Bees Invade Class 7 St.Mary’s School Mount Abu

A fortnight ago there was abs pandemonium in class 7 as a swarm of bees invaded the class via the open window above the refractory. The students ran helter-skelter and made a bee line for the door. Quite a few students and the teacher Ms Jennifer were at the receiving end. Ms Jennifer got stung 5 times on the back and chest, one of the teachers helped remove the projectiles left behind by the attacking bees, the students who were stung were rushed to hospy for first aid treatment.
The bee hives are just outside the class room under the ledge, it was probably the fumes from the kitchen below that disturbed these little creatures. I believe some class X boys also were at the receiving end a few days later. The window above the hives is now sealed.

Nostalgia St.Mary’s High School Mount Abu

St.Mary’s High School Mount Abu.

 Blessed Edmund Rice by Pope John Paul II in Rome on 6 October 1996

Plummy heart-throb  of the boys

Absorbed Teachers Seminar

In anticipation for the bus St.Patrics Day

Cliffy looking great

Fish pond school

Ivo in the Staff room

Oh to be on a picnic

School dam or Lower Khodra dam

Gearing up for a picnic beyond monkey temple

Arna village

Staff Room now revamped

Daisies tucking in - lunch break

EDMUND RICE CELEBRATION "A day to remember" Mount Abu

Fibreglass statue Edmund Rice Brothers Quarters

Boys having lunch picnic style

Edmund is honoured as the founder of the Christian Brothers. Today to pay homage to his vision and generosity, Father Suprien unveiled a fibreglass statue of his in front of the brother’s cottage a fitting place for a man who inspired a mission that continues today on all continents through the ministry of Christian Brothers and laity called to serve in this vocation of Catholic Education.

Today this order has spread to 28 countries and his vision of helping and educating the poor can be seen all over the world. Father Suprien gave a short speech to all the students and staff gathered around, after a short prayer, all dispersed to participate later in the day in storytelling, speeches, poetry, mime and prayer about the past, present and future. Speaking on behalf of the Christian Brothers, the Principal Ms Mary Joseph thanked the staff and students for their generosity and hard work in arranging the event.

When I reached the school there was music blaring and I could see the students having lunch not in the refectory, but out in the open picnic style. Laughter, music and celebration were the order of the day. Today is the feast day of Edmund.

Mount Abu "The Tinderbox ready to explode”

Forest fire behind the firing range

Forest fire Arna village smouldering fire chandmari

Human carelessness Beginning of forest fire firing range.

Last week while driving home I saw smoke bellowing around the army shooting range, for a second I lost all sense of reality and jammed on my brakes to get a better view and almost got my one way ticket to the Hades, a speeding car had to hit hard on his brakes and with screeching tyres only inches to spare manage to stop his car behind me. My folly had a devastating effect, the driver behind me was all shook up, in righteous anger he barged into me calling me you Bloody “Pagal Angrez”,(mad Englishman) you want to get killed. I was all shook up because had he not applied his power brakes, I would have probably ended up flying straight into the burning inferno that had got me into this situation.
Mount Abu’s forest now looks like a graveyard of dried and dying trees the drought conditions have taken their toll on this area gradually over the years. The summer this year is going to be terrible; the average day temperature last week hovered between 30 to 35 degrees and the humidity around 30% or slightly lower. These high atmospheric temperatures and low humidity offer ideal conditions for a fire to start. Last week spontaneous fires sprang up in different parts of Abu, causing the populace at large to look to the heavens for an answer to their prayer, as our forest department is under staffed and ill-equipped to fight any kind of forest fire.
I’m worried because this “Tinderbox” of ours is on the brink of exploding into a burning inferno that would be detrimental to our eco-sensitive environment, there would be a massive loss of rare flora only found in this part of the world. If only our forest department would employ the local illegal wood cutters in paying them a substantial amount to clear the dry under growth and dead leaves and twigs and burn it in isolation. This small measure could go a long way to control a forest fire from spreading, the department would be killing two birds with one stone, one, illegal sale of forest wood would be reduced and two, a small measure in ensuring fire spreading through a continuous supply of dry vegetation along its path. The pictures above are photographs taken last week of spontaneous fires around Abu.

Spring in the Abode Mount Abu.

Pine trees in Mount Abu

Pine trees in Mount Abu

Hillside with mixed bag of trees

Flame of the Forest 

Indian Coral Tree

Blue Jacaranda

"An Unpredictable Spring Unfolds in the God's Dwelling"

Ah, springtime in the Land of the Gods! I had planned to hibernate this winter in order to wake up rejuvenated as a bat out of hell, but Mother Nature and global warming had other ideas for us. This year's winter in Abu was brief, with temperatures failing to reach the typical, bone-chilling -7 degrees Celsius. Local bears, which should have been hibernating, wandered the region, compelled to seek food in the city due to a lack of forage in the jungle.

Embracing Nature's Wonders:

I was off the radar for a spell, but I'm now back in action, documenting the beauty that nature has to offer. Birds that nest during the monsoons appear to have gone a little insane, already caring for their fledglings. The far-reaching effects of global warming might cause these phenomena. I can't help but hope that Mother Nature will favour the Abode of the Gods this year. Because if the monsoons fail, we're in for a bumpy trip. Even today, our water supply functions on an alternate-day basis, portraying a bleak picture for the future months.

Looking Towards the Future:

Looking inside my crystal ball, the forecast for the forthcoming summer is grim. The approaching summer will be hot, with frequent dust storms and forest fires. It's almost as though the desert is encroaching on this section of Rajasthan.

Conclusion:

Spring in the Land of the Gods offers unanticipated problems owing to altering natural rhythms and global warming. It serves as a reminder that, even in the face of such uncertainty, we must value and safeguard our environment. As we prepare for what lies ahead, we will continue to find peace and beauty in nature's intriguing and ever-changing dance.