TREKATHON 2012

Trek, Camp, Learn, Socialize and network with other passionate Trekkers from all over India

Dear All,

We have been trekking for many reasons. Some of us wanted to escape from daily routines, some wanted adore the natures beauty, some wanted to learn about flora and fauna etc etc.,

We trekkers normally don't get an occasion to come together, socialize, network and get to know each other. In our experience Camp fire session has been a major learning session in many ways. So we couple of NGO's who are in to conservation and conduct ethical trekking / camping have come together and organized a event called TREKATHON.  

Trekking is a wonderful sport, hobby and a passion for many nature lovers. While most trekkers are inveterate nature lovers, for some it is a group activity and for others it may be a spiritual trip to nature’s adobe…many others have passionate trekkers in them that they are yet to discover. Today the word TREKKING is most abused one as some armatures have brought a bad name to it. TREKATHON India has been formed to create awareness to trek in a safe way, following the rules of the concerned forest authorities and to care for nature. Children need exposure to nature and adults in cities often want to get away from the concrete jungle – what better way to tune in to Mother Earth and rejuvenate ourselves than go on a trek?

With the above mentioned objectives, the team TREKATHON is also going to create fallowing awareness activities for trekker’s and general public.

1. Creating awareness about trekking in the forest, Safety, how to behave responsibly in the forest etc

2. Supporting Forest Watchers and Guards by providing Gum boots and Rain gear, if possible torches.

3. Plastic Collection in the forest areas.

4. Creating awareness in the villages around forest areas.

5. Creating awareness in the schools.

6. Creating awareness to save the Western Ghats which is the source for many rivers.

7. Creating awareness to protect the endangered species of Western Ghats.

Trekathon 2012 has been organized by 3 organizations namely “The sharavathi Nature Trails, Vanamitra and GAIA”. These organizations are working on conservation and also organize nature activities like trekking and camping.

The event will be flagged off on oct 20^th by well known sports persons including well known cricketers. Trekathon program is organized for 3 days on 20-21-22^nd October 2012.  The event will see passionate trekkers from all over country participating. 


Trekathon Trail:-
The trek will be flagged off at Jog falls and end in Bhatkal. Trail will pass through picturistic sharavathi valley and end in Bhatkal cost. Trail will include a water falls called BASAVANA BAAYI water falls. Trekkers will also have time to play in the sea shore. Night halts will be in tents in a designated place.

Registration:- 

You can farm your own group of like minded trekkers of 3 and register by paying registration fee or we can help you to form a group with other solo trekkers.
Registration Process:-

• Login to the http://trekathonindia.bravesites.com.
• Go to Contacts and fill up the inquiry form on the right hand side. 
• Submit the farm and someone will Contact get in touch with you to complete the registration formalities.

This weekend monsoon trek Mejestic Meghane peak (28/29 July)

We are going for monsoon trek to Meghane peak in sharavathi valley ghat this weekend(28/29-07-2012). If anybody wishes to join, please get back to me asap.

For more info and photos, check the fallowing link.

http://sharavathi.blogspot.in/2011/06/another-awesome-monsoon-experience.html

"Vanamahotsava" An annual 'rare saplings' planting day

Off late there are many reasons to cheer for western ghat lovers. First it was very extensive report by eminent scientist Prof.Madav Gadgil on ghat conservation and other one is getting designated for UNESCO Heritage list. Both have serious implication on ghats conservation. With these initiative, no one can dream of mining anymore in ghats. There was a talk of under ground mining in ghats!. Western ghat is one among worlds top 8 bio diversity hotspots. As in forests all over world, ghats too faces many problems with mans greed increasing by the day. Biggest causality of the ghats destruction is that many species of flora and fauna is getting endangered. Biggest challenge is to conserve these endangered flora and fauna of the ghat.
Our organization "The Sharavathi Nature Conservation Trust(R)" was setup in year 2004 to attempt few conservation activities. One of the main aim of our organization is to save the endangered and rare flora. We have been working with forest department for this very purpose. As part of this every year, we collect rare plants with active participation from locals and plant them in safe areas.
This year we collected about 500 saplings of various rare plants and planted them in the safe areas. This year we invited students of BNMIT college of engineering for the event. This college has been in forefront to create awareness about green issues among students. Thanks to prof. Sheshprasad and the organization secretory Mr.Narayana Mane sir. They have setup a green club in the college , which has been doing this great service.
The event was organized on 8th of July 2012 and was attended by local leaders, Range forest officer and Chief engineer of KPCL coming over and sharing various local issues related to conservation. The dignitaries requested locals to save many rare plants and requested them to actively participate in saving the precious forest in the ghat. After the debate session, it was time for planting saplings. Dignitaries symbolically planted a sapling and then students took over the planting job.
It was very great occasion this time as students participated actively and with great enthusiasm.We have resolved to continue this work every year. There is a plan to setup separate plantation where all these rare plants will be saved in methodically. For this forest department have to help us. But as we know govt departments dont consider these nobel work as priority !.    

Trek this weekend( 12/13th May 2012).

There are group of people who will be trekking to these falls this weekend. These falls are approachable only in the summer. So if anybody is interested to join the group, please let me know ASAP. 

Itinerary:-

Day 1:- 

• Reach kalgodlu, the trek starting point and freshen up.
• Have breakfast and start trek towards thumbe falls
• Reach thumbe falls and play in the water
• Have lunch and start the trek towards a tribals house.
• Have a camp fire and fun time
• Have dinner and retire for the day

Day 2:-

• Freshen up and have breakfast
• Start the trek towards Bellur falls
• reach falls and play in the falls
• Have lunch and start the trek back.
• Reach the road and catch vehicle back to Kargal

Please check the photos and other information in the fallowing link

http://sharavathi.blogspot.com/2010/04/dream-trek-after-long-time.html

NOTE:- If you wish to join us please Confirm ASAP and also you need to send us the scanned copy of Some ID proof to get the forest permit.

