Echoes of Eco Green Rameshwaram: The Model- I

In this issue:

Green Rameshwaram: The Model-I

Teerthams Work Progress The Happenings-I The Happenings-II From our Publications Visions of Wisdom:

The Cycle Ec(h)ology Compassion

May the Wind, Lord of the middle air, protect me in this my prayer,

in this my act, in this my duty divine, in this my performance, in

this my thought, in this my purpose and desire, in this my calling on the Gods! All Hail!

May the Father of the Winds, Lord

of cattle, save me in this my prayer, in this my act, in this my

duty divine, in this my performance, in this my thought, in this my purpose and desire, in this my calling on the Gods! All

Hail!

Atharva Veda

Prayer to Nature

February, 2014 Vivekananda Kendra- nardep Newsletter Vol:5 No:12

Service to humanity is the highest form of worship Swami Vivekananda

The natural evolution of the Teerthams project is the Green Pilgrimage to Rameshwaram project. Making a model for Green pilgrimage to Rameshwaram requires a multi-layered, multi-dimensioned approach and transforming it into a sustained on-going process. Towards this end support-systems also need to be evolved along with the original mainstream plan. Here in the vision document we emphasize on three aspects: 1. Discovering Linkages 2. Reviving Relations 3. Creating Nodes and Networks A. Discovering Linkages: We categorize the linkages to be of three types: Historical Cultural Ecological The Historical linkages are the ones that have been forgotten and which can be traced. For example our preliminary survey of literature shows that there was a series of Chatrams from Puthukottai to Rameshwaram to not only feed the pilgrims but also to care for the orphans, widows and other socially challenged sections of the society.

The Cultural linkages are still existing practices and traditions like the Mulaipari oorvalams. The concept of sacred soil has created traditions in the island that the soil should not be squandered or abused. The study of these cultural linkages which exist but are mostly ignored by mainstream tourism, needs to be explored. Our preliminary studies and field visits have shown that the island has more number of densely venerated sacred trees. Such cultural linkages also exist for the sacred teerthams as we have documented during our revival work. The Ecological Linkages which definitely exist between the Gulf of Mannar and Holy places is a poorly explored area. It has not been given the vital importance it ought to be given. The pilgrims are seldom aware of this bio-diversity hotspot and even more importantly they do not realize that they are straining the ecological linkages which have been forged for centuries through tradition by their myopic approach to Rameshwaram as a modern day eco-cultural illiterate pilgrim.

a

Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra nardep, February 2014 Vol. 5 No: 12

As we penetrate into matter, nature does not show us any isolated "building blocks," but rather appears as a complicated web of relations between the various parts of the whole. These relations always include the observer in an essential way Fritjof Capra

B. Reviving Relations Once the linkages are identified then they have to be revived. This has to be done in three approaches: Institutional Social Individual The Institutional approach involves that we need to sit with each institution: educational institutions, scientific institutions, academic institutions, government departments and non-governmental organizations. We are planning to approach each and every educational institution in Rameshwaram and pool in the ideas of children, students, teachers and research scholars as to what they think should be done and what they can do to keep Rameshwaram neat and clean. A specific quality time is expected of each educational institution and specific area of operation (like once in a month or once in a week to clean a particular area or greening a particular area). We also intend to create children painting based creation of murals. We plan to call in painting experts who will decide on the quality and nature of murals that will be created across Rameshwaram.

Apart from this we also elicit assistance and guidance from academic institutions involved in preservation and promotion of cultural heritage like the REACH foundation which has done quality work under Dr.Sathymurthi retired director of Archeological Survey of Kerala. They have renovated ruined cultural structures scientifically and without tampering the sanctity. We have already brought in Hand-in-Hand an NGO from Chennai to help in solid waste management. We are also evolving ways to work in harmonious coordination with HR & CE and TWAD and other line departments. This will be a collective and complementary approach. The Individual approach involves approaching and stimulating the eco-cultural consciousness of the every individual resident as well as the pilgrim. This is aimed to be achieved by creating attractive eco-awareness slogans in every public space of Rameshwaram through hoardings, bill boards etc. The individual stimulus package includes the creation of space for the individual eco-positive deeds in the island by the pilgrims and the people like planting tree sapling and cleaning etc.

