22nd April 2012.

 

EARTH DAY REPORT

 

Was able to keep my resolutions for Earth Day...( over the last week  )

Tree Watch & care- with and Garden maintenence was taken up with greater purpose and care.

Got some advice also from  from the Horticulture Dept. Then finally got some manual labour to help, but---with some difficulty  The last 2 years  have been a series of eye openers in Plant &Tree Care.

Many valuable lessons learnt.

 

PROGRESS

1. Worked in the Garden-cleared, weeded out  and renewed the soil /nutrition with fresh red earth with micronutrients and Organo. Creeper plants &Climbers esp Malli were properly arranged to have support.

Pests -Insects Rodents and Monsoon effect leaves a lot of damge that as to be rectified.  

2. Sprayed neem oil pesticides where ever possible -Neemsutra and Neem Guard & Neem Oil

3.Transferred the  Butterfly Tree sapling from Anandashram Kanhangad (to the earth --on easter side Trees,

4. Banana Trees cleared and good ones retained- to ensure sunlight, warmth, and well-drained soil. The cut banana stems -inner core as the vegetable -Tender banana stems (Vaal thandu-Tamil / Gabbo in konkani) Pieces distributed all  around--a good vegetable used in south and is recommended  for UT & kidney cleaning .

5. Carefully inspected my Neem Tree and took Bark Sample samples -Arranged for  analysis-(sent) -as excess brown powdering seen at lower 4 feet -(may be Soil nutrition is lost with time -added Micronutrients). Will decide soon on further treatment as this is a new experience for me (6. Consult the Horticulture dept. again on Tree care ref my observations (Tree Watch -Ref ). Termites also suspected  but not seen -only powder?

6.Neem Tree was Sprayed with  termite protection, by  professional support using a backpack tank -and sprayer.

7.Organised a Compost Drum with Organic only (leaves etc) -will have  to see how this works out.

8 Reassessed the Garbage Management on my Road--spoke to the Dept. staff and a few neighbours-- but frankly this is a sad ...pathetic story--of indifference. Whats wrong with us ? Civic Sense whither--??,Anyway must go on..will strive.

9. FInally re-aranged all plants in the pots to get   a balance in Sunlight, Air , Space and Drainage--in some cases  changed the soil  -re -potting as soil nutrition and drainage some times gets choked and earth hardens in the pot .

10. SUMMING UP

Gardening can be great fun for grandparents, family and young children - and and an opportunity to commune with nature and it relaxes us. Watering a garden, digging and helping is a part of SUPW in some schools and  is a delight  for a child of  any age.

Watching a plant grow and a flower bloom is sheer joy- Sitting out on a a porch or on a verandah after 6 pm is so restful- esp watching the trees & plants. I was happy to see today my dear sister' s prized plant stalk  the  April Lily blooming-2 on a stalk after a long time -

Also, Malli on a bush tranferred to a another pot with fresh earth- and the bottom cut  opento allow roots to go into the soil , -Today 3 buds have come on the plant -- despite Chennai's  temperatures  of 38 deg C..

Truly as the poet said " A thing of Beauty is a Joy for ever "

 

Finally:

Gardening is a nice hobby and a pastime of value to all- has therapeutiv value, soothes nerves and the Mind is  really at peace.Here in India, generally it is too often forgotten in the hustle and bustle of life -India Today?

Space limitation is ackd--but 5 plants in pots kept on a porch or verandah is a good gardening  start -and brings in much beauty and joy.

The ambience is also much improved.

 

Ficus  Ephiphytes on a wall nearby -appears !! Even one in a Pot with Tilasi-

Who grows and why it grows is a Mystery & Marvel of Nature, to be Appreciated-The final Baghban in Creation is the Divine alone.
no other explanation---OM Prakriti Namaha

Rgds all-

TR

EARTH Prayer from a Red Indian--

All Tribes and ancients respected Mother Earth as Sacred -
this is a prayer from the Ute Indian Tribe.
Rgds 

TR

Earth Teach Me to Remember...

Earth teach me stillness, as the grasses are stilled with light.

Earth teach me suffering, as old stones suffer with memory.

