Sri M says, “The act of planting a tree and taking care of its growth establishes an inner connection with nature. Understanding this inner connection results in our personal growth.” To establish a sustainable relationship with nature, Sri M launched the MyTree initiative in 2015, during the Walk of Hope.
The Satsang Foundation Ashram Campus
The Beginning
Sri M’s vision for a green future saw its beginning in 2002, on the road leading up to his house in Madanapalle. Today, a tall Gulmohar and a beautiful Peltophorum tree flank either sides of the road, as torchbearers to a movement that continues to spread its roots across the nation.
The Peepal Tree
Ms Shobha Reddy, who has planted many of the trees on campus, recounts that the Bilvapatra sapling was planted by Sri M on 13th July, 2003, on Shivratri. And the Peepal tree, which has hosted countless Satsangs, Gurupurnimas and Shivaratris, was also planted the same year, when it was merely 4 ft tall.
The MyTree project brought new impetus to planting many more varieties of trees such as the Jacaranda, Sampige / Champaca, and fruit trees like Mango, Guava, Pomegranate. Even the guests who visited were invited to plant a tree. The Mango tree next to the group meeting room was planted by Mr Varun Gandhi and the Peepal tree next to the dining hall was planted by the Honourable President, Sri Ramnath Kovind. The campus also has a sacred Peepal tree that was brought from the land of Sant Jnaneshwar at Alandi.
The Peepal Grove School
Learning amidst nature
The Peepal Grove School was once a cattle farm with a small farmhouse. Today, it is a lush 30 acre campus with over 2000 trees and 90 species of birds.
Over the last 15 years, this arid landscape has been transformed by planting of trees such as Kadamba, Bauhinia, Ficus, Caesalpinia, Tabebuia, Gulmohar, Jacaranda, Pongamia, Banyan and of course, the Peepal. In the last two years, over 1500 trees of indigenous varieties were planted through the Miyawaki system. With the greenery around the campus improving, it has brought along with it more rain, lakes and an increase in the avian fauna.
The Sustainable Way to Grow
As more homes and structures continue to be built on both the campuses, it is interesting to note that the places that offer most succour and solace are the ones next to trees. And while development is essential for communities to grow, The Satsang Foundation Ashram and The Peepal Grove School stand testimony to the fact that growth can also be sustainable and green.
MyTree Initiative
The MyTree initiative has successfully planted and sustained over 20,000 trees in Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Varanasi, Mizoram and Madanapalle, since its launch. We invite people with a call to spread the green footprint, to be a part of this movement and connect with us at mytree@satsang-foundation.org.
