Sir,
This has reference to the news item’Workshop organized to study flora of region’ (DE,March31,2016).It is really heartening to read that the Post Graduate Department of Dogri,University of Jammu, in collaboration with WWF, organised one day skill development programme based on Dogra cultural heritage and to study flora of the region at Baba Sidh Goria,Samba District.The Duggar region is very rich in flora with numerous local trees having huge medicinal,cultural and economic importance.In our cultural traditions,many plants and trees are reverred with utmost respect and religious fervour.We have plants and trees such as peepal,banyan, tulsi, etc. which are worshipped on special occassions and days.Peepal tree has so much religious importance that it is called the ‘Tree of Gods’.Coconut is offered to the deities on more than one occasions.The leaves of ‘bel’ are offered to lord Shiva on the eve of Shivratri and other occasions.We have’ til Ekadshi’ and ‘tulsi vivah’ which speak volume about the role of plants in our culture and religion.Then,we have other trees whose leaves and other parts are used in performing havans on the eve of marriage,mundan and other occasions.Then,we have ‘Amla’ tree which has religious importance, besides huge medicinal value.The trees such as aloe vera,mango,citrus, phalsa and other fruit trees have huge economic and commercial importance and if cultivated,can prove to be an additional source of income for our farmers.
Thus,trees are an important part of our cultural heritage and traditions. They need to be preserved and protected at every cost.Our ancestors were probably well aware of the importance of trees.That is why they attached religious and cultural importance to them so that they could be cultivated and preserved and taken care of.They would plant the sapling of ‘peepal tree’after their pilgrimage and organise a bhandara on this eve.They considered it as a sin to cut trees after sunset and a duty to plant and water trees such as the banayan and the peepal tree on the wayside to provide shade and sheter to the travellers.Thus,trees have great cultural, religious, economic and aesthetic importance, which needs to be highlighted through programmes in schools, colleges, universities and other occasions such as Vanmahotsava etc. People ought to join the noble mission of saving trees for studying and conserving flora of our state to save rich biodiversity and thus,make this beautiful planet a better place to live in.
Yours truly,
Ashok Sharma,
Housing Colony, Udhampur.
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