[To be continued next month]

Spend just 9 minutes watching these

documentaries and see for yourself how you can make the pilgrimage to Rameshwaram

cleaner and greener!

Vision Documentary [English] is available at:

http://youtu.be/B-2omYexqDY

Vision Documentary [Tamil] is available at:

http://youtu.be/XAX0fbPxdbA

To know more about Green Rameshwaram Pilgrimage Project contact: Secretary, Vivekananda Kendra - Nardep, Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari-629702;

Phone:04652-246296, 9442646296 Email: vknardep@gmail.com

All ethics so far evolved rest upon a single premise: that the individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts. The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the

community to include soils, waters, plants and animals, or collectively the land. Aldo Leopold

To know more about Renovation of Rameshwaram Teerthams Project contact: Secretary, Vivekananda Kendra - Nardep, Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari-629702;

Phone:04652-246296, 9442646296 Email: vknardep@gmail.com

Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra nardep, February 2014 Vol. 5 No: 12

Meanwhile the Teerthams renovation work is being carried out in full swing in both Arjuna Teertham and Bhima Teertham. At Bhima Teertham a major amount of work has been completed and a significant amount of work remains.

The tank walls have been rebuilt without them losing their old charm. Once these walls were dirty and were crumbling. The whole tank was filled with waste and filth There are traditional spaces for the lighting of lamps which have been restored with care. The inner circular structure also has been restored, All these works have brought life to this teertham which is significantly placed on the way to Kandhamadhana Parvat which is an important pilgrimage center in the island next only to the temple.

[Left] Renovated teertham wall. [Below left]: Lamp space in the teertham wall ;

[Below right] Workers taking rest and tea amidst hard work

We wish to pursue the truth no matter where it leads; but to find the truth we need imagination and skepticism both. We will not be afraid to speculate, but we will be careful to distinguish speculation from fact. The Cosmos is full beyond measure of elegant truths, of

exquisite interrelationships, of the awesomeness of nature. Carl Sagan

Workshops on Sustainable Agriculture this month

Dr.P.Kamalasanan Pillai was the resource person at the Farmers Awareness Programme organized at Chenpagaramanputhur, Kanyakumari Dist on 14

th Feb by Seva Bharathi,

Kanyakumari Dist. 60 farmers attended the programme. State Level seminar on Vermi Compostwas organized by the Dept. of Botany Vivekananda College, Agasteeswaram , at the Kumaraswami Memorial Auditorium Vivekananda College Agasteeswaram on 19

th Feb. The

resource persons were Dr.P.Kamalasanan Pillai, S.Rajamony & S.Premalatha. 75 students and staff attended the seminar. Workshops on Azolla Cultivation: was held at TRC, Kalluvilai from 19

th

to 21st Feb for 16 farmers organized

by ATMA, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. The resource persons were Dr.P.Kamalasanan Pillai and his team.

with DST, Core Support was held at TRC, Kalluvilai on 22nd with 10 participants by Smt. S.Premalatha

Workshop on Vermi Composting was held for 29 students of Womens Christian College, Nagercoil at TRC, Kalluvilai on 28

th Feb by S.Rajamony

Dr.P.Kamalasanan Pillai gave a talk on Importance of Organic farming for Safety of Bees and cross pollination and Natural hybrid seed production on 28

th Feb at

YMCA Marthandam, organized by KVIC Madurai in a Meeting with Leading Beekeepers. It was attended by 70 bee-keepers.

Happenings this month: SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Tested water from 14 wells in Kanyakumari Dist. as a part of the programme of Central Ground Water Board, Chennai.

Training on Cost effective Toilet construction methods was held on 12

th of this month for the 55

students of Community Polytechnic, Konam, Nageroil at Kolloncode, Kanyakumari dist. The resource person was Shri.V.Ramakrishnan

Workshop on Traditional Siddha Varma Bone Setting Practices was held at TRC, Kalluvilai from 25

th to

26th. 42 Vaidyas attended this and

Dr.V.Ganapathy was the resource person.

