'New scam in market': Bengaluru-based company faces flak over charging Rs 1,500 for hugging trees

Boasting of providing a guided tour in forest bathing, a banner shared about the activity on the company's website read 'The Healing Power of Forests' with a subhead that stated 'A Forest Bathing Experience'. The banner also includes the charge reading 'Rs 1,500' which is claimed to be the fee for hugging trees, while the company claims levying a GST of 18 per cent.

All of us would love to indulge in a little 'shinrin-yoku' though we might not know it by name. The Japanese originated word for the idea of taking in the natural atmosphere of a forest should ideally have many takers but now, a Bengaluru-based company has received some major flak for monetising the same. An advertisement posted by the Trove Experiences, a company that claims to work around creating new-age lifestyle experiences has been accused of charging fees for the natural experience that also involves tree hugging.

The advertisement on their website talks of a guided tour and a 'forest bathing experience' under the header of the 'The Healing Power of Forests' and the whole 'experience' is priced at Rs 1,500 which is claimed to be the fee for hugging trees, while the company claims levying a GST of 18 per cent.

Screengrab of the advertisement from Trove Experiences website 

Shinrin yoku is a Japanese term for Forest Bathing that most naturalists and commoners relate with. It is an authentic practice that individuals adapt seeking therapeutic relaxation— while escaping from the daily rut of life. Hugging the trees is considered as one of the purest forms of mental healing that engages all human senses.

The website of Trove Experiences further said that the forest bathing activity will be hosted on April 28 while it also has a "What will you get" section under promotional video which shows people holding hands while walking through parks. In this section, the company claimed of providing a guided forest bathing walk inside the beautiful Cubbon Park in Bangalore; Open rounds of sharing and listening to help attain different perspectives; and Soulful activities that engage your senses to help you destress.

However, social media users slammed the company and its approach towards the tree hugging activity, which is not an asset belonging to anyone, but a part of nature that is for all. One user who identifies as AJayAWhy on X shared the screengrab of the advertisement by Trove, and wrote: "Babe, wake up! There's a new scam in the market."

Many netizens followed in the comments of the aforementioned post and furthered expressed their anger over the company's move to commercialize the tree hugging activity. Another user pointed out that the company is hosting this right behind the High Court and wrote: "This happening right behind the high court is icing on the cake".

One other X user said, "I think somewhere in T&C they must've mentioned this: Because of the water scarcity in Bengaluru, customers will have to bring their own water", while referring to the advertisement of Trove Experiences.