There had to be hundreds of Congress Grass sprouts edging the stone base of the brick wall that encloses my compound. The following morning, I adjusted the number to thousands. The blame rests on having various tall grasses cut by machine last monsoon season without the Congress Grass being pulled out first.My thoughts: I could have the grass cut and deal with this next year. I could have the ladies come who dig out weeds with expertise. Or I could do it myself.
The air is balmy, and perched on a metal stool I am shaded by broad, tall trees. It is quiet. A herd of goats stops across the lane; my compost today has pea pods and pumpkin rind. I feel happy. It is years since I have regularly spent hours working outdoors—I very much enjoyed that former life.
What is Congress Grass? I wondered, as my hands became dirt-stained, and piles of wilting plants accumulated. In the fifties, it had come from the U.S. mixed in with a low grade of wheat imported by the Indian National Congress. The more recent rapid spread of this plant was discovered to be dangerous for India’s flora, fauna, and, as well, for humans—where it takes over fertile ground that ground becomes infertile. The congress had made an ineffectual response to the situation, and so the grass was named after its source. I did find positive comments for recent studies that are finding this species useful in applications related to health and to the environment.*My realization is, “Whether removing what does not enrich the earth, or removing what does not enrich the mind, the call is for awareness, intention, commitment, and action.”
* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3339593/