Whats is a “देवराई”? Its the flora and fauna preserved by the people of the land for centuries in the name of god. We have almost 6 such groves in the perimeter of 10 kms of our camping sites. Many campers ask me what is this “देवराई” . Here is some light on what it really is and how such practices make us unique globally. When the world realized, the threat of global warming, deforestation, our ancestors already have been learning and teaching generations to preserve,protect the ecosystem for thousands of years. Lets understand what’s this.. To make the environment sustainable, a number of measures are necessary to be taken up by the people and government across the globe. Some of these measures are- use of efficient and eco-friendly technologies, sustainable use of resources and adoption of indigenous practices like keeping of sacred groves. Here in the current article we are going to discuss about sacred groves, their meaning, importance and practices. The word sacred means: considered to be holy or ‘connected with a god’ and the word ‘Grove’ means: a small area of land with trees of particular types grown on it. Thus by combining these two words the final dictionary meaning of the couple of words Sacred Groves is: “A small area of land with particular types of trees grown on it and that are considered to be holy by the local human community. In other words Sacred Groves can be defined as below- An area with particular types of trees dedicated to local deities or ancestral spirits that are protected by local communities through social traditions and taboos incorporating spiritual and ecological values are called as sacred groves. Indian Practice of keeping Sacred Groves The presence of sacred groves of India has been documented since the early 1800s. Sacred Groves of India comprise trees like Deodara (Cedrus deodara), considered to be the “abode of Gods” Sal (Shorea robusta), Rudraksha (Elacocarpus species), Bael (Aegle marmelos), and Ashok (Saraca asoca), and kadam (Anthocephalus kadamba), Pipal (Ficus religiosa), Neem (Azadirachta indica), Banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis): native to India, Mango tree (Mangifera indica) and bushes like, Basil (Ocimum basilicum & Ocimum minimum) (native to India and Iran) and grass like Doob or Durva (cynodon dactylon) etc. See a video of our guests, involved in an activity of One with Nature @ a Devrai, the sacred grove near Pune To visit such sacred grove, and also to have best ever camping experience, Let’s go camping
The Carawandah / Karonda / करवंद Origin of Karonda Karonda near Pune is one of the many berry-like fruits believed to originate near the Himalayas, though some botanists place the fruit’s origin to Java. Its natural range extends from Nepal to Afghanistan and encompasses several parts of northern India throughout that stretch. Today, the fruit appears throughout the tropical areas of the Indian Ocean, tropical Asia, the Arabian peninsular, and stretches down to parts of Australia. Karondas are also naturalized throughout Africa. A few African countries, including Kenya and Ethiopia, have a rich history of utilizing the fruit for medicinal purposes. Karonda’s many nom de plumes indicate its ubiquity throughout the world: Num num, nam phrom, and parunkila, to name a few. Despite the fruit’s wide native range, only a few commercial ventures process and sell the fruit. Availability of Karonda in India Today, the fruit grows throughout several regions including the Siwalik Hills, Bihar, West Bengal, the Western Ghats, Karnataka and the Nilgiri hills. It thrives in tropical and subtropical regions without heavy rainfall. The drought-resistant nature of the plant enables the tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Bihar to grow the fruit on a limited scale. In fact, the Bhil tribe in Rajasthan sells karonda leaves for use as rolling tobacco paper to beedi manufacturers. Many of these groups also value the plant for its medicinal qualities. In the Jashpur district, for instance, the tree’s roots kill the worms in the wounds of cattle, and the Munda tribe in Chota Nagpur uses the roots to treat rheumatism. Fruit harvest is August through October, though unripe fruits get plucked at the start of May through June. More specifically, harvest in the north occurs during the summer months of May through July, and some trees in the south bloom and yield fruit sporadically year-round. Where to find Karonda in India Commercial growers of the fruit pledge most, if not all, of their batches to manufacturers interested in selling jam. When in season, they will not appear in large produce stores but may appear in the wicker baskets of small, local vendors. Several individual homes grow the bush, particularly as a thorny fence to keep out unwanted pests (perhaps