Description:
Tarumitra is a student-led organization founded in 1988 that promotes friendship with trees. The organization has created a 12-acre man-made forest that contains over 2000 trees and more than 450 medicinal plants. On April 27th, students from St. Karen's High School visited Tarumitra as part of an educational trip. During the visit, Devopriya Dutta, the UN youth representative, and Father Tom Pendanath, the director of Tarumitra, provided an overview of the organization. Father Tom also explained the medicinal uses of several plants, including the benefits of drinking hibiscus tea and using insulin plants.
The environment at Tarumitra was very pleasant, with the students able to hear the sweet sounds of cuckoos and breathe in fresh air. The infrastructure at Tarumitra was constructed using recycled materials, and the holy place named "Jal Mandir" was also built using waste materials. The students learned about the practical application of the 5 'R's, which are Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, Refuse, and Repeat. The visit also emphasized the importance of using natural products as gifts.
As a parting gift, Father Tony presented the students with a seed of rudraksha, and the students learned to "Think and Act Globally." Overall, the trip to Tarumitra was a great learning experience for the students, and it reinforced the importance of environmental sustainability and the value of friendship with trees.