Tree Plantation on Human Ashes: A Bold Step in the Direction of Saving Environment

Mother India is fortunate enough when we consider its natural sources of water in the form of lakes, glaciers and rivers. In many parts of world India is known to be “Land of Rivers ” and even the people of India worship rivers as god and goddess. Among all rivers, Ganga is considered to be the most pious one, believes to be- A source of eradicating the dusty layer of sins and purifying soul. But what an irony, inspite of so much devotion and respect for Ganga, we have been polluting it. Ganga contains 60,000 faecal coliform bacteria per 100 ml, which is a threat to human health. One of the big reason of Ganga pollution is cremation near Ganga ghats and human ashes disposal in Ganga.

Burning a body near the ghats and submerging the ashes into river has been followed in India since ages. Generally people belief that submerging the ashes into Ganga will liberate the soul from the cycle of births and deaths (Moksha) . But the question is, do such beliefs really help to attain salvation (Moksha)? Don’t you think such kind of practice cause an adverse effect on our ecosystem !

Thoughts being shared, committees formulated, debates took places  to get rid of this problem and opt for a solution to it; keeping in mind the sentiments and traditions of people. Govt. came up with some remarkable steps like- National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA),Ganga,

But none of these proved to be a success. In spite of some ministry or some personnel or some funds worth 20,000 crores were not rich enough to come up such a critical issue. There was a need to bring in the behavioural change of people. There felt a need of some kind of awareness or preaching to the people. The demand was of someone who could himself initiate the movement and Influence the people to follow so.

Saints incarnate on this earth for the embellishment of virtues and for take care of mother earth and its epitome is Saint Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan, who have not been only giving the key of happiness to millions but also working tirelessly for improving the worst condition of our environment. Be its Mega Cleanliness Campaign or Tree Plantation Drives, his holiness has only one aim, to make this planet a better place to live in. With lakhs of volunteers of his organisation – Dera Sacha Sauda, he took away a Mega cleanliness drive to Ganga in the city of Haridwar. Not just that, sensing the plight of Ganga, his holiness has devised a unique way of disposing human ashes i.e nurture a sapling by using human ashes in order to end the pollution.

Apart from him who could ever thought the bony parts after cremation can be used for environment protection? No one! but his vision is so wide, which aims for larger good. And by walking on his footsteps millions of his followers now using human ashes for nurturing saplings.

Even now Govt. has also followed his path. Minister of State for Water Resources – Mr. Satyapal Singh

He has advised people to not to dispose ashes in river Ganga and suggested Hindus to bury those ashes in ground and grow a plant over them.