View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Swami Krishnananda captured the images on this page in July 2019, near Shimla, India. He wrote to EarthSky: “Yesterday, on my daily walk, I saw this cactus blooming from far away, and decided to go near to enjoy its beauty. I had to climb hard up a hill to reach it. As the photos will show, it was worth the adventure.”

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Swami Krishnananda commented: “There are three different varieties of cacti in this region near Shimla. This one takes several months to bloom fully, starting with the long shoot.”

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Close-up of cactus blossoms.

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Closer still.

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | “Here we see a crimson sunbird feeding on the nectar,” Swami Krishnananda wrote.

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | He wrote: “And these bees were feeding on the nectar, too. Once the blossom is over and wilted, the cactus seems to have fulfilled its life’s purpose and dies. The same thing is said to happen to us human beings. Once God’s purpose of blossoming the Sahasrar Chakra is done, the body perishes within a week or so. Jai Guru!”