Trees speak of life. The green months of the monsoon season in India are celebrated through various festivals related to agriculture, sowing, planting and revering Mother Nature in some kind or the other. One among them is ‘Vat Poornima’ widely celebrated across various states in India.
“The world Environment Day celebrated earlier this month also evoked much public awareness about the grave pollution problems our planet is facing. Organisations and individuals have taken initiatives to make an effort to plant more trees and reduce the carbon foot. We too contributed our bit by planting Vat Vruksha, the tree of life,” states Rajendra Desai, president Krutarth Mardol who under their project Nisarg Sadhana celebrated Vatsavitri Poornima publicly and in an innovative way.
Krutarth Mardol, an organisation which is involved in multiple social and cultural activities, took the lead to bring various sectors of society together for this noble initiative. “Sarvajanik Shree Ganeshotsav Mandal, Mardol joined hands with Veling Priyol, Kunkalye Gram Panchayat to celebrate Sarvajanik Vat Paurnima and Vat Vruksh Ropan on June 27.
In the morning a symbolic pooja was offered by suvasini or married women wherein three-feet long Vat trees were worshiped publicly at Shree Ganesh Bhuvan in Mardol. In the evening the Vat trees were carried in a Vruksh Palakhi in a public procession and taken to the planting site in the Panchayat complex and planted with people’s participation with a vow of nurturing them until they mature into a tree,” shares Sarpanch Mangaldas Gawde who was accompanied by Uday Mhardolkar, Jayant Miringkar and others in this green mission.
“While cutting trees haphazardly for road widening, building bridges or construction houses, we must see that the project is designed in such a way so as to be inclusive of trees. We must make a vow to plant more than one tree even if a single one is felled. The government should assign tree planting as a project to organisations so that the carbon footprint is reduced and oxygen content in the air is increased. If we do not look seriously at planting more trees, the day is not far when our children will have to wear a mask while stepping out of homes,” warned Desai.
While extending his full support to such initiatives Sarpanch Mangaldas Gawde of Veling Priyol, Kunkalye Grampanchayat promises, “Whosoever comes forward with such initiatives of nature conservation, we will be with you. It is the need of the hour that people join in this movement of Save Planet Earth. We will also take care of the trees planted today and see to it that the future leaders in the Panchayat also co-operate in environmental cause.”
Lauding Krutarth Mardol for this green initiative, Dr Datta Bhat, president of Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal maintained that today’s youth should indulge in such activities. “Mardol is known for many socio-cultural and religious celebrations like Shigmotsav and Jayancho Utsav. To it we have added this public celebration of Vatsavitri Poornima and this would go a long way in preserving the nature in the area,” feels Dr Bhat.
Krutarth Mardol has appealed to the youth in Goa to step forward in their mission to conserve and preserve Mother Nature. The organisation has grown trees, especially those that grow tall and are shady like Vat, which would be made available for enthusiastic youth who can plant them in their vicinity.
Desai mentions that trees like Vat are difficult to grow in plant nurseries. If one wants to grow them by sowing seeds, it takes special effort. The seeds are first soaked overnight in ‘chuna’ (calcium carbonate) and then sowed. The birds can be helpful in tree plantation as they throw out the seeds after eating the fruits and these seeds can germinate faster.
Highlighting some lessor known facts about the Vat Vruksha, Desai observes, “The Indian seers were acutely aware of the transitory nature of things around us. We know that everything around us on this planet dies, nothing is eternal or permanent. But man seeks constancy or permanence in this ever changing world. Evergreen and shady, the Vat Vruksha is worthy of veneration and is considered as the soul “ which never dies or never renews itself. It is immortal or Akshaya (that which never parishes and survives even the Pralaya, the destruction of the whole world). The tree represents the spiritual aspiration of man. It is therefore important to plant this tree on this auspicious day as our humble gratitude towards Mother Nature. Plant a tree, plant life!”
