After the plotting and marking of the land it was time for the first tree to be planted.The first tree that was chosen to be planted on the land was the peepal tree. In Traditional Indian culture the Peepal tree is considered an assembly point for people to come together. The tree also has a high spiritual significance in Indian mythology.
After the selection of the tree, we introduced to our friends here the tree planting technique that we presently use in Sadhana Forest. This technique is an attempt to replicate natural systems. After selecting the area to be planted, a circle with a radius of a meter is marked. A trench is dug along this circle in a way that the depth of this trench is even at all points.
With the soil that is dug out to make the trench, a circular mound with a hollow centre is created in the circle. The empty centre is left for the tree to be planted in.
After the mound is shaped it is filled with water up to the top. As a result of this the moisture content in the soil increases and the water goes into the soil to create a conical shaped water trough under ground to keep the roots hydrated as they make their way into the earth. In this way the trees don’t need much post planting care and attention. The conical water trough serves the tree until the roots get strong enough and is able to fend for itself.
Our tree planting friends from Omkareshwar who were earlier following a different technique of digging holes and planting in one to two feet deep holes were very open to this idea.
The first tree was planted in the presence of several children from the school, Sarabjeet Bharaj, the director of the organisation, and several other members from the ashram and the school.
