4
The Butterfly Project
The Plan
In the mid of spring, as the flowers bloomed in the valley, Bopu sat cross-legged on the verandah, sketching butterflies in his notebook. Bollu, lay beside him, swatting flies with his tail. “Bollu, we’re on a mission!” Bopu said, eyes gleaming. “We’re going to catch butterflies for the school library display board.” Bollu thumped his tail twice, which meant “I’m in, but only if snacks are included.” Armed with a net made from his mother’s old dupatta and a biscuit tin for storing the butterflies, Bopu packed up. They set off towards the coffee estate hills, where wildflowers danced and butterflies fluttered like flying petals. Bopu wore his “lucky cap” – a floppy one with a monkey face, while Bollu sported a red bandana. “People will think we’re butterfly scientists,” Bopu declared proudly. “Well, one of us is,” Bopu smirked.
Into the Wildflowers
The duo reached a patch near the river, buzzing with life. Butterflies of all sizes and colours flitted about — yellow ones, blue ones, even one that looked like a flying leaf. Bopu tiptoed like a ninja. “We need stealth, Bollu. No barking.” Bollu nodded, then promptly sneezed loud enough to scare a flock of birds. “Bless you, Agent Bollu,” Bopu said. “You’ve alerted enemy forces.” After a few failed swipes with the net — one that caught a leaf, one that caught Bollu’s head— Bopu finally trapped a bright orange butterfly. “Yes! Monarch category!” he shouted, doing a victory dance. Bopu placed the Monarch inside the transparent Biscuit box. Bollu barked in excitement, ran in circles, and knocked over the biscuit box, letting the butterfly escape. There was a moment of silence. “Bollu,” Bopu said, hands on hips, “You are hereby demoted to rookie butterfly scientist.” Bollu licked his face and wagged his tail in apology. They moved on, determined.
Trouble in the Paddy Fields
Further along, they entered a misty patch of Paddy fields. A group of butterflies hovered like floating confetti. This time, Bopu crouched low and moved slowly, catching two small white butterflies. “Teamwork makes the net work!” But Bollu, distracted by a butterfly that landed on his nose, went cross-eyed trying to watch it. Then he sneezed again — this time scaring a nearby cow grazing peacefully. The startled cow mooed, turned, and chased them halfway across the field. Bopu ran, shouting, “This isn’t how butterflies are caught, Bollu!” They tumbled behind a bush, giggling and panting. Bollu, covered in leaves, looked like a furry shrub. “You okay, leaf monster?” Bopu asked. Bollu gave a heroic pose and barked thrice, which loosely translated to: “I chased the cow away.” “Sure you did,” Bopu laughed.
The Big Catch
They reached the edge of a natural stream, where the rarest butterflies danced - the ones with shimmering wings like sunlight on water. Bopu spotted a turquoise one. “That’s it! The Blue Swallowtail!” He crept slowly, tongue poking out in concentration. Bollu held his breath - or maybe just forgot to breathe. SWOOSH! The net came down perfectly. “Bollu! We did it!” Bopu held the net up like a trophy. Just then, Bollu spotted a stick and thought it was a snake. In full protection mode, he leapt at it and dragged Bopu along with the net - straight into a shallow pond. Splash! They emerged, soaked and laughing. The butterfly, somehow, was still in the net. “Either you’re lucky,” Bopu said, shaking water from his ears, “or the butterfly gave up on escaping.” Bollu barked once - smugly.
A Change of Heart
Back home, Bopu was proudly showing off the butterfly display board to his charming friend Kaveri, who had come over with wild mangoes.
But instead of being impressed, Kaveri frowned. “You caught them just to pin them on a board?” she asked softly. Bopu blinked. “It’s for the library… for everyone to learn about them.” “But Bopu,” Kaveri said gently, “you could’ve drawn them or taken photos. Butterflies belong in the valley, not stuck on paper.”
These are the pillars of our existence in the Hills and Valleys.
There was a long silence. Bollu looked from one to the other - as if offering a peace treaty.
Bopu frowned, then looked at the board again. The wings, once fluttering with life, now looked still. Too still. “You’re right,” he said finally. “I didn’t think about it like that.” He took down the board and sighed. “No more catching. From now on, I’ll draw them. Or maybe even build a butterfly garden.”
Kaveri smiled, and Bollu barked in approval. “And hey,” Bopu added with a grin, “Next time, we’ll chase them... just for fun!”
Note: Butterflies are vital to ecosystems as pollinators, contributing to the reproduction of many plants, including food crops. They also serve as a food source for other animals and are sensitive indicators of environmental health. Their presence or absence can signal changes in climate, pollution, and habitat quality.