vknardep@gmail.com
1800-1020-623
vknardep@gmail.com
1800-1020-623

Newsletter - February 2020

Read Coverting Letter

Dear Friends,

Sara Parakin of UK observes: Our numbness, our silence, our lack of outrage against the pollution could mean, we end up the only species to have minutely monitored our own extinction. What a measly epitaph that would make “They saw it coming, but had not the wit to stop it happening”.

Green Rameswaram project members do not want to be the silent witness to the degradation happening to Rameswaram Island and so decided to work at different levels to make ‘Green Resilient Rameswaram’ like a Rama’s squirrel.

This month’s newsletter has the following highlights:         

  • Dr. Sanjay Banerji in his blog writes about Sustainable Development Goal - 2
  • Shri.C.Rangarajan writes on Tirtha Yatra - Pilgrimage to Holy Places.
  • Regular awareness programmes by Hand in Hand Inclusive Development Services, Chennai.
  • Dr.A.Abirami, Programme Officer of C.P.R. Environmental Educational Center writes about the herbal plant – Adityabhakta (Naikkaduku).
  • Plantation of trees as a part of ‘Landscaping and beautification’ by GR team.
  • Revival and Renovation of Traditional Water bodies - Amutha Teertham
  • Regular events of Social capital and finally a power point presentation on Eco-tourism by Shri.Sridhar.

With best wishes,

Editorial Team
Green Rameswaram Project
Mahabeer Dharmasala
Rameswaram - 623526
Tamilnadu.
Ph: 04573 - 222296(office)
E-mail:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.greenrameswaram.org
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Sustainable Development Goal-2

By
Dr.Sanjay Banerji
Founder Director/Dean of Amrita School of Business
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Dear Friends,

This month we shall discuss the most basic necessity for any living being – food, and prolonged deprivation of food leading to hunger. We have seen that the MDG #1 had attempted to address the scourge of poverty and hunger together. Those who framed the SDGs preferred to separate them into two distinct goals, 1- poverty eradication and 2 – feeding the hungry.
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Tirtha Yatra - Pilgrimage to Holy Places

By
C.Rangarajan, Chennai
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Rites / Rituals to be performed before & after Tirthayatra

  1. The Vayupurana lays out a condition that the Yatra should put on the dress of Karpati – wear a copper ring, a copper bracelet and reddish garments
  2. Sri Bhattaoji, the commentator states that according to some, the apparel is to be put on by a pilgrim going to Gaya
  3. Padmapurana and Skandapurana makes the tonsure of the head, an obligatory one (restrictions are there regarding who should undergo this.
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Solid Waste Management

By
Hand in Hand, Chennai
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Awareness programme in Educational Institutions

Four awareness programmes were conducted in educational institutions in the Municipality viz. (i) SPA Girls Higher Secondary School (03rd February), (ii) MPU Primary School No: 1 (03rd February), (iii) MPU Primary School – Ramanathasamy Nagar (13th February) and (iv) MPU Primary School – Erakadu (17th February). A total of 285 students were senstized on the importance of MSWM, segregation of waste at source and environmental conservation through Power Point presentations and Rangoli competitions.
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Herbal Garden (Muligai Vanam)

Naikkaduku
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Distribution and Habitat

Cleome viscosa belongs to the family Cleomaceae and is a weed widespread in various warmer parts of the world like India, Pakistan, Africa, Ethiopia, peninsular Arabia, Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia and Japan. The plant is an annual, sticky herb with a strong odour with glandular and simple hairs. It grows about 90-120 cm high and is branched. The leaves are 3-5 foliate, obovate and obtuse. The flowers are yellow, axillary, growing out into a lax raceme. The fruits are capsules, dark brown 30-75 mm long, compressed and hairy throughout, while the seeds are finely transversely striate, sub globose and become brownish-black when ripe.
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Landscaping and Beautification

By
Green Rameswaram Trust
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Greening the Taluk Office

In our efforts to greening Rameswaram, we have already initiated the greening activities in Rameswaram. As a part of it, we have planted 15 saplings at Rameswaram Taluk office on 7th February 2020.
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Revival and Renovation of Traditional Water Bodies (Teerthas) Amutha Teertham

By
Green Rameswaram Trust
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Teertha Location:
Teertham is on its way to Dhanushkodi inside the Nambu nayaki Amman temple

Teertha story:
They say this is just an offshoot of Deva Teertham and is known as Amutha Teertham.

Teertha Benefit:
It is also known as universal relief (Sarvaroga nivarani) because of its incorporation into the turmeric offering. There is also the practice of providing this Teertha as a cure for the disease.
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Promoting Eco Tourism – Third Corridor of
Sri Ramanathasamy Temple Rameswaram

By Shri.Sridhar
Green Rameswaram Trust
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This month, we are covering Third Corridor of Sri Ramanathasamy Temple, Rameswaram. Its history and other details in pictures.
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Social Capital

By
Green Rameswaram Trust
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Teertha Pooja
As usual on 9th February 2020 Teertha pooja has happened in Agni Teertham and in Kapi Teertham they did one day earlier.

Anna Pooja
On 25th February, 2020 Anna Pooja was organized by Rural Development Programme of Vivekananda Kendra at Vivekananda Bhaskaram. Around 70 local people participated in the event. Chief guests of the programme was Smt.Kalyani Singaram, Joint commissioner, Sri Ramanathasamy Temple, and Shri.Srinivasan, Manager, Dhanalakshmi Bank, Rameswaram. Shri. Krishnamoorthi fondly known as Annachi from Vivekananda Kendra also participated in the event and delivered a speech. All the participants visited Naga Teertham and offered flowers to the Teertham before the start of the event.
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