On 2nd March, 2025 a nature walk organized as part of our Pondicherry/Auroville Poetry Festival 2025 took place at Matri-Udyanam, or Mother’s Garden by Aurovanam, of SVARNIM Puducherry. The theme of the walk, 'Learning from Nature,' aimed to appreciate and connect with the environment, as captured in The Mother's words: 'Love of Nature is usually the sign of a pure and healthy being uncorrupted by modern civilization.' With a group of 16 eager participants, we set out at daybreak under a pleasantly cloudy sky, perfect for our exploration.

The walk began with a plantation of tall sunflowers, some reaching higher than that of the participants. Observing these bright flowers, we discovered the Fibonacci Sequence; mathematical patterns in nature and a discussion about hidden maths in the flowers.

As we moved further into the garden, we saw mango trees burst with blossoms. This bounty attracted numerous Apis cerana indica bees, which were actively pollinating the flowers. We also observed Lotus plants, which led to a discussion about the Lotus Effect and its inspired applications in developing self-cleaning materials. The walk continued with the discovery of various fruit-laden trees, including Amla, papaya, and sweet lime. The scent of the cashew blossoms and magnolias was enchanting. The 

vibrant seeds of the Lipstick tree (Bixa orellana), with their bright red pods, were a great example of natural colours from nature.

Our exploration concluded at the edge of Ousteri Lake, where we observed many bird species. Among them were Pond herons, Ringed parakeets, ducks, koots, cormorants, and Purple Herons. These birds made participants appreciate the richness of biodiversity of Pondicherry's ecosystem.

The nature walk hopefully fostered an appreciation for the beauty and wisdom of nature and its influence on artistic expression.