A day with the Buds and the Bees

So, I did something this past weekend that I wasn't expecting to do: I spent a significant amount of time thinking about bees. Like, really thinking about them. All because I wandered into the Vasantotsav at Lok Bhavan in Dehradun.

My plan was simple. Show up, look at pretty flowers, maybe grab some snacks, and call it a day. A classic Friday evening agenda. But the universe had other plans. I ended up going not once, but twice. And somewhere between the prize-winning lilies and a really good plate of 

The flower displays were everything you'd expect. Rows and rows of outrageous color, orchids doing the most, marigolds so big they looked photoshopped, roses posing like they knew they were being judged. There was a  bonsai area that looked like ancient wisdom in a pot.

But here's the thing they don't tell you in the event brochure. If you stand still long enough, the real show starts.

I was hovering around a particularly dramatic display of African daisies…when I noticed them. The bees. Not just a polite one or two, but a whole bustling workforce.

And there it hit me, I was looking at Mother Nature in action. For me, those flowers were eye candy. Something to photograph and maybe Instagram with a nature-loving caption. For the bees? That was their local market. Their source. Their reason to get out of bed in the morning.

Between my philosophical bee moments, there was plenty of actual festival to enjoy. 

The handicraft section was dangerous for my wallet just like the food stalls were dangerous for my belly. There was hours of things to see and enjoy. The Vasantotsav turned out to be one of those rare events that works on multiple levels. You can breeze through, see some pretty flowers, grab some food, and have a perfectly nice time. Or you can slow down, watch a bee do its thing, talk to an artisan, try something made from a grain you usually ignore, and walk away feeling like you understand the world just a tiny bit

I went for the flowers. I stayed for the bees. And honestly? I'll probably go back next year just to see if they remember me.