Tree planting at Devka by Pujya Bhaishri
Preserving Mother Nature
With the growing concerns of global warming and alarming levels of pollution, protecting the environment is extremely important. Pujya Bhaishri says that nature showers its gifts on mankind and nurtures us just as a mother supplies nourishment to her children. Tragically, the human race has proven that, unchecked, those same gifts are abused instead of protected.
We breathe oxygen in the air and yet pollute the same atmosphere in various ways such as, releasing poisonous gases through transportation, industrial discharges and cigarettes. Our water sources suffer the same fate as we dump them with waste.
We need oxygen to survive, and yet we pollute the air, kill the life-sustaining ecosystem through carbon emitting industrial waste, transportation, and destruction of the forests. Sandipani has contributed to the green cover by planting approximately five thousand trees on campus as well as along the peripheries. According to Pujya Bhaishri, every one of us consumes at least six trees during our lifetime. It therefore becomes the responsibility of all individuals to plant trees to provide for the future generation. With Pujya Bhaishri’s inspiration and guidance, Vaishvik Sanskruti Parivar members regularly organise tree plantation drives in their respective cities and towns.
In 2017, tree planting was organised and carried out at Devka Vidyapeeth and Sandipani Vidyaniketan, Porbandar.
Sidsar Katha in April 2017 by Pujya Bhaishri was also inaugurated with tree planting.
Tree planting at Sidsar Katha
Clean India Ambassador of Gujarat
In 2014, Pujya Bhaishri was nominated by the Chief Minister of Gujarat as one of the ambassadors of the Clean India Campaign.
Pujya Bhaishri has initiated numerous cleanliness drives across India in Gandhidham, Nadiad, Rajula, Porbandar, Umreth, Dhanbad, Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Beawar, Kutch and other cities. Pujya Bhaishri endeavours to clean the towns and cities of India during his Katha.
Pujya Bhaishri leading a Clean India Campaign
Rishikumars at Sandipani cleaning the Sandipani campus and supporting Pujya Bhaishri on the Clean India Campaign
Pujya Bhaishri and Pujya Swami Chidananda Saraswatiji at Govardhan
Beautification of the Govardhan Parikrama Marg
Pujya Bhaishri has always aspired to encourage people to keep our religious places clean and unpolluted. While he effectively communicates this message through the medium of his discourses, Pujya Bhaishri has been personally involved in the beautification of the Govardhan Parikrama Marg (the path for circumbulation of Mount Goverdhan) at Jatipura in Vrindavan.
A famous place of Hindu pilgrimage, Goverdhan is located on a narrow sandstone hill known as Giriraj, which is about 8 kilometres long. The young Shri Krishna is said to have held Giriraj up on the tip of his little finger for seven days and nights to shield the people of Vrindavan from the deluge of rain sent doen by Lord Indra, the Rain God. It is believed that if one circumbulates the mountain even once, he is rid of all sins.
However, this sacred trail has been littered with waste carelessly thrown by devotees. The large amount of milk that is poured into the mouth of the hill and the rituas performed there also contribute to the unhygienic conditions. Tirtha Vikas Trust, inspired by Pujya Bhaishri, has cleaned up the path around the Govardhan hill and set up basic facilities for pilgrims.