In India we have the tradition of seeing the sacred and the holy in all living beings and sometimes even in insentient things like mountains, rocks, rivers and stones. So it is not surprising that we have had sacred groves all across the country for many centuries. Trees have always been a part of spiritual and religious activities in India. The Bodhi tree or the Peepal tree has the pride of place amongst trees as it provided shelter to the great Buddha when he attained enlightenment. Today there will be hardly a village in South India where there are no fully grown Peepal trees with Lord Ganesha beneath it. Such is the importance that this tree holds in our culture.
Almost all temples have their special sthala vriksham , that is the sacred tree of the temple. The vilva tree is the most favourite of Lord Shiva. So in many of the village temples, this tree can be found. Similarly the Nandavanam or the flower garden of the temple will house flower bearing trees such as Magizham, Parijatham, Manoranjitham and so on. The sweet smell of the flowers attracts the bees and help pollination. In such a manner, a complete eco system as such is established!
Today, science and technology have made rapid advancements. The youth of today, especially the urban youth have lost their connection with nature. Mobile phones and
fast paced life have overridden and overwhelmed most of us. One of the most profound philosophers of the 20th century, Jiddu Krishnamurti has said, “If you lose touch with nature, you lose touch with humanity. If there is no relationship with nature, then you become a killer; then you kill baby seals, whales, dolphins and man, either for gain, sport, food or for knowledge.”
Our tree planting programs have met with stupendous success and mortality rates are minimal. A lot of traction has been gained these last few months and more and more individuals and corporates have reached out to us and have offered to support tree planting programs as part of their corporate social responsibility. The full impact of these plantations will be felt only after perhaps three to four years. But even after a period of three years since we first started planting in our flagship site at Anna University, a tremendous change can be seen in the biosphere there. Wild animals are making a comeback, rainfall pattern has improved and consequently ground water has improved, and the ecosystem is thriving.
It is our hope that we create more and more of these lung spaces within the urban setting here in Coimbatore.
-Vanitha Mohan
