PARKASHPUR (HP), YS Rana : The World Heritage Foundation has launched a first-of-its-kind, week-long “Sidh Spiritual Forestry” drive. Initiated by Foundation Chairman Dr. P.C. Sharma, this flagship project targets the fragile and vulnerable hilly slopes surrounding the internationally acclaimed ancient Sidhpeeths of Baba Balak Nath, along with associated educational institutions and religious sites in the Hamirpur and Bilaspur districts.
Organized to commemorate the Global Sawan Mahotsav, the drive is a collaborative effort with the Government of Himachal Pradesh’s Ministry of Forests and the Organic Sharing Society, Chandigarh. The campaign involves planting hundreds of religious, medicinal, herbal, and broad-leaf saplings.
Celebrating the Sawan Mahotsav
The Sawan Mahotsava is a traditional monsoon and eco-cultural festival aimed at celebrating nature, agriculture, and spiritual renewal. It emphasizes restoring ecological balance and paying homage to ancient eco-traditions by planting sacred utility trees like Peepal, Tulsi, Banyan, Bilva, and Amla.
The month also features continuous beat rhythms by the Damroo Mandali, night-long chowkis or jagrans, and the Rakhi festival, fostering strong community bonding among devotees nationwide.
“Vriksh Prasadam” and Green Offerings
A central highlight of the Mahotsava is the introduction of the “Vriksh Prasadam” theme across Himachal Pradesh temples. This concept promotes the planting and nurturing of sacred trees as a form of divine worship, linking the ancient Indian ethos of “Vriksho Rakshati Rakshitah” (trees protect us if we protect them) with community welfare.
Instead of, or alongside, traditional material offerings, devotees will receive plant saplings to green their neighborhoods. Eco-restoration drives along pilgrimage routes will also be aligned to foster biodiversity and maintain clean environments near holy shrines.
Dr. Sharma noted that this spiritual forestry merges deep eco-spirituality with nature conservation. Planting sacred trees like Bilva and Rudraksha honors Lord Shiva while utilizing the peak monsoon rains to ensure high sapling survival rates.
Mass Ecological Movement
The campaign is actively transforming into a mass ecological movement by bridging faith with environmental care. Key participation and community involvement includes:
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Hundreds of NSS and NCC volunteers, students, and teachers.
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Ex-servicemen associations, eco-clubs, and local panchayats.
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Pilgrims, devotees, and tourists.
To support the drive, the Mahotsav features extensive eco-interactive sessions, green workshops, and guest lectures by eminent environmentalists. Discussions focus on managing temple sapling nurseries, adopting a sapling as an act of personal devotion, creating dedicated green spaces like Nakshatra Vana (star forests), and integrating tree planting into rural development schemes.
Broad Support and Dignitary Presence
The temple forestry campaign witnessed enthusiastic participation from thousands of local residents and a galaxy of eminent personalities, including Dr. Sanjay Sood, Dr. T.K. Sankhyan, Dr. Rahul Mahajan, Dr. Vanshish Sankhyan, K.K. Sharma, Dr. Manpreet, Dr. Ramesh Sharma, Dinesh Sharma, and Dr. Bhajan Saini.
Senior officers and dignitaries from various Central and State Ministries—including Forests, Tourism, Education, Sports, Agriculture, and Health—also joined the initiative to support spiritual plantation, solid waste management, and eco-awareness activities.