neighbors included). Checking for Ripeness in Karonda Karonda’s ripeness depends on its purpose. If intended for use as a vegetable, the fruits should be plucked while still under ripe, as apparent by the fruit’s greenish white color. When fully ripe, the fruit bears no hint of white on its skin. These fruits are selected for canning, preserving and pickling. Some of the fruits turn red when fully ripe; others grow dark purple. Taste of Karonda The sweet nectar from the shrub’s flower has better taste than the karonda fruit itself. In its raw state, the fruit is sour and acidic with little sweetness. In its ripest state it becomes a bit sweeter, but only a few varieties become sweet enough to consume out of hand. However, karonda possesses several attributes that make it a highly desirable for culinary applications. Nutritional Value of Karonda According to an analysis published in the book, “Minor Fruit Crops of India,” C. carandas has the following composition: 91% Moisture 1.1% Protein 2.9% Fat .6% Minerals 1.5% Fiber 2.9% Carbohydrate .021% Calcium .028% Phosphorous An additional nutritional study published by the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources provides the following nutritional information per 100g of edible fruit: 42.5kcal .39-1.1g Protein (negligible) 2.5-4.63g Fat .51-2.9g Carbs .62-1.81g Fiber 21mg Calcium 28mg Phosphorous 1619IU Vitamin A 9-11mg Ascorbic Acid Health Benefits of Karonda Karonda has a lengthy history in Indian folk medicine. Tribes in the Western Ghats use the fruit as a blood sugar stabilizer and as a guard against liver damage. As further explained by the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, various groups have utilized the fruit to remedy biliousness, anemia, parasites, worms, fungal infections, diarrhea, microbes, wounds, skin infections, fevers, and ear infections. Karonda near Pune , Full of Vitamic C and Iron, this fruit make sure that the people living in Jungle adjacent area, get necessary supplements in adverse harsh summer heat. This plant is indigenous to India. Raw karonde is used by locals as vegetable and making pickles. Several scientists have studied the fruit as well: — A 2007 study published in Ancient Science of Life found that the root bark has potent antihelmitic properties comparable to the drug, albendazole –A 2009 study published in Der Pharmacia Lettre affirmed the root bark’s hemaprotective properties. In fact, its efficacy is equivalent to the liver drug, silymarin. –A report in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Technology states karonda’s extracts show potent antimicrobial activity. –A 2011 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology shows that karonda root extract has potent wound healing abilities. –According to another 2011 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, karonda stem has cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic activities when tested against human leukemia cell lines. –Another 2011 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology affirms the traditional use among Indian healers of using karonda as a treatment for diabetes: methanol extracts of the fruit showed anti diabetic potential. We @ Nisargshala, have a feast of this jungle treasure in the month of May every year. Do join us on the jungle eat out @ Nisargshala The camping trip itinerary as follows Arrival at the camping site Introduction to the vicinity and surrounding Tea & Biscuits Walk along the bank of river Tent allocation BBQ preparation and lighting up the grill by 06:30 pm Enjoy BBQ till 08:00 pm A session on star gazing depending upon the sky clarity Dinner by 09:30 pm Go to sleep Tea & Biscuits at 07:00 am Breakfast by 08:00 am Leave camping site for Jungle Feast of Karonda and Nature connect activities. Back to camp site by 1:00 ppm in noon Lunch at by 01:30 pm Back home for the city by 02:00 An exclusive photo gallery of feast karonda near Pune Cost – 1800
Ways Camping Nurtures Relationships All relationships change and grow with time. The more we interact the more those changes surface. Some interactions are usually positive for a relationship. Other interactions are negative. Camping can be either one. If you do camping correctly, you can experience a lot of joy, delight on a relationship. You can Nurture relationship whether it be father and son, co-workers, great friends, or married couples. Trust No matter with whom you are camping, you will have to trust them. And they will have to trust you. Trust is a very strange thing when it’s presented in its purest form and camping gives us a very pure look at trust. It’s no longer trusting the other person to do their work, or do the dishes, or remember to call. Now it’s trust that they will work with you to survive and vice