The poem depicts how a reverence for nature is an intrinsic part of the Indian psyche. The narrator's mother, despite suffering migraines on account of the pollen of the red champak trees, is enraged at a suggestion to cut down the flowering trees. In Indian culture life is sacred, and a flowering tree, which is a fertility symbol, is doubly so. The trees also hold a sentimental attachment for the mother as they are about the same age as hers. The rest of the poem is easy.
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"A. K. Ramanujan identifies key themes like the interconnectedness of living organisms, the impact of human activity on the environment, and the importance of conservation in maintaining ecological balance."