The first principle of Permaculture as put forward by David Holmgren is Observe & Interact. For a long time I have been puzzled by Observation. I have wondered what does it mean to observe! At bahulavana, I tried capturing details of things that I noticed. I made a list of flora, I found out the physical & chemical profiles of soil, I am making a bird list as well as a list of other fauna. However all these didn’t give me a sense that I was doing observations like many inspiring permaculture gurus who tell stories about how things were, how things changed, and how they participated in the process.

In the season of the Gulmohars
We went out for a walk
Hand in hand together
in silence, no talk.

I was sitting there
with a cup of tea,
some strong black tea,
with a dash of lime
at the Schorlemmer Cafe

ಬಣ್ಣ ಬಣ್ಣದ ಚಿಟ್ಟೆ
ಸೊಗಸಾದ ಚಿಟ್ಟೆ
ಹೂವಿಂದ ಹೂವಿಗೆ
ಹಾರುವ ಚಿಟ್ಟೆ

ಹಕ್ಕಿ ಇಲ್ಲ
ಪುಕ್ಕ ಇಲ್ಲ
ಬಣ್ಣ ಬಣ್ಣದ
ಚಿಟ್ಟೆ ಇಲ್ಲ

ಬಾ ದಾಮಿನಿ
ನನ್ನ ಪ್ರೀತಿಯ ಪಾಯಸದಲಿ
ತೇಲಿಸುವೆ ಮುಳುಗಿಸುವೆ
ಬಾದಾಮಿ ನೀ

Winged termites seeking the divine lights.
Frogs feasting on foolish flies.
A snake, sneaking in the shadows, for a frog meal.

And those philosophical stars,
Finding naught of much significance,
Continue gazing the universe.

— rawjeev