An old Chinese saying that has been circulating on the Internet for ages is this one: It’s said that the ideal period to plant a tree was twenty years ago, but in this instance, that should be forty-six. The first Chief Secretary of Meghalaya, the adored NK Rustomji, received a letter dated December 10, 1975, from Conservator of Forests BN Das informing him of a large initiative to plant avenue trees in and around the hill station town.
Das recommended that “we plant both varieties of cherry trees—the variety that blossoms in November and the variety that blossoms in February.” And you might wonder, why the cherry tree? “Because of its sturdy nature and rapid growth in the local soil and climate.” Additionally
As we stroll through our town, enthralled, excited, and in awe of the blooms’ emergence, not many of us are reflecting on this trade, this small piece of history. There are young couples everywhere, with patient boyfriends snapping photos of their significant other posing beneath a particularly lovely tree specimen. These photo shoots require a lot of work, I should say; sometimes clothes are coordinated to complement the pretty pink flowers, and occasionally a frilly parasol is added as an accessory. Friends from school get together, laugh, and snap selfies. Needless to say, tourists as well.
I suppose that a lot of social media displays/profile pictures are changing quickly right now. “Northeast India” accounts on Instagram, in particular, are, from what I’ve heard, overflowing with images of these petalled explosions.
An elderly man with a fine DSLR mounted on the railing joined me as I paused to snap photos of a magnificent tree in bloom near Fish Dale’s ponds. He informed me that he has been taking photos of flowers and birds for a very long time. He turned out to know my parents rather well, and we were thrilled to connect over this chance encounter. In Shillong, though, everyone knows everyone, so occasionally I feel warm.
There’s a tangible happiness in the air in Shillong during the cherry blossom season. More people pause, gaze upward, and halt to admire the brilliant pinks against the brilliant blue sky. The streets are filled with charm as worn-out urban nooks are revamped, tiny gardens are illuminated, potholed roads are painted, and the waters of Ward’s Lake in the center of town glisten with fresh pastel hues. It should be easy to see that the cherry blossom season is unique not only because of the show but also because enjoying it with others is a shared activity, the trees are outside, and they make us all feel like kids again by inspiring awe and joy.
Now, however, as I am aware of this correspondence, I am also grateful every time I see a cherry tree in blossom because of Tarun Bhartiya, a friend and knowledgeable historian from Shillong. We all know that a garden is always about what’s to come. Likewise, planting trees is. We plant and raise future generations; it’s a blessing and a privilege, and while we recognize this, perhaps we might remember to ask ourselves, what are we planting right now?
