2015-37 Inspiring Lives: Salumarada Thimmakka
who planted a Banyan Boulevard
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who planted a Banyan Boulevard
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Thimmakka, is a native of Hulikal village of Bangalore Rural district in Karnataka. From an early age she worked as a laborer in a quarry near her
home. She was married off to Chikkaiah, a cattle herder. The couple wanted
children but were unable to get any even after 25 years of their married life.
One day
the husband-wife duo decided to plant trees to overcome the sadness and empty feeling
of their lives. That was around 50 years ago. From there started a journey of
untiring love and selfless service of an ordinary couple towards an extra
ordinary mission: a mission to raise as many trees as possible with love and
care and as their own children.
They started grafting saplings from Ficus (banyan) trees as there were plenty of Ficus trees near their village. They grafted ten saplings in the first year and planted them along a stretch of 4 kilometers on the road that led to Kudur, the next village. They increased the number to 15 in the next year. They continued with their efforts and increased the number of saplings with each passing year.
They not
only planted but also tended to the young saplings. Each morning
they started from their home with four pots filled with water and watered the
saplings. They also protected the saplings from the grazing cattle by fencing
them with thorny shrubs. Their tireless efforts began to bear fruit when the
saplings grew into large and strong trees.
The couple
planted the saplings mostly in the monsoon season so that the plants would get
the rain water for their growth. The couple planted around 300 trees in
total and today the asset value of the trees stands at more than 1.5 million
rupees. Thimmakka’s husband passed away in 1991 but she continued with her
mission alone and undaunted. The Government of Karnataka has taken over the
management of the trees now.
Thimmakka was
referred to as Saalumarada Timmakka after her work got popular among the
people. Salumarada means the row of trees in Kannada language. She was given
the name to honor her dedication towards planting the saplings and preserving
the environment despite the numerous hardships that she and her husband had to
face along the way.
Salumarada
Timmakka did not stop at only planting trees. She got involved in various
social activities like construction of a tank to store rain water for the
annual fair of her village. She has plans of building a hospital in her village
and has set up a trust for the purpose.
She is an
active crusader for spreading the message of afforestation. Her simple
philosophy of life is that every person on this earth must leave behind some
asset for humanity.
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A short mobile documentary on the world's biggest tree canopy. The documentary was released by
Jananpith award winner Dr. Chandrashekhara Kambara on March 8, 2014.
Jananpith award winner Dr. Chandrashekhara Kambara on March 8, 2014.
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