Latest news with #InFlandersField
Hindustan Times
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Take a chance where stars dance
One by one, creeping out of cosmic crevices, the stars appear out of nowhere to chandelier our night. Just as the meadows and moors of the mountains are all starred over by tiny flowers in a trice of spring's sun rays. Blood-deep corn poppies love churned up soil. These iconic flowers had sprung virtually overnight from the torn asunder battlefields of Europe in World Wars I and II. The instant poppies had inspired the in situ poem, 'In Flanders Field', and the Polish war song, 'Red Poppies on Monte Cassino'. I was in the foothills of Siswan, stealing in by twilight to watch fireflies by a minor check-dam. As the moon deepened ray by silver ray, one by one the jugnoos came to flicker on bushes as if an invisible hand had lit a thousand diyas out of nowhere. It left the eye bewildered because these insects were invisible during daylight in the same foliage. The pulsating stars of the jungle flew in a choreography of on-off flashes with male jugnoos bidding to attract females who returned the flashes, if allured. It was the love songs of jugnoos translated into flashes, a twinkling fireworks show in miniature, it was the night winking coyly, it was a shimmering and blinking jungle, it was embers drifting from an invisible jungle fire, it was stars who had come down to dance in silence. From the dam unfurled a stream, whose passage was no louder than a beehive's hum. The waters crystal, pure, and in the moonlight I could see slim, moss-green fishes darting and halting. A firefly glided over the water. Its reflection when cast upon the stream bed got refracted and enlarged. Below the flitting fishes, the reflection looked like a diaphanous white moth in flight. For just an interlude in eternity, the firefly had reincarnated into an ethereal spirit dwelling under ripples, a fair mermaid, a passing comet for the fishes. It was a tender night without an artificial light in sight. But disaster looms over the pristine foothills like a moon about to be permanently eclipsed. It is unchecked destruction by colonisers, palatial farmhouses and mining. One day, this stream will see its fish choking with plastics and kingfishers evicted by bobbing bottles of Kingfisher beer. Birding junoon in June June has been an exhilarating month for tricity birders with two new species, the Black-crested bulbul and the Little bittern, added to the formidable avian checklist for the Inter-State Capital Region (ISCR), an area encompassing a radius of 50 km from Chandigarh's centre. Anu Garg, a birder based in Chandigarh, discovered the bulbul in the Thapli jungles of Morni Hills on June 7. It was a pair of these pretty birds with both the male and female sporting an elegant black crest. This is the second solo record for the ISCR by Garg, who had in February 2023 unearthed the migratory Chestnut-crowned bush warbler from Chandigarh's northern sectors. The bittern was discovered by an accomplished nature photographer, Chandan Bhardwaj, in a Zirakpur wetland. Interestingly, while the bulbul is a species whose geographical range is more to the east of the ISCR and then across nations and seas, the bittern is one whose standard range is described to the west, north and south-west of ISCR and across oceans and international borders. The bulbul has been encountered in Himachal Pradesh, such as Kasauli Hills, and the Kalesar National Park in Haryana. But Garg's record is a first for the ISCR. There are no records for Punjab and Chandigarh (UT), as such. 'I caught a glimpse of this beautiful bulbul while birding in Thapli. The pair flew away but I persisted and later got a couple of good photographs to evidence the finding. One braves the heat and dust of June birding for just one such spectacular moment,' Garg told this writer. While the Chandigarh Bird Club lists 444 species for the ISCR, that number suffers from updating issues and is not inclusive. So, the accurate number for the ISCR is higher than 444 species, notwithstanding the two recent additions. vjswild2@
NZ Herald
25-04-2025
- General
- NZ Herald
Thousands attend moving Anzac Day service in Gisborne
After the solemn march behind the Highland band pipers from the Gisborne District Council chambers to the Cenotaph, the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter crew flew over the gathering to begin proceedings, and the RSA Kapahaka Roopu performed a beautiful waiata pōwhiri. The crowd gave voice to the anthems of New Zealand and Australia and the Gisborne Civic Brass Band played How Great Thou Art. Two teens from the Cadet Forces read the famous In Flanders Field poem in English and then in Māori. One veteran told the Gisborne Herald afterwards: 'I don't ever remember a more inclusive dawn service. We felt like the one people we are'. Aircraft from the aero club flew over the scene, wreaths were laid at the Cenotaph and Mayor Rehette Stoltz spoke. 'Anzac Day gives us the opportunity to think of those in our communities who have experienced war and conflict – those who lost their lives, our veterans, our armed services personnel, families of the fallen, and our refugee communities," Stoltz said. 'We also remember those who were injured and returned home after serving us bravely. Let us not forget the impact on them and their loved ones. 'New Zealanders who remember World War II, and those who grew up in its shadow, know the suffering that division can cause. 'As we witness concerning events across the globe, it is incumbent on all of us to remember the lessons of the past. 'Let Anzac Day forever be a reminder of our duty to uphold the values of those who have served our nation in the protection of peace and democracy.' Royal New Zealand Navy Warrant Officer Rowe Kaa, formerly of Gisborne, delivered a powerful speech. 'Today we acknowledge the assembly of the people and remember all those who have served and are still serving our nation in the armed forces, and in particular those who gave their lives for New Zealand.' She made special mention of 28 Māori Battalion. 'The battalion was renowned for its rich cultural history, strong sense of unity, bravery and tenacity in battle. 'As Lt General Sir Bernard Freyberg said - no infantry battalion had a more distinguished record, or saw such heavy fighting, and sustained such heavy casualties as the Māori Battalion.' Kaa pointed to the role New Zealand played in the creation of the United Nations after WWII. 'That system is under a huge strain today and the world is a much more unstable and dangerous place than it has been decades. 'When we leave here today we may like to consider what we as individuals, as a community and as a country can do to continue to uphold the rule of law, freedom and basic human rights across the world. 'In doing this we can continue to honour in a powerful way the memory of those service men and women who came before us, who sacrificed so much for our nation and our values.' The ode was read in Māori by Syd Clarke and in English by Gisborne RSA president Trevor Jukes. The trench whistle was sounded, as it was sounded in WWI, the Last Post was played, a three-round gun salute was fired from across the river and the RSA Kapahaka Roopu performed again. Jukes said it was 'great to see such a turnout and thanks to all those who have supported us today. Well done everybody, a magnificent job'. He led three cheers from the crowd for the veterans. One service-goer was heard to say after the proceedings: 'You have to say Anzac Day and the spirit it represents is still very much alive and well, growing stronger even, in Gisborne'. A feature of the service was the age spread of people - from babies in prams to the elderly. A mum with a couple of youngsters in tow summed it up when she said: 'I think it's really important the children have an understanding of Anzac Day and the sacrifices made'.