Happenings this month:

Water Management

VK-nardep activities done with DST core support

[Above] Bone fracture demo [Below] Demo of Varma points by Sri. Pitchumani

Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra nardep, February 2014, Vol. 5 No: 12

Happenings this month: Cost-Effective Construction Technologies

Training Programme on Construction Industry and Carbon Foot-printswas conducted at TRC, Kalluvilai from 10

th to

12th of this month for 51 students of PSN

College, Tirunelveli. Sri.V.Ramakrishnan was the resource person.

Green Health Home of VK-nardep functioned for 7 days and treated 165 patients.

Demonstration of Green Construction Technologies

Students learning green technologies

Happenings this month: Holistic &

Indigenous medicines.

Sitting at our back doorsteps, all we need to live a good life lies about us. Sun, wind, people, buildings, stones, sea, birds and plants surround us. Cooperation with all these things brings

harmony, opposition to them brings disaster and chaos. .- Bill Mollison (Introduction to Permaculture)

Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra nardep, February 2014, Vol. 5 No: 12

Sri.G.Vasudeo gave a presentation on Green Pilgrimage to Rameswaram at C.P.R.Environmental Education Centre, Chennai organized by C.P.Art Center, C.P.Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation on 18

th

of this month. 50 persons attended the programme.

Exposure visit of 185 farmers in 2 batches (19

th and 25

th) was arranged by

District Watershed Development Agency, Dindigul to Gramodaya Park of VK-nardep. Farmers learned Biomethanation, Rain water harvesting and Organic farming technologies.

25 Farmers from T.Kallupatti visited TRC and Gramodaya Park of VK-nardep and learned eco- technologies like Azolla, Liquid Bio-formulations, water harvesting technologies during their exposure visit on 26

th of this month organized by ATMA.

Happenings this month: BIO-METHANATION PLANT &

RENWABLE ENERGY

Training programme on Bio-methanation plant was held at TRC, Kalluvilai on 22

nd Feb

(under DST core

support) with Shri.V.Ramakrishnan as resource person. 13 persons benefitted from training. On 3

rd Feb at Elumaliyan

Polytechnic College, Kollumangudi, Thiruvarur dist. in which 120 students attended. On 4

th Feb at Elumaliyan

Industrial Training Institute, Moovalur Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam Dist. in which 83 students attended. On 6

th Feb at Paramveer

Polytechnic College, Papparpatty Dharmapuri Dist in which 60 students attended. On 16

th Feb at Lingama

nayagakanpatti panchayat, Pallapatti Karur Dist. in which 31 persons attended. On 17

th Feb at Annai Womens

College,TNPL Road, Punnamchatram post, Karur Dist. in which 104 students attended On 21

st Feb at Pannicode Village,

Eraniel post, Kanyakumari Dist. in which 32 persons attended. On 26

th Feb at Govt. High School,

Ezhakaram, Nagercoil post, Kanyakumari Dist. in which 60 students attended. On 28

th Feb at PSN polytechnic,

Melathediyoor Tirunelveli Dist..in which 43 students attended. In all these programmes Sri.Ramakrishnan was the resource person.

16 Students from Bindu Art School, Chennai visited Gramodaya Park, at VK-nardep on 14

th and learnt the

green technologies and sustainable development.

Bio-methanation plant installed this month:

Portable 1 cum: 1 No.

Bio-Methanation Technology awareness programmes:

Paper Presentations in this month

Shri.G.Vasudeo gave a paper presentation on Mutuality of Expectations at the National Convention on Corporate Social Responsibility, on 15

th and 16

th

of this month which was organized at Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, Uttan, Bhayander. 250 persons attended the event.

Dr.P.Kamalasanan Pillai gave a power point presentation on Azolla Bio-feed production and Feeding on 18

th of this month

at the Workshop on Azolla Cultivation at Dist. Centre, Karur which was organized by Tamilnadu Veterinary University, 70 Veterinary doctors attended the event.