versa. Seeing that trust come to fruition is an overwhelmingly positive feeling. Working Together For you and your camping partner the idea of working together is probably pretty simple. School work, yard work, or deciding on a restaurant are only small glimpses of what it means to work together. When you are camping there is a new power to working together, new successes that both of you can reach together. Now you are working together to scale a mountain, to build a fire, to catch a meal. This level of togetherness strengthens all relationships. Perspective of Happiness Camping forces you to see life in a simpler way. Right now some things that might bring you happiness are your cellphone, websites, a new copy machine, a clean kitchen, and so forth. But when you’re camping your feeling of happiness washes clean, pure and simple. Now happiness is a warm roaring fire. Happiness is the stars above your hear and the person across from you. When you refresh your perspective of happiness that mindset tends to stick around. Improvisation We don’t have a lot of chances to improvise in every day life. Most things are clearly presented. We have appointments, deadlines, and calendars marked with important things to do. But when you are camping you have to change and be flexible. When you do this you will fail and you will learn and then you will do it again better. Having a person to learn improvisation with you, at the same time, makes failing seem reasonable. It’s okay that you’re not good at this. You’ll watch them learn and learn from it, and they will learn from you, too. This simultaneous learning and teaching will create a bond that is very strong. Learning Together Any time two people learn something together there is a bond, much like when you learn to improvise. If you have ever been new to a job and had orientation with a few people, you’ll remember those people years later. It’s a bond that cannot break. When you learn while you are camping, that bond becomes more personal. It becomes stronger. You’ll never forget the person with whom you learned to camp. Removed Distractions Life is full of distractions. TV, radio, cellphones, music, gossip, and more; the list goes on and on. We are constantly bombarded with these things. But when you go camping, we clear this haze away. We can see things clearly. With this clarity we can see our camping partner in a new, refreshing light. They become much more human, much more real. Whether you are dating, married, or new friends, you will learn to see them for who they really are when you clear away the distractions. Freedom When we are free, we act differently. It’s like removing a barrier that has kept us back, kept us reserved. Experiencing this feeling, no matter how briefly or how often you are able to feel it, bonds you with the people that are sharing the feeling. I can still remember riding the bus home from my last day of high school, the combination of fear, excitement, and change. And I remember seeing the sensation in others, too. When you are camping we get a chunk of this feeling, and we see it with our camping cohorts. And you’ll remember and appreciate them sharing this moment with you. Relaxation Camping will bring you relaxation. It will peel away many of the frustrations you are facing and allow you to be yourself. And your camping partner will be relaxed, too. And there is something genuine about seeing a person pull away the layers and act like themselves. When you see someone you care about act truly like themselves, you’ll see the deep down beauty within them. And they’ll see it within you, too. Leadership At different times when you are camping, you or your camping partner will be the leader. This will change many times throughout the trip. In most situations one person is a leader. And this is good. You learn a lot about person when they are following you and when you are following them. Seeing them trust you and learning that you can trust them can teach a new appreciation for that person. The Worst This is the most important way to strengthen a relationship with a person. See them at their worst. And let them see you at yours. When you are camping for long times, you will get worn down. Especially if this is your first couple times camping. And this is okay. Work through this. Let them see you like this and see them like this. When you see someone at their worst, you may want to turn away. But, most likely, you will see them as real. This can be very important when taking a relationship to a new level. Camping can strengthen any relationship. When you are camping with a person, no matter if they are family, lovers, or friends, your relationship will change and grow. You’ll learn and they’ll learn. And the bond that is formed between the two of you will become stronger.