Earth teach me humility, as blossoms are humble with beginning.

Earth Teach me caring, as the mother who secures her young.

Earth teach me courage, as the tree which stands alone.

Earth teach me limitation, as the ant which crawls on the ground.

Earth teach me freedom, as the eagle which soars in the sky.

Earth teach me resignation, as the leaves which die in the fall.

Earth teach me regeneration, as the seed which rises in the spring.

Earth teach me to forget myself, as melted snow forgets its life.

Earth teach me to remember kindness, as dry fields weep in the rain.

UTE ~ North American Prayer

Prithvi पृथ्वी our Earth Mother

Prithvi पृथ्वी our Earth Mother

4rd April 2012.

Starting a series on 5 Elements " Pancha Mahabhutas" 001


Salutations to Earth Mother
Prithvi  पृथ्वी our Earth Mother --is the personification of -where we stand on, grow on and live In Pancha Mahabhutas is  the basic essence of the element earth.


Thus when we start our prayers we touch the earth in thanksgiving and also forgiveness .


Prithvi is best known by the name Dharti-Ma -and so many beautiful songs on her.
She  is also called Dhra,  Dhrithri, meaning that which holds everything. In Vaishnava temple esp in South Prithvi Devi, known Bhumi Devi & along with Sri Devi Lakshmi are worshipped.  


Refer Bhu Suktam and Sri Suktam chanted in most temples -
I also learnt that Prithvi Sukta of 63 verses is in the Atharva Veda


As Prithvi Mata "Mother Earth" is linked to the Aakash tattva -also called as Dyaus -Father Sky


Interestingly the Red Indian Chingachgook (the lone survivor) in classic and film "Last of Mohicans" by James F Cooper  says a prayer to Earth & Sky in the last scene -and earlier the hero Daniel refers to stars in "Father Sky"  too.


In the Rig Veda the Earth & Sky are referred to and  is  possibly the most Ancient worship of two sides of creation -as they compliment & supplement and were also known as "Dayaprithvi" .


Puranic lore has a lot on this in stories and legends and Bhu Devi is also associated with Go Mata -as the Giver.


As Mother of Sita devi in Treta Yuga-Ramayan, and in Satyabhama in Dwapara yuga Mahabharat period. Alamelu Mangamma or Sri Padmavathi Devi of Tiruchanur at Tirupati--All  had a similar beginning, being found in a ploughed field by Akasa Raja. In latter days as Andal in South,
Interesting fact is,  Bhu Devi  is seen in Indonesia "Ibu Pertwi" & in Eastern countries too.


 Bhumi Devi Gayatri Mantra
Om Vasundharaya vidmahe
Bhutadhatraya dhimahi
Tanno Bhumih prachodayat  
Meaning of Mantra “Om. Let us meditate on Bhumi Devi, the One who provides all , bless us with abundance."


21 aspects of Mother Nature in "nurture" are seen in the following.
Some are explained in Gita also.


As Provider
Bhumi ("Soil")

• Dhatri ("Nursing Mother")
• Dharitri ("Nurturer")
• Janitra ("Birthplace")
• Medini ("Nurturer")
• Prshni ("Mother of Plants")
• Vanaspatinam Grbhir Osadhinam ("Womb of Forest Trees and Herbs")
• Vishvadhaya ("All-Nourishing")
• Vishvagabha ("World's Womb")
• Vishvamshu ("Producer of Everything")
• Vishvasvam ("Source of Everything")

As Sustainer

• Dhara ("Upholder")
• Drdha ("Steady One")
• Kshama ("Patient One")
• Sthavara ("Stable One")
• Vishdava ("All-Preserving")
• Vishvadharini ("All-Supporting")
• Vishvamhara ("All-Bearing")

 

As Enricher

•  Ratnagarbha ("Repository of Gems"")
• Ratnavati ("Abounding in Jewels")
• Vasundhara ("Bearer of Treasure")--

 Namaskar to Mother Earth


COMPILED from many sources


Rgds
TR

Osmosis -Water for trees &Plants

30th March 2012.
Something to study -

How plants draw water- had to search and got an excellent one here-pl see  osmosis.

