India, Aug. 3 -- Aankhor is a messenger of the seasons, believe the residents of Bhandra, a tribal village in Khunti district of Jharkhand. So, their hopes dimmed when the aankhor tree failed to flower this year. "Its branches are usually covered in blossoms by March, and by April or May the fruits begin to appear. No one eats the fruit, but village elders keep a close eye on it," says Renu Tuti, a resident. For generations, people in the village have believed that a heavy fruiting of the aankhor (Alangium salvifolium) heralds a good monsoon. This year, as the branches remained bare, many took it as a warning of poor rains. Some farmers also chose not to sow paddy and instead opted for less water-intensive crops such as madwa (finger mill...