The green wall

Upal, now the schoolteacher, thought of the Thakuran River for his research activities.

- GAUTAM KUMAR DAS

He used to observe the accretion of sediments in the river floodplain and erosion on the riverbanks, etc. In a word, Upal falls in love with the Thakuran River, noticing the tidal shoal formed in the riverbed of Thakuran. Dhani ghas (a kind of salt marsh) grows on such shoals and bars, and in turn, these grasses baffle the sedimentation process. Gradually, a layer of silt covers the sand bases of the tidal shoal or bar. The seeds of the Bain tree came and stuck, and saplings grew from the seeds, baffled by the Dhani grass and silt.

Twice a day, Thakuran is swept away by the tide, and it swells in the tide, as if a young woman. The tidal shoal becomes green with Dhani grass and Bain trees. The seeds of the Bain tree grow where they are caught floating, particularly in these emerged islands. Keora seeds come drifting and germinate around the island. Across the island's periphery, ten or twelve cubits apart, Keora saplings of five to seven feet in height seem to be the security guards of the island. Drawing the boundary line for Keora saplings refers to the geography of the island.

The Thakuran River's tidal shoals gradually evolve into islands as they accrete silt and rise above high tide levels. Over time, mangrove saplings like Bain take root, accompanied by diverse marine life such as oysters, starfish, and mud-dwelling creatures. Unique mollusks like Macoma oysters, which use their orange syphons to feed, and thorny green sea cucumbers thrive in the muddy terrain. Hermit crabs often occupy abandoned conch shells, leaving trails on the soft silt that vanish with the tides. Mudskippers, with their distinctively large eyes and hopping movements, further animate the dynamic ecosystem, digging holes and adapting to the fluctuating environment.