It was a pleasant morning with the best possible weather that one could hope for as we gathered at the base of Bukit Timah Hill. The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is one of Singapore's last remaining patches of primary rainforest and a declared ASEAN heritage park. It is commendable that the forest, despite its small size houses over 840 species of flowering plants and over 500 species of fauna. More than commendable, it’s probably a grace that we are blessed with this abundance in our little island.
Of course, on a crowded Sunday morning, not much of this fauna was clearly visible as we joined the multitude of others who sought this park as a natural refuge and a place for their weekend exercise. After our warm ups, the group diverged into two with some of us taking the younger kids for the more adventurous climb up the rocky path. It was in these quieter places of the reserve that we really get to see the hidden beauty of the fauna in the area. The children delighted in spotting delicate spider-webs, ants that were larger than any they could see in the city parks, a monkey and on one occasion, a flying squirrel. After the hard climb up the rocks, we delighted in taking off our shoes and soaking our feet in the natural stream that ran at the top of the rocky path.
There was quiet meditation, good company and a simple and delicious brunch that awaited us at the end of the morning in the Rajah residence. The Mother has said “Simplicity, great indeed is Thy beauty”. On the walk and the brunch that followed, I felt deeply the power of the simple.
- Kiruthika
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