.Arunachala.Greening.
This is the website for the Arunachala Kattu Siva Plantation. We are a group of South Indian villagers and their supporters working to restore a healthy ecosystem for all sentient beings in our area. Committed to working in co-operation with natural processes, our activities are located at the foot of the sacred mountain Arunachala beside the temple town of Thiruvannamalai in the State of Tamil Nadu.
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Arunachalaeswara temple complex in Thiruvannamalai is a major pilgrimage center dedicated to Lord Siva, destroyer of ignorance.
After several years with the honour of reforesting the western slopes of Arunachala, we have discontinued activities within the boundaries of Reserve Forest - we finally realized that it was more effective to maintain our independence from the Tamil Nadu Forest Department which increasingly controls the mountain. Accordingly, our seedling nursery and organic farming operations have been relocated to new sites nearby. One is on the Eastern side of the mountain at Somasapadi and the other on the West at Vediyappanur. Above are our new perspectives towards Arunachala - each mirror images of the other.
Here you see some of the local villagers who have worked hard for six years on this matter of civic concern, meeting to discuss recent major changes. Environmental projects have now beome an integral part of their community, carrying the hope of a sustainable future for their children. However the hard edge of realpolitik endemic within the Forest Department is not the only challenge we faced recently: other cultural issues - vital to our continuing success, are described on the Social Ecology page.
.Saving Seeds for the Future .
As you probably know, it's easier to leave somewhere you love than somewhere you do not - then you can say farewell with all the affection at your command. We sorted, cleaned, dried and packed all our recently collected seeds. We strengthened the thorn barricade around the plantation, deepened the top pond, put all our good composted soil in the remaining bags, and watered and mulched all the seedlings on the slopes. Then water was pumped to fill the wonderful frog pond donated by the International Tree Foundation until it was almost overflowing. The last bit of debris was picked up and and discarded.
We then arrived early on the last day for a communal breakfast, and loaded the remaining nursery seedlings onto a tractor trailer. These were driven to a farmer friend's land for temporary storage.
EVERY ENDING. NEW BEGINNING.
Before permanently vacating our former plantation site within the jurisdiction of Reserve Forest; we climbed the outcrop above Kattu Siva's cave and surveyed the area we had been so honoured to foster, nurture and protect from predators.
The sadhu's cave near Kannapa was empty when we departed and the little coconut leaf shelter looked all forlorn. But the Etty tree - centre of our working life for so long, gave us courage to depart with gratitude and grace.
Afterwards we made a final puja at the Vediyappan Shrine. When it was over - as we sat under the leafy tamarind tree eating food offerings, a tribe of resident monkeys moved in for their share.
Now we embark on a new perspective. Follow us on the next chapter: Opening Projects.
© Copyright 2009 by Arunachala Greening. All rights reserved. Website last revised: January 12, 2009
