Hindu rituals fuel green initiative

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hinduism_in_nepal, Dasharath Lohar

<dplohar wrote:

 

One more reason to promote Hindu Dharma!

Dasharath

 

 

Hindu rituals fuel green initiative

By Jatindra Dash, Bhubaneswar: In a simple but novel green

initiative, an environmental group in Orissa is planting hundreds of

rare species of trees that are often required in Hindu religious

rituals.

 

The Wildlife Society of Orissa has planted more than 500 types

of seedlings in the past few weeks in the premises of colleges in

Cuttack city, 26 km from here. For the task, it has roped in

National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets.

 

Hindu rituals require a wide variety of flowers, leaves and

wood that reflect the wonderful biodiversity of the country. Most of

the prayer practices have carried on unchanged over the centuries.

 

"We have launched the Rare Religious Tree Conservation

Programme in the state by taking up the plantation of such species of

trees whose leaves, branches or flowers are used for religious

rituals by Hindus," Society secretary Biswajit Mohanty told IANS.

 

Traditionally, Hindu temples in Orissa used to have large

gardens attached to them where flora that met the requirement of

religious rituals was planted. But growing urbanisation has

swallowed vacant lands and captive sources of these plants.

 

"For worshipping Lord Shiva, as many as 36 species of flowers,

two kinds of wood and three kinds of leaves and grass, apart from

customary fruits, are required," Mohanty said.

 

"Leaves, branches and wood from 17 species of trees are

required for rituals connected with the worship of Goddess Durga.

 

"For all these rituals, various kinds of wood is required such

as Palash, Khaira, Gambhari, Mango, Jackfruit, Sal, Kutaja,

Nageswar, Gayasa, Kunda, Ashoka, Sephali and Langalika," he said.

 

Several flowers are also required but have become extinct in

urban areas although they are found in some rural areas, Mohanty said.

 

Many of these plants also have medicinal value and need to be

conserved since they are becoming increasingly rare in the wild.

 

"We planted seedlings of Udumbara, Shammi, Amla, Palash,

Nageswara and White Tulasi in Cuttack. The NCC cadets took up the

plantation and have promised to look after the seedlings to ensure

that they survive and grow up into healthy trees."

 

The programme aims to plant tree and plant species in

protected enclosures within temples, schools and colleges. The

Society plans to extend the programme to other cities and towns of

the state.

 

"It is a good step," a senior official of the state forest

department said. He admitted that many of the plants were not

available in urban areas any more.

(http://news.hinduworld.com/click_frameset.php?ref_url=%

2Findex.php%3F&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newkerala.com%2Fnews.php%3Faction%

3Dfullnews%26id%3D98630)

 

 

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