They say, like air-conditioning, suntans, and chilled beer, fireflies
are a sign of summer. I had to wait all these years, though to find out the
part about fireflies! It was only on my birthday this May that I was introduced
to their mystical allure.
Ensconced with family in this quaint little place in Lonavala (it
was Toffee’s first ever night out), it was a lovely time. Having devoured
dinner and some delish mango chiffon cake, we congregated on the patio that
overlooked the valley. The view even during the day had been interesting with
green trimmed hills and sun cast shadows. But at night it was the sky that
dominated with its trillion glittering stars. The heavens seemed to reach all
the way down as we noticed intermittent flickers from the garden below too. Was
somebody flashing mirrors at the sky? On closer inspection, it seemed as if a
carpet of twinkling lights was spread out in front of us. This was my first
glimpse of fireflies and their fluorescent glow. What a spectacular birthday
treat!
So enamored was I that we returned again some weeks later to see
them. This time there weren’t as many, probably because it had rained earlier
in the week. Standing in what seemed like an enchanted forest, we were
mesmerized. The tree beneath which we stood was festooned with tiny, sparkling
fairy lights with some strewn on the grass below in casual fashion. We tried
taking pictures, but the magical scene before us will be etched in my memory
forever. No photograph could ever do full justice.
They
say fireflies are disappearing—another sign of our fast urbanization—and future
generations may not see their sparkle on summer nights. I am just so glad that
I was lucky enough to see them and witness their summer waltz.