Sahyadri means the western Ghats of Maharashtra Sahyadri, a name with which the western ghats of Maharashtra is always referred, has been in frequent discussion for its antiquity and biodiversity. Also people get attracted to Great king Shivaji’s unvanquished hill forts, mountains,valleys, waterfalls, ancient as well as modern day passes. Sahyadri has been a topic of contemporary folk art, literature and saint constructs . There are many other aspects of Sahyadri which make us go in the wilderness and get lost and ultimately get inspired. The valour of Sahyadri has been standing still in the form of unbeatable forts of King Shivaji. We in our school days were taught a story of a brave mother, named Hirkani, who was trapped on a fort as the gates of the fort were closed and she had her little baby at home at the foothill of the fort. Due to the discipline of Swarajya, the gate would only be opened upon sunrise next day. She had no option but to reach home and breast feed her baby at any cost. After trying every possible option she decided to descend down a ridge which was never traced or walked by any human being. Everybody on the fort tried to stop her from doing so, but she was determined and a worried mother, took steps down the cliff. She got scratches on her knees and elbows and midnight she reached home for the baby. Shivaji Maharaj, upon learning about the incident called upon the lady and honoured her for her dedication and bravery. Also the ridge from where she climbed down, was named after her very own name, The Hirkani Buruj. This is just one known story of Sahyadri and the bravery of its people. There could be thousands of such incidents which, the history might have forgotten to take note of. Each fort, its main bazaar, people lived in smaller villages around forts, the territorial army, the mercenaries, on the fort like this there might be many accounts that we yet don’t know. However,when we look at these forts, we see The brave side of Sahyadri. Sahyadri sometimes seems like a yogi, who is gripped for lacs of years in spite of years of rains, storms and harsh sunlight. The yogi is unaffected, unwavering, unbothered and completely obsessed with his own Sadhana. May be that’s the reason Sahyadri was once an abode to such yogis, sadhus and Tapasvis. Many caves like Lenyadri, Buddhist caves and sculptures, many antique Shiv temples can be found in lap of Sahyadri. Sahyadri is unified by the biodiversity, it has been nurturing for millions of years. One must see the blood-curdling besalt cliffs of Sahydri to experience fear. It gives birth to hundreds of rivers and thus gives life to not only the flora and fauna but also the human habitats along the rivers. There are many hydro electrical power plants on the dams constructed on these rivers which supplies power to majors like Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru and thousands of small towns and lacks of villages. The only source of drinking water of all these cities is Sahyadri. Thus through the ultra-fine network of rivers Sahyadri plays a motherly role also by feeding us with water. Now comes the paternal role of Sahydri, towards the flora and fauna of the region. From some endemic species to varied millions of species of creatures, plants and trees, Sahyadri is like a father figure to all of them. They prosper, flourish, multiply in valleys and ridges across Sahyadri. During my wondering in Sahyadri, I saw hills, valleys, plants, creepers, creatures and people also. I saw people with with rich ethics , values and culture. The glimpse of rich cultural heritage which rooted in the far remote villages in Sahyadri made me think that Sahyadri itself is a culture. The culture, the civilisation which believed in synergy. Interdependence not only among human race but also with the nature around. There are many rituals performed in the course of life of an individual. These rituals differ almost every 12 miles in the area. However the change is minute. The overall principle of agreeing to the greater cause is accepted throughout. Western Ghats in Maharashtra wiz. Sahyadri is broadly divided in 12 regions, which are referred as 12 Mawals(मावळ) .Mawal in layman’s language is the region or direction in which the Sun sets. Setting of the sun towards west is called सुर्य मावळणे. १२ मावळ (मावळ प्रांत) १) अंदर मावळ २) नाणे मावळ ३) पवन मावळ ४) घोटण मावळ ५) मोसे मावळ ६) मूठे मावळ ७) गुंजन मावळ ८) वेळवंड मावळ ९) कर्यात मावळ १०)जुने मावळ ११) हिरडस मावळ १२) शिखळ मावळ Means these 12 regions of the west side of Maharashtra has 12 variants of the same cultural heritage. And this civilization has its roots in the greater ancient Hindu civilization. There three core terms which shows virtue of an individual or a society as whole. First one is Perversity (Indian synonym is विकृती ) . Second is Spontaneity (Indian synonym is प्रकृती ) . And third one is interdependabilty (Indian synonym is संस्कृती ) . Stephen Covey in his best seller work Seven habits of highly effective people talks of the later one, that is symbiosis or cohabitation or living and leading a happy life together. However Covey focuses on wellness of human race where as our accentuates on harmony in all living beings. Let me quote a few incidents which showcase the preeminence of the civilization we have inherited form our ancestors. It was the later summer days, and I was up on a mango tree in my backyard. We had to pluck all the mango and keep them to ripen. I was about to finish plucking all the half ripen mangoes and there was only one branch left with approximately hundreds of mangoes. My mother asked me to not pluck the remaining fruits and leave those as it is. I got down and made ripening arrangement of the mangoes and