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