Chamarajanagar: It was one of a kind celebration at Terakanambi Morarji Desai Residential School in Gundlupet where children joyfully celebrated the birthday of plants.
The school located in the picturesque hilly areas has thousands of plants belonging to different species. Residential school children have planted number of plants to quantify the existing beauty of the surroundings. The children carried out plant census under the guidance of ace wildlife photographer of international fame R K Madhura.
Children offered prayers to the plants they loved most to begin the day’s celebration and then cut cake on the occasion. The celebration marked the fusion of free flowing thoughts from young creative minds with living plants swaying to the winds. No words could explain the joy emanating from the faces and the fragrance that filled the air. For once, the scene resembled plants walking hand in hand with children!
Then they carried out census of trees including teak, fig, Jamoon, wild gooseberry, jackfruit, Muttuga, Kattikayi and Tabulia totalling 280 in number and 720 saplings of diverse species. Then they started counting 66 different varieties of fruit bearing horticultural plants including Sapota, papaya, Seethphal, guava and pomegranate.
Finally most attractive flowering plants were counted by enthusiastic children including hibiscus and Allamanda and decorative plants like golden cyprus, anekiwi, Kivudu Jille totalling to 26 and 81 respectively.
On World Environmental Day, every year children plant new saplings in the premises and nurture them with care. They monitor the growth of each plant during their stay and celebrate their birthdays in a unique manner.
Nature lovers are of the opinion that the methods employed by children can aid in protecting our environment. They feel instead of planting crores of plants and neglecting them it would be better to plant few in number and take adequate care.
