Mini forest to mark 75th birthday of Veerendra Heggade

Heggade planted over over two lakh saplings since 1985 in different parts of Dakshina Kannada

A small green green patch of forest is being developed on a temple premises at Kuppepadavu, on the outskirts of Mangaluru, as a mark of respect to Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade and to mark his 75th birthday.

Global Green Foundation of green activist Madhav Ullal, Ullal Janajagruthi Vedike, Sri Durgayuvaka Mandala in Kuppepadavu, Karnataka Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene had taken up an initiative to develop a mini forest with a variety of saplings to mark the 75th birthday of Heggade.

Accordingly, the saplings have been planted on the premises of Sri Samba Sadashiva Temple at Bardila in Kuppepadavu of Mangaluru taluk. It will be inaugurated today.

Speaking to DH, Madhav Ullal said, "Saplings of Ayurvedic plants and fruit -bearing tress have been planted. Saplings of ashoka, ‘palasha,’ indigenous 'nagasampige,' 'kenda sampige,' ‘arjuna,’ ‘shami,’ ‘haale mara’, ‘Kadamba’, ‘jambu nerale’ (three varieties of red, green and white), 'rama pathra,' ‘Kolijuttu ,’ red sander, curry leaves and others have been planted."

The Kolijuttu tree is commonly found in the forest in Sullia and bears a fruit similar to kokum.

The forest will be launched on Tuesday. About five saplings of some species of saplings have been planted. The saplings were sourced from various places.

“The saplings are not available in nurseries during January. Normally, all the saplings will be available in the nurseries from June to September-October. The green patch have been developed on over 35 cents of land,” he said.

Last year, to mark 74th birthday of Heggade, saplings were planted on the premises of a temple in Innoli. Saplings of ‘bantakepula’ were planted. A few of the saplings have died. Others have survived and are growing.

"Normally, four to five saplings, that are planted, die every year due to disease infestation and other natural causes. The forest department, especially DCF Dinesh Kumar and RFO Prashanth Pai, has been supporting all my initiative," he added.

“It is my sheer love for the environment that made me to take up the initiative of planting saplings,” he said.

He has planted over over two lakh saplings since 1985 along the roads, schools, places of worship, burial grounds and crematoriums in different parts of Dakshina Kannada.

Raitha Sangha Hasiru Sene state secretary Manohar Shetty said, “The place where saplings are planted is an old temple situated in an interior village. Various organisations have supported his venture to develop forest in the temple premises.”