PLANTS--REF OSMOTIC PRESSURE ---VISUAL DEMO VIDEO of osmosis-

SO WELL EXPLAINED.

Wikepedia alo has it well covered 

TR

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072495855/student_view0/chapter2/animation__how_osmosis_works.html

Animation: How Osmosis Works

How do Plants &Trees in Metros get Water in the Summer in India -

30th March 2012.
GREETINGS

Q: How do Trees in Metros Survive without watering ?

Last month in Mumbai this was a question a Yoga Acharya , Mahaveer Sainik asked me on the steps of the Shree Babul Nath Shiva Mandir in Mumbai temple .He is residing at Babul Nath near the entrance of temple; When he saw me come down the high  steps slowly- studying the trees and taking photos from the steps on ---TREE WATCH ..Shri. Mahaveer was quite intrigued-and we got into a happy chat on Temple Trees asnd Babulnath is surrounded by many trees -In fact the location name comes from the Babul Tree. 

I asked him about  a bag  of sugar left at the foot of one tree-said it was left  for Ants in this Temple by Jain devotees.

I promised to send him some notes on his question;must add he was really good -esp in Yoga- Mudra pranayama was explained further to me- he gave me his book too.

He agreed to arrange Watering of the temple trees-God Bless--him

and thankful to meet such people on Travels & Tree Watch.
Rgds-
TR

ANSWERING: WATER FOR TREES :

Searched -this is what I learnt:

 

Tree roots seek out water and absorb soil solutions through osmosis...capillary action
Trees create their own supports with roots, trunks and limbs and in some cases seem to have a greater capacity to Regenerate .

 

From Science --gleaned this data:

QUOTE"

Negative hydrostatic pressure attracts nutrient-filled water through a wick, made up of xylem cells (using capillary action), to limbs and leaves hundreds of feet high. Leaf pores called stomata open to capture carbon dioxide for photosynthesis but necessarily lose massive amounts of water from evaporation into the Earth's atmosphere. This water loss from plants is called transpiration.

UNQUOTE

 

Ashwattha Tree at Babulnath -Ganeshji Vigraha -near steps leading to temple  

 

REVIEWING-Project :Trees,Plants - Nature and Children--

GREENING PROJECTS

 Project :Trees,Plants - Nature and Children--

Based on my resolutions taken at "Sankaranti 'Pongal" - Jan. 2011

Q: How does Go Green  fare  today -esp after all the buzz of  media hype and resolutions seen in last few years.?

REF: What we can do.

GOALS REVIEWED

1) Nurture own Garden with greater Care.--

Reasonably successful despite a harsh long Monsoon with insect s and fungal damage to some plants

2) Nurture Trees on our Road with Greater care- Community Development. 

Done to the best extent possible-my own physical and  health limitations permitting.

3) Distribute Tulasi or suitable plant in small pots (suited for Flats /

Verandahs) on special days. To my utter surprise many people did not want Tulasi saplings as they said impractical in High Rise Flats or need much care and are too sensitive, adding  they wither away fast --

Every day brings some surprise in this new era living it seems.

4) Organise Tree Tours/Talks (with a Botanist) ; presentations in forums.

Did not succeed -no one has Time for this -with so many other priorities  inc TV  time !!

5) Involve schools and take up “Children Connect with Nature”- by kindling

interest through Nature tours , picnics , parks, growing plants and caring

for a small garden -even a few small potted plants and Adopt or Plant a Tree

Project in association with organised Forums as a Volunteer.This makes a difference in eco protection and helps in so many ways, apart from adding beauty

Unsuccessful as schools have a " strictly syllabus"  Agenda. Tree Walks have been organised by a few Nature Associations -best to link to them and help there- I felt

Left me wondering what this system of Learning is really  all about as a practical -"hands on approach"- to sites , dumping grounds -collection processes in Chennai is visibly missing today  was completely missing inc tours -But God bless the children as they did all they could and gleaned a lot of data and presented on Power Point with voice  and all -Remarkable kids.  

NOTE: Encouraging school children in Nature Watch &Study is now all done on Computers and  theory mostly- My 11 yr. old grandson in 6th Std. with hios classmates did a remarkable Project on " Waste Management"- a good topic in Eco programes  as per his school curriculum --but all data was from Net surf via Google. Still admirable and well presented.

