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Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

 

Harmonious blend of ecology and devotion

 

COME WORLD Environment Day on June 5, and we get busy making

speeches and writing articles. There has been a global awareness

regarding the manner in which man is fast destroying his own

residence, the earth. But the persons who are actually trying to

roll back the floods of danger that threaten our ecological

harmony do not get spoken about. Perhaps they do not care to get

talked about.

 

The remarkable temple culture that has been nurtured in Tamil

Nadu has innumerable facets apart from, of course, religious

ritualism and its vital component, the attached garden, is verily

the oxygen centre for any temple. Each temple has to have a

grove, a ``nandavana'', so that the deity could be worshipped

with fresh flowers daily. Great Alwars and Nayanmars have been

associated with such wholesome service for enriching the physical

environment. Thirunavukkarasar, for instance, is always

represented carrying a hoe for he made it his life's mission to

clean weeds and thorns that happened to grow in holy places. The

``pushpa-kainkarya'' of Perialwar and Tondaradippodialwar is

well-known. The puranas which provide the major mythological

background for temple culture speak highly of tree planting and

the Skanda Purana give details of how to nurture a Sacred Grove

of Bilva, Banyan, Asoka and Amla trees. These gardens and sacred

groves were also meant for growing herbs to heal the sick, like

the one that was set up by Garuda Vahana Pandithar at the

Dhanvanthri temple in the Srirangam complex.

 

The twentieth century was particularly cruel to temple culture

and its attempts to inculcate environmental awareness. Today most

of the gardens attached to temples big and small remain untended,

full of thorns and weeds.

 

However, devotees have been delighted in recent years that Lord

Varadaraja of Kanchipuram is accompanied by the soul-elevating

scent of ``Marikkozhunthu'' and Tulsi and flowers which are

fresh, literally dripping with honey. This has been made possible

because of Uthiyambakkam (a village near Ponvilaintha Kalathur)

Vedanta Ramanujacharya. Meeting him is a lesson in humility. It

is also an inspiration. This Village Administrative Officer is

actively engaged in spreading a message of health and devotion.

 

Quite a few devotees who have been going to Kanchipuram for the

``Thottotsavam'', the ``Garuda Sevai'' and other festivals have

been remarking about the loveliness of the fresh Tulsi and flower

garlands with which the Lord is being adorned these days. It is

remarkable that you have been able to offer so much single-

handed. What made you take up this service?

 

I am not sure about the real moment of awareness, but I was

unhappy at the careless manner in which Tulsi was grown in all

sorts of places and plucked carelessly and offered. It seemed to

be desecrating the image of Lord Varadaraja when Tulsi offerings

were made in such a way. I wished to go through the entire

process in very clean and pure surroundings so that the Lord

could receive the flowers and leaves in a consecrated form. That

must have been the reason for attaching ``nandavanas'' to our

temples in ancient days. I began with Tulsi and proceeded to put

up flowering plants.

 

You have been able to do it in the temple land, I am told.

 

Yes, the authorities acceded to my request to give about two

acres that had remained unused and neglected. But remember, this

is only a small portion. Actually, the entire ``nandavanam'' of

Varadaraja is spread over 24 acres.

 

It must have been quite a task to get even two acres ready for

planting.

 

Certainly. But when there is sincere aspiration, I guess help

comes in automatically. I needed machines for clearing up the

place. Then we used seventy lorry loads of red soil and had it

all levelled. There were problems, but then problems are

everywhere, aren't they? I now have a tractor and I have

installed pump-sets too, and the garden is glowing.

 

You have flower-varieties as well.

 

Tulsi is the main offering and I began with Tulsi. We have two

thousand Tulsi plants in the garden. What a pleasure it is to

offer baskets and baskets of the sacred basil leaves (``kudalai

kudalaiyaaha tiruthuzhaay''), plucked fresh from the garden. I

have also put in twenty-two varieties of flowering plants, such

as ``kanakambaram,'' roses and ``nandiyavattai''.

 

Trees?

 

Of course. Punnai, Panneer, Champak, Parijatham.

 

You say that daily several baskets of Tulsi leaves have to be

plucked carefully and the flowers gathered. You need a lot of

trained labour for that.

 

I am lucky. I have twenty volunteers who help me in the

maintenance as well as gathering of leaves and flowers in the

evening. Blessed with six sons, one grandson and two nephews who

are doing Veda Adhyayanam, I am able to receive help from them.

They are doing it purely as service, ``kainkarya'' as they would

refer to it in Sri Vaishnava parlance.

 

How about the finances to nurture the garden?

 

The garden prepared so far at a cost of around Rs. 80,000 needs

about Rs. 4,000 a month for maintenance.

 

Sri Devadhirajan Nandavana Kainkarya Sabha is trying to get

together a sumptuous amount that can be deposited and the

interest used for maintenance.

 

Have you any plans to extend the services of the garden?

 

Yes, with the help of Govindan who was able to give more than a

lakh of rupees, a garden has been set up within the temple

premises of Madhurantakam Eri Kaatha Ramar Sannidhi.

 

This attempt also has proved to be a success. In fact, the Jeeyar

of Ahobila Math has been pleased with my efforts and has asked me

to set up a ``nandavanam'' in Ahobilam itself. Accordingly I am

in the process of creating a garden in the Tirupati Devasthanam

Complex to offer fresh flowers and Tulsi leaves to Lord

Prahladavardan. I do hope others will also come forward and

resurrect this service of ``pushpa kainkaryam'' in our

innumerable temples. I feel this would also help purify the

environment.

 

PREMA NANDAKUMAR

 

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