As the trees start to shed their leaves, it is a sign that autumn has set in and there is no other place better than Islamabad to observe nature changing its colours. Be it the West or the East, poets and writers have always attributed autumn to melancholy feelings when the "pangs of separation" from the loved one becomes even more painful. It is the time of the year that they long for.
"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns," said George Elliot a famous English novelist. A walk along the wide boulevards of Islamabad, which have now become narrower with cement barricades, in November's mellow sunshine gives one the feeling only a poet can perceive.
The changing colour of leaves from green to red or yellow and the bare branches of trees are a sure sign that autumn "with all its gloom is here and in full bloom."
With little chance of rain in the next few days, the dust particles hanging in the air make the atmosphere all the more dull and somewhat choking. This feeling, given the present security situation in the capital when people prefer to stay indoors particularly in the evening, becomes all the more evident.
But for a true lover of Nature, these are secondary things, as he sees the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.
For him, autumn is the time to contemplate and ponder over what was gained and lost since the start of the year and to plan for the future so as not to repeat those mistakes, and make new pledges. Sitting on his balcony while sipping a hot cup of tea or coffee, he could not have found a better time to ponder over his past.
A selected few still go to places like Daman-e-Koh or further up to Pir Sohawa, away from the hustle and bustle of the city to enjoy the chill in the evening and see the flora gradually changing its hues.
Although the foliage change is more evident in imported varieties of trees, unfortunately planted by not-so-wise persons responsible to conserve local environment, the transformation in native shrubs and trees is subtler.
In the shrinking green belts of Islamabad, Sheesham, Amaltas, Tuman or Kachnar stand along side Paper Mulberry or Groovia as if fearing for their very survival into next autumn for these imported trees grow fast giving very little chance to new 'desi' vegetation to grow. Under the shade of Paper Mulberry, death for the older Sheesham or Keekar is for certain and many of them after shedding their leaves will not see another autumn.
For bird watchers, this is an ideal time to watch Blue Whistling Thrush, which migrates from Murree to make Margallah Hills its temporary abode during winter, whistling and jumping from one tree to another. "During autumn, it's a delight to watch this bird as if it were saying if autumn is here spring can't be far away," said Amjad Ali a bird watcher. The bird returns to the cool environs of Murree in spring, when the heat in Margallah becomes unbearable for it.
Other birds like Jungle Babblers, Bulbul or White Eye also frolic in the balmy afternoons of autumn, breaking the silence with their twittering.
Sometimes one can meet an amateur painter in some secluded corner of forest around Shakarparian or on one of various trails in Margallah Hills, trying to capture the autumn on his canvas. "This is just the time of the year when I have the inspiration to paint autumn in its true colours," says Ameer Durrani a final year student of Fine Arts from National College of Arts. "But it's not easy, I might have to come here again and again until I get that best finish which every painter like I craves for," he remarked.
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