NEW DELHI, (CEOs) – As the world grapples with the effects of climate change, a ‘love story’ between people and trees in Chhattisgarh’s Durg district is capturing everyone’s attention.
Residents of Pisegaon, located on the banks of the Shivnath River, have a unique bond with trees, resulting in successful reforestation in the village.
The residents of this village plant a tree in memory of their deceased loved ones and name the tree after them.
Some consider the tree they planted as their spouse, while others consider them as their parents.
The villagers visit these trees daily, talk to them, worship them and even hug them, sharing their feelings and problems.
They spend hours by these trees, where they feel the presence of their deceased relatives.
One such story is that of Kumari Bai Deshmukh, 55 years old. She planted a nem tree in memory of her late husband Kanhaiya Lal and considers him as her husband.
She visits the tree to worship it every morning. When she sits by the tree and talks to it, she feels the presence of her deceased husband.
Madhu Deshmukh lost her mother Lakshmi Deshmukh in her childhood. When Madhu was growing up, she came to Pisegaon after getting married.
One day she came to know about this unique tradition and planted a Madhukamini tree in memory of her mother. Now it has grown big and is a source of solace for Madhu. Prerna Sahu, another villager, said, “I had seen my uncle planting trees here since grade four. Over time, I started planting trees myself, dedicating some of them to my deceased relatives.”
She visits the trees daily, worshipping them and taking time to sit and enjoy the surroundings. “Tampering with the environment is a threat to humanity. We are destroying forests and not putting enough effort in planting trees.
Though many state governments are planting a lot of trees, lack of proper care means that the trees will not survive. It is mandatory to provide proper care after planting trees,” said another villager, Satish Singh.
“So far, more than a thousand people have planted seedlings. And they are also taking care of them regularly,” he informed.
Realising the need to care for young trees after planting and the new tradition of planting a tree in honour of a departed loved one, Pisegaon’s reforestation drive has been a huge success and has earned the villagers much praise. (Courtesy: https://www.aspireplayers.ca/)
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