Lavasa beckons in November

Where flowers bloom so does hope.
- Lady Bird Johnson, Public Roads: Where Flowers Bloom
Something about flowers delights and stirs the soul of man. Since the beginning of literature and poetry, flowers have represented beauty, nature and tranquility, and love. According to the Bible, "Not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of [the lilies of the field]."
I took my kids for a drive to Paud for the Lavasa property registration & was welcomed with a sea of yellow flowers beckoning us to Lavasa. I think they are some type of wild yellow daisies. I'm not sure about the genus, but for sure this sea of yellow is soothing to the eyes. People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us. Yellow is a lovely color - and simple too! There are always flowers for those who want to see them.
A movie may have a cast of dozens of supporting actors, with hundreds of crew members working behind the scenes to bring the story to the silver screen. In the end, though, all eyes are on the star. It's the glamorous diva or the handsome stranger who gets all of the attention. But, I'm sure in November, even if the diva is Lavasa, it is these supporting actors who are going to hog the limelight. A bright flower can be the star of public roads. You'll be automatically drawn to a bloom that looks dramatically different from its surroundings. This is why perennial flowers in shades of yellow and orange can have such a strong impact on the environs. Whether they are part of a natural garden of wildflowers, or a carefully-chosen component in a formal display, the boldness and brightness of yellow to orange perennial flowers always makes a strong statement. We waded through this sea of yellow fromn Chandni Chowk to Paud & hoped that these remain in bloom for a few months more!
Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.
-Luther Burbank

They say that happiness is elusive; a slippery thing, not easily held. And yet the stuff of happiness is everywhere. It is all around you in each moment, in each person in your life, and in every step you take on this holy ground. Happiness is yours to choose to see. Stop for a moment. Breathe. Open your eyes to what is around you. Breathe the beauty of nature and melt into it, and allow it to melt into you. If you want to know happiness; if you want to find it, take a walk. Smell the grasses and trees. Look down at your feet. See the small but powerful beauty of the wild flowers pushing up between rocks. Why do you think you feel their beauty? It is natural isn’t it? But why? A wild flower is just one example of nature’s gift, and its message to you: that beauty and happiness are at your feet; that it is your choice to either see them or walk on by, and that seemingly delicate beauty, possesses great strength. You will find happiness in your connection to this natural world — including your own nature. You will find happiness in curiosity. You will unearth it when you indulge your sense of awe and excitement.We live in a rich universe of unimaginable abundance, power, and mystery. Is it that difficult to accept the simple happiness embodied in the pure and beautiful? You can still be tough and street-smart. You can still go toe-to-toe with the best of them. But do take time to look down at your feet now and then to notice where you are. And especially, take a moment to see the small beauty that grows in the hard places of your life. Feel just how powerful that beauty is, and be happy for it.

Happiness can be a yellow flower – if you so choose.

Look at the picture of the pillon rider on the motor-bike on the Lavabahn. The Saffron turban, the white kurta & the greens that he is carting off for maybe fodder. What does it remind you of? It reminded me of our tricolor & of National pride. It reminded me of how Lavasa is making the country proud. It reminds me of the small team with vision to procreate a hill-station that will be an envy to the world; a place where we will earn the most carbon credits in this vast nation. A place where we will show-case the best India has to offer the world. Coming back to the sea of yellow, I returned late evening & these wild yellow flowers seemed to have changed color to orange. Maybe I was hallucinating, maybe not!

"I love to smell flowers in the dark," she said. "You get hold of their soul then."
-Lucy Maud Montgomery in Anne's House of Dreams