A Jamun tree was planted in our compound in the beginning of the year 2001. It was bought from the nursery. Initially we planted the sapling in the rear part of the house. But later on we transplanted it to the front. It never showed any transplantation shock at all. Several years went by.
There is a kind of custom in Punjab according to which if a tree does not bear any fruit, the owner must threaten it by applying an axe mildly upon its trunk during Diwali. Along with that he says, "If you do not yield any fruit the next year, you would be axed". If I am not mistaken it was the day of Diwali in 2007 when both my boys talked to the tree thus-
Elder one said while applying a saw to the trunk, "You need to be cut as you do not give us any fruit". Then the younger one stopped him and said,"O brother let us give the tree a chance. Probably it would start giving us fruit from the next year". The tree seemingly took it seriously and started bearing fruit from the following season.
Many of our friends enjoy the Jamuns along with us and that too in plenty. They take them to their houses also. Birds keep feeding from the top of the tree. They peck at a Jamun and have a small portion of it while the rest of the fruit falls down. Aso when the wind blows a lot of fruit showers down. Therefore a very large quantity of Jamuns get wasted. We have never put any net under the tree for the lack of expertise. Nevertheless it has been keeping us happy year after year.
The first picture is of the adorable tree. In the second picture my wife is plucking the Jamuns. In the last picture we are having a utensil full of Jamuns in a matter of few minutes.
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