My paatti always said, “Listen, kanna, the real rulers of Chennai are not the politicians, not the film stars, not even the auto drivers who can fit into traffic gaps thinner than my mami’s kolam lines. No, the true emperors of this city are the insects! Without them, the whole world would collapse faster than an umbrella in Marina Beach winds.”
I still remember one evening, sitting in our old thinnai, when Paatti waved her pallu dramatically and started her tale.
“Long ago – okay, maybe just last week – our garden was in crisis. Your thatha kept complaining about too many insects, and he wanted to spray everything with that strong-smelling poison. But I told him, ‘You do that, and you’ll be the one buying mangoes from the market instead of plucking them from our tree!’ Because, you see, these little creatures may be small, but they run the whole operation. Let me tell you about them.”
The Matchmakers of the Plant World – Bees and Butterflies
“Ah, those bees and butterflies! They are like the gossiping aunties of our kolam competition – always flitting about, making sure everyone is introduced properly. Thanks to them, our jasmine creeper finds a match, our mango trees get their blossoms, and even that lazy thottaaladi (creeper plant) gets a purpose in life. So, the next time you see a bee buzzing near you, kanna, don’t panic and run like you’ve seen the electricity bill. It’s just busy with its matchmaking duties!”
The Silent Bodyguards – Spiders and Wasps
“Spiders, I tell you, are like the strict patti of the insect world. They don’t talk much, but they catch all the wrongdoers – mosquitoes, flies, pests – and wrap them up so neatly, it would put my Murugan mama’s banana-leaf folding skills shame. And wasps? Ayyo, they may look scary, but they are our natural pest control officers. No need for those expensive chemical sprays. Just let them do their job, and all will be well!”
The Clean-Up Crew – Ants and Beetles
“And then, we have the ants and beetles – the kuppai thotti workers of nature! They take away all the dried leaves, fallen fruits, and other mess, turning it into nice, rich soil for our plants. If we keep squashing them, who will do all the cleaning, huh? Your appa? Pah! He can’t even find his own socks, let alone clean the garden!”
Paatti took a deep breath and adjusted her spectacles. “So, kanna, if you want your garden to thrive, remember these things:
- Plant a Variety of Flowers – If your garden is as boring as thatha’s evening news channel, the insects will leave. Grow some native flowers, make it a happy place for our tiny guests.
- No Pesticides During Flowering Season – Spraying poison when the flowers are in bloom is like offering free sambar and then locking the kitchen. Not fair, right?
- Save the Big Trees – They are like five-star hotels for bees. Don’t cut them unless absolutely necessary!
- Keep Old Bamboo & Mud Walls – Solitary bees love them. Think of it as affordable housing for our buzzing buddies.
- Let the Leaves Lie – Fallen leaves are nature’s version of a thattu kadai meal – free food for insects and a rich buffet for the soil!
She leaned back and smiled. “Remember, kanna, insects may be tiny, but they rule the world. Without them, we wouldn’t have fruits, vegetables, or even a clean garden! So, next time you see a butterfly, give it a silent ‘thank you’ and let it flutter by. And for the love of madisar, don’t try to hug a wasp! You’ll regret it faster than eating molaga bajji without water!”
And that, my dear, is how my grandmother taught me to respect the real kings and queens of Chennai – our tiny, mighty insect warriors!
Priyanka Soman
cspriyankaa@gmail.com