Agriculturist, environmentalist and writer
Boishakh is the first month of the Bengali year, the first month of summer. It was predicted that there would be five consecutive days of storms and rain from the first day of Boishakh. Nature announced the arrival of Boishakh with the Kalboishakhi. Black clouds approached the horizon, a strong wind began to blow, the young mangoes in bunches became unwieldy in that wind, and the dust and dry leaves
The arrival of Chaitra, the last month in the Bengali calendar, reminds one of the cyclical nature of death and birth. During this period, nature reflects these two constant truths of life. On the one hand, the fallen leaves are left to lie in nature. Fallen leaves mean death, memory and the sound of passing footsteps. Deciduous trees shed their leaves and become empty. Piles of dry leaves accumulate under the trees. The color of those leaves is like milk tea, and sometimes those leaves are dark brown like peanut shells. As soon as you walk over them, the siren of nature rings out. In the quiet afternoon of Chaitra, evergreen trees also start shedding their old leaves like bird feathers.
Spring is the season of nature’s awakening in this country. The trees, stripped bare by winter, burst into the joy of new leaves, and the forests are set ablaze with vibrant greenery. The Bengali spring spans two months—Falgun and Chaitra. As soon as Falgun arrives, nature in Bengal adorns itself like a new bride.
Due to climate change, the Earth has now entered a phase of intense heat. Last year was the hottest ones in the recorded history. This year expected to be less hot. However, there are no signs of that happening. Instead, records are being broken, and 2024 is shaping up to be yet another record-breaking year in terms of heat.