Bahava - Yellow pearls hanging from tree

These flowers used to brighten my day during hot summer months of April and May for couple of years. There were about 5 trees in a row on Western Express Highway near Malad Pushpa Park. One 'bad' day the MMRDA decided to widen the highway and slew all these trees. It was very very sad day for me.
Later I spotted many of these trees at various places across my office route. One near Borivali station... one across Bhor industries in Kandivali... one near Goregaon exhibition ground... even one very young inside our office campus... but it hardly bloomed and that too dull yellow.
I was out of Mumbai for last 3-4 weeks and hardly had time to look around my housing colony for these days. Recently they had cut so many big trees across the Dahisar river again for some road widening. Though I was unhappy by this cutting of trees, it brought a sudden pleasure for me today. Came across a nice full bloomed Bahava inside compound of a housing colony across the river. This was earlier hidden due to the other bigger trees. But today it was in front of me in its full bloom. (For the records - above picture is only for identification and is picked up from following link http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/indianature/3/1210785360/tpod.html)

Clean Bangalore

I have been to Bangalore couple of times. Unfortunately every time I was either staying much outside of the city in whitefield etc or stayed hardly one or two days travelling back-n-forth to whitefield which is so far from city. This time around I am staying almost in the center of the city and getting to go around roads so beautiful.
Many roads were lined with walls painted with pictures of mythology or places of interest around Karnataka or similar things. It was pleasant surprise to see that the pictures were not only beautifully painted, but they were also well maintained. No one seemed to spit at them. No one seemed to feel like relieving themselves on the wall side. Now thats what Mumbai residents (and the new residents coming over here from the whole country)!!

A wonderful butterfly

After Kullu GHNP tour and meeting Mr. Isaac Kehimker I got interested in butterfly photos. Following link provides such a wonderful photo. The butterfly seen in the photo is farely common variety I guess, but the quality of this photo is simply superb!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tropical-blizzard/3326551830/