REF - 15th Jan 2011 Pongal Project " Trees-Plants - Nature and Children"  was very slow to even to gain acceptance; despite all efforts to encourage and popularise. 

Nevertheless one hopes for the best and 2011 'Khara Samvatsara' will be over soon. We soon have our own New year Yugadi  on 23rd March and 13th April-Tamil Varsha Pirappu. 

Looking forward to Greening Ahead in 2012.   

Rgds 

TR

Recap:  On a study of our shastra .

Om Vrikshanam Pataye Namah-

Om Vrikshe Namaha -- Om Harikeshe Namah

The Sri Rudram, Shree VS & Shree LS is replete with Divinity manifested in

Nature -eg. Om Jagat Vyapine Namaha in Shiva Ashtottara-73 namavalli

 

The Dance of Divinity –(note inspired by CCMT)

The dancing and swaying of trees esp tall coconut trees in the wind. Observe

all trees and plants on a windy day or when a gentle breeze sets in. The

long branches and leaves resemble the hair -locks of Lord Shiva in Sri

Rudram.This Cosmic vision is what our ancients saw in all of Nature –Prakruti; thus eco systems was not just revered, but also Worshipped, as Manifestations of the Divine.

The 5 Elements, the very Earth- sand, stone & clay and all in which the

roots of a tree are grounded, the sun that keeps us all alive, all animals,

birds, insects. We all are a part of this system and must Respect &Care for our ecosystems. 

Thank you,

Rgds 

TR

Kahlil Gibran--Nature Lover

Kahlil Gibran as a Nature Lover is ackd and admired over the world and even Religious Teachers quote him. Quote" A powerful advocate of the unity of being and of universal love on the one hand, and as the child of nature and creation par excellence on the other. And in his posthumous works written in English, the environmental message of Gibran reaches its peak, notably in the gentle compassion of "The Wanderer"

The Lebanese poet and philosopher Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931), best known as the author of book -The Prophet,

--REF

KAHLIL GIBRAN:

POET OF THE ECOLOGY OF LIFE

BY DR. SUHEIL BUSHRUI

All things in this creation exist within you, and all things in you exist in creation; there is no border between you and the closest things, and there is no distance between you and the farthest things, and all things, from the lowest to the loftiest, from the smallest to the greatest, are within you as equal things. In one atom are found all the elements of the earth; in one motion of the mind are found the motions of all the laws of existence; in one drop of water are found the secrets of all the endless oceans; in one aspect of you are found all the aspects of existence. - Kahlil Gibran.

The Lebanese poet and philosopher Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931), best known as the author of book -The Prophet, is widely regarded as a man of the East who brought a much needed element of spirituality to the West. But he was far more than that. Brought up in a breathtakingly beautiful countryside and steeped in a tradition that synthesized the great legends of Adonis and Astarte - the gods that were an integral part of the natural world of the imagination - he became one of the most environmentally aware writers of the early 20th century. He saw the body of the world as an outward manifestation of the divine essence, not as an object to be manipulated, rearranged and remade according to material desires and whims.

2 Pics of Kovalam taken by me at TAJ, Vivanta.

1) Said a tree to a man, "My roots are in the deep red earth, and I shall give you of my fruit."

And the man said to the tree, "How alike we are. My roots are also deep in the red earth. And the red earth gives you power to bestow upon me of your fruit, and the red earth teaches me to receive from you with thanksgiving."

2) "These plants that live upon the tree draw the milk of the earth in the sweet stillness of night, and the earth in her tranquil dreaming sucks at the breast of the sun.

3) "We live upon one another according to the law, ancient and timeless. Let us live thus in loving-kindness. We seek one another in our aloneness, and we walk the road when we have no hearth to sit beside.

"My friends and brothers, the wider road is your fellow-man.

Gibran establishes the true relationship between man and nature. With his view of heaven in a dewdrop and the phenomenon of the stars themselves speaking to him Gibran's speaks of the  world in which nature is both his mother and his sister.

UNQUOTE

Most inspiring 

TR

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