Happenings this month: Networking

Farmers studying water management panels

Happenings this month:

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

[Above] Seminar at Vivekananda College: [Below] Azolla session

in progress.

Echoes of Eco - Newsletter, Vivekananda Kendra nardep, February 2014 Vol. 5 No: 12

From our Publications

In continuation of giving eco-toons from Samagraha Vikas Development with a human face, in this newsletter we give four eco-toons that explore the relation between science, technology, unequal economic growth at the global level sustainable development and spirituality. Spirituality encompasses equitable economic growth aligned with preservation of environment and development of technologies that achieve both.

DO NOT MISS OUR BOOKS.

Creativity is the key to success in the future, and primary education is where teachers can bring creativity in children at that level.Educationists should build the capacities of the spirit of inquiry, creativity, entrepreneurial and moral leadership among students and become their

role model. Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam

If you are a poet, writes the contemporary Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, you will see that there is a cloud in this sheet of paper. Without a cloud, there will be no rain; without rain, the trees cannot grow; and without trees, we cannot make paper. He goes on to include the logger who cut the trees, the logger's mother, and so forth. If you, too, can see the cloud in a sheet of paper, then perhaps you too are a poet, a Zen master or an ecologist. Regardless of who sees it, there really is a cloud in a sheet of paper, as well as a bark beetle, a handful of soil, a bit of bird poop, even the gasoline that powered the loggers chain saw. It is similarly possible that if you were to chronicle the history of those atoms that constitute the electronic screen from which you are now reading, you would find that they were once part of Peter the Great, a woolly mammoth, or (and!) a Komodo dragon. The interconnected and interdependent nature of things is the heart of ecology. So our existence is not a distinct and separable phenomenon. Genuine compassion, in the sense of suffering with, should be easy in fact it is unavoidable since no one is distinct from the recipient of his or her concern.

A student went to a Himalayan valley and came back to me and said "I will never go back there". I asked, "Why not?" He said, "That valley is always insulting me. The valley tells me that I am a stupid fellow, I am an idiot," How is it possible? He goes into the valley and cries out, "You are an idiot, you are a fool". Three times he gets it back: "You are a fool" It is only an echo. That is why it is called EC(H)OLOGY! So as long as we don't have love in us, nature will continue to misbehave. Clouds are there, but no rain. So they are trying cloud-seeding - this is all they can think. Nobody thinks of having a communal prayer - a change of attitude. We don't want to change. We must apologize to nature, say that we have misbehaved and we are sorry. Nature is always forgiving. You are destroying nature's harmony and saying that nature is misbehaving. All the time we are talking of how to adjust the outer world. We never turn our attention to the source of the problem - YOU. You have to change. You change and the world will change. If microcosm changes, macrocosm will also change.

Ec(h)ology! The Cycle

Compassion!

David Barash Psychologist

Eastern thinking has the concept of yin and yang. Responding to situations from the yin and yang perspective is a way of living in acceptance of these forces of the universe. Everything is interlinked in various ways; balance is important; and it is important to see things from the long-term and over reaching perspective while understanding the going back and forth of things without making judgment by thinking only of the short term or the present. Since yin and yang complement each other to constitute the whole, so it is necessary to consider how to make the most of both. If we can maintain the thinking pattern of understanding both sides of things that seem to contradict each other, we could generate a dynamic, new world, by not choosing between two poles, like making a forced choice between a cost or service emphasis in business, or between the environment or the economy, but by achieving a balance between things that appear to contradict each other. As Laozi said: Everything is based on harmony between yin and yang; harmony is the origin of creation and the most important key to innovation.

-Swami Chinmayananda

-Junko Edahiro Ecologist

Nature's beauty is an art of the Divine. Let us feel the touch of the invisible hands of Divinity in everything beautiful. By the first touch of the Divine hand, rivers throb and ripple. When the Divinity smiles the sun shines, the moon glimmers, the stars twinkle, the flowers bloom.

Rig Veda(1.6.3)

Vivekananda Kendra nardep, Kanyakumari-629702 Phone:91-4652-246296 www.vknardep.org