clearing up that extensive mayhem proved to be a mammoth task. We had to seek the services of professional tree cutters.

Even with the expertise and experience of three men, who arrived on the spot to clear the fallen tree, the work was precarious as it posed many challenges. The tree’s surface was full of prickly thorns that made it impossible for one to climb, cut or even grasp it. Besides, red ants and mosquitoes thrived in the rain-fed weedy clutter in the proximity.

Meticulous planning, focus and physical labour notwithstanding the work was fraught with challenges. Work progressed with some hitches, foreseen and unforeseen. Fine twigs clenching portions of our building were manually freed at first. The bulky branches were then firmly secured with thick ropes from the balcony and the terrace levels. With appropriate safety measures, the branches were severed with an electric saw. Part by part, the logs were released from the grip of the rope until they collapsed onto the ground with loud thuds. With a couple of breaks for beedi and tea, it took the three good men about five hours to complete the job, after which the huge piles of debris had to be cleared.

Thankfully, there was no damage to any structure of our house due to the impact of the fall per se. But we had to cough up a good amount of money. The diligent men were certainly worthy of it though for their bold venture. Meanwhile, as the weather continues to be fickle, we do hope it stabilises at the earliest.