“Rashi, would you like to adopt the F-14 tree?” Amita aunty (Amita Jain, K block, GPM) asked me one day. Amita aunty spearheads a group called “Green Guardians” that is a voluntary group of Green Park members that pool in and look after spots or trees around their homes. Up until then, I had been only informally looking after my “tree” (which I was interested in as I would pass it daily on my morning walk to Deer Park) – hanging a few recycled bottles, picking up random garbage etc. Two kids and a dog to look after, I was not sure I was ready to adopt a tree! But, inspired by other group members beautifully looking after areas around the colony, I took the leap of faith and said yes.
During the de-concretisation drive that took place covering several trees on the lane from Yes Bank to Green Park market, we were lucky that this tree, a large Kanak Champakanak champa with broad leaves, too got covered. We started with just a money plant or two from group members, which were joined in by more sturdy plant cuttings (basket plants, money plants, other climbers) from group members, and spider plants and sadabahar that my mother gave me from her own terrace. It was heartening that several of these survived, contributing to a thriving ecosystem where you also spot birds and squirrels at times. Money plants grew so well under low light conditions, but plants that love sun, like portulaca, did not survive.
Amita aunty gave me Ganga stones which we used for beautification. Slowly I added to the recycled bottles hung around the tree. It was so much fun repurposing them and having them add to the beauty of the environment rather than adding to the junk. I was so pleased when I saw a group of foreigners clicking selfies at this spot! I have strongly started believing that if the base of the tree is healthy and strong, so will be the tree.
It was certainly easy to give up. Almost daily, there was garbage, including liquor bottles, thrown under or on the tree. The more you pick, the more people would consistently throw. There would be plastic packets full of diya items and flowers, as this tree is perhaps worshiped. Additionally, some of the plastic bottles I had hung either got stolen or would fall in storms etc. People nail billboards on the tree, which is illegal (request MCD to carry out a drive to remove nailed billboards from all trees, and to penalize those found flouting the rules). Sometimes, stray dogs would poop, making the soil more difficult to access for maintenance.
But all of these problems were surmountable, because of the support of being part of a “community” group which always lauded me for the efforts and not only the results, and also by being consistent and having help. While the Green Guardians maali has been a big help, he needs to cover a lot of areas, and so my driver has on a daily basis helped me water the plants, throw out garbage, and keep hanging back fallen bottles, tirelessly. When I see him watering the plants at the tree or feeling happy when plants do well or new seeds sprout, I feel somewhere he gets a sense of purpose and pride. “Genda phool” is really used in his village for puja, and I gave him some seeds to sow.
To everyone, I would say – adopt the nearest tree that is practical for you to look after. On birthdays and
important occasions, plant a tree in Deer Park.. And please do keep in mind not to litter the base of a tree. In case you wish to put puja things, you can dry the flowers and then sprinkle them at the base or at your own home.. What we give to nature is what we get back, with manifold blessings.
