Trees, Environment, and More!
Heritage Sites & Sacred Spaces
THE TEMPLE is a creation of an open Culture that recognizes and understands the diversity of people's approach to the Supreme GODHEAD. The origin of the Temple is rooted in a culture that accepts 'change' as inherent to progress. The ‘temple’ of the Vedic times was the Yaaga Shala, the elements and Mother Nature. As the wheels of time turned it added the temple of today. Indian culture stands unbroken and connected for thousands of years bringing forward time-tested practices and wisdom for centuries.
Indian culture recognizes that we are a part of all creation; plants, animals, the elements and the entire Universe. The, Vedas, Upanishads, Ithihasa Puranas, the Bhagavad Gita, and Smritis contain the earliest messages for preservation of environment and ecological balance. The philosophy of the rishis was born of deep meditation, research and understanding and not a superstitious primitive theology. The forests were their laboratory of learning and Mother Nature their teacher. Now is the time to bring forward the wisdom of the ancients that had established the harmony of man and nature.
The Heritage Drive will take the participants to ancient Heritage Spaces and sites that have withstood the travails of time and every stone in these temples have a story to tell. These temples are works of great art commitment and culture. The architecture and the finesse of work is beyond words.
Temples were the center of community life serving several purposes besides being places of spiritual wealth. They were the seat of knowledge, learning, architecture, visual & performing arts. The temples being the hub of life also served as centers for solving judicial disputes.
Many temples had healers and were a place for the hungry to satiate themselves with the tasty Prasadam that is served.
Many temples today need to go back to their roots and become the hub of LIFE.
Trees, Environment, and More!
Trees are the life-line for existence. Their contribution to the well being and sustenance of the world is unquestionable. Today our country’s forest cover is depleting at an escalating pace. Pollution is a fast-rising problem, water resources are vanishing and our flora and fauna are facing total annihilation.
Our ancient system of revering and respecting every creation on the universe as sacred wasthe most effective way of ensuring their protection. Each temple had Stala vrikshas that were planted andnurtured in these sacred spaces in accordance with the presiding Deity, the geography of the land and the scientific need of the place and its people. Each temple had a Nandana Vana that was a garden of trees, flowers, creepers and plants that were needed for temple worship. Nandana Vana’s hardly exist today.
The concept of Devara Kaadu / Sacred groves especially in Karnataka and Kerala have helped preserve bio-diversity to a great extent.
The Heritage Drive and Tree Planting
The Heritage Drive will give the participants an opportunity to green the Earth Mother and nurture her by planting trees in sacred spaces and on -route too.
The heritage drive will attempt to revive this ancient tradition by sourcing the Sthala vriksha of the temples and plant them along with Native Indian trees like mango, jackfruit, nerale, lemon, champaka, nagalinga pushpa, honge, arali, audambara, and neem.
The Heritage Drive will also disperse seed balls all along the route..