Planting a Tree, According to Hindu puranas

It rained a bit here in Bangalore today. Its so pleasant feeling as the rain brought down the mercury level and nice breeze all around :).  Traditionally, its time to start preparing to sow the seeds in the farm land and also great time to plant trees. Fortunately from my childhood days, i have been involved in tree plantation in every year of this season. Again this time too we are thinking of big tree plantation drive on the occasion of WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY which falls on JUNE 5th every year. Just came across an insightful article on how our elders motivated people to plant more trees, so that our planet is livable for generations. 

Sheshu sir, planting a sapling during our previous year tree plantation. 

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A Lesson for Modern mankind.

angat angat sambhavasi hrdayad abhijayase |
atma vai putranamasi sa jiva saradah satam || [1]

To make a "Green Earth" the above verse of Agnipurana makes a request to mankind to plant trees instead of cutting them and let them grow and increase. Besides it reveals the importance of trees. Plants play an important and vital role in human life. Directly or indirectly plants are connected with the life of man, and apart from that life cannot be imagined.

Their relationship with mankind is pertinently observed in the Puranas. From every angle, thePuranas have discerned and discussed the utility and importance of the plant kingdom to human society. Included are the Agni Purana, the Kurma Purana, the Matsya Purana, theBrahma Vaivartta Purana, the Garuda Purana, the Vayu Purana, etc. The Vayu Puranaclearly states that all basic necessities of a man, viz. garments, ornaments, timber for house building, fruits, dyes, honey etc. are available from plants. [2]

The Puranas severely criticize the unnecessary cutting of trees and prescribe the punishments for this prohibited act. In Agni Purana it is said –

tarumsca cchedayed yasca vrksan cchayasusitalan
asipatravane ghore pidyate yamakimkaraih [3]

In order to protect the trees from the wood cutters' hand, there is some threatening made by the authors of Skanda Purana, according to whom cutting of trees may lead one to the hell.

nagaropavane vrksan pramadaddhi cchinnati yah
sa gacchen narakam nama jrmbhanam
raudradarsanam [4]

Ancient people were conscious of plantation, by thinking of its preciousness. To encourage plantation, Matsya Purana said that by planting a single tree one can reside in heaven for 30,000 years of Indra. Not only this, the planter may have the moksha, i.e., end of rebirth.

yascaikam api rajendra vrksam samsthapayen narah
so' pi svarge vased rajan yavad indrayuta trayam
bhutan bhavyamsca manujams trayed drumasammitan
paramam siddhim apnoti punaravrttidurlabham [5]

Agni Purana also glorifies in other words how: "Planting of trees brings moksha. [6] Again it is said that a tree never betrays anyone, rather that it always remains helpful at all times. They are never harmful even as a son, who at times do harm to their parents out of greed for property.

"pitaram nopahimsanti druma dravinalobhatah [7]

Agni Purana encourages becoming a lover of tree. It gives more emphasis on planting a tree by analyzing its necessity – that to have a better life, one should plant a tree and should take care of it like one's own son. Because trees are more precious and useful than a son, who are self-seekers by nature and never follow the scriptures, i.e. –

tasmat subhavaha vrksa ropyah sreyobhivanchata
putravat paripalyasca te putra dharmatah smrtah.
kim dharmavimukhair martyaih kevalam
svarthabuddhibhih
taruputra varam ye tu pararthaikanuvrttayah [8]

Plantation is not the only work; care should be taken for their protection by not cutting them down. Therefore, Puranas made some prohibitions against the cutting of some particular trees, i.e. Asvattha, Vata or banyan, Bilva or wood apple tree, Udumbara or fig etc. by connecting them with some religious ethics.

asvattha vatavrksasca na cchettavyo kadacana
na cchettavyo bilvavrksodrum barasca kadacana
karmanyascaiva ye vrksa na cchettavya
sreyarthibhih [9]

The regretful factor is that the modern people are not conscious regarding the value of plants and plantation like the ancient people. Though the population and their needs are rising tremendously, still then they are cutting down the trees carelessly and destroying the forests with their full efforts, only to maintain their luxurious lives. Now-a-days considering the importance of trees the authorities launch plans for afforestation, viz. plantation on the road-side and celebration of Vanamahotsava, etc. but due to lack of proper care those plans become unsuccessful.

After plantation, care should be taken to grow them up properly. There are so many illustrations in Puranas in this regard. According to some passages of Agni Purana; planting trees is not very difficult work. But after plantation, right care should be taken to allow them to grow properly by protecting them from the heat of the sun, from animals as well as from the insects. Besides, plenty of water and fertilizers should be supplied at due times.

Therefore the people should be alert to learn from the Puranas about different aspects of the plantation and their protection and should let them grow properly by which lives may be wholesome and comfortable on this earth, not only for the human beings but for all the living entities.

Award function 2012

As planned this year award function for 10th April 2012 went on very well. It was simple one compared the previous one. But this time awardees selected were exemplary. Mr.Ramesh Putnalli , Range Forest Officer, Sharavathi wildlife sanctuary was the chief guest and Mr.Chidambar Hedge, a known physiotherapist was guest of honor. As announced earlier, PARISARA SRI award was presented to Mr. Ameen Saab Nadaaf, a forest guard at Bhadra Wildlife sanctuary. The award presented to Mr.Nadaaf by RFO. His achievements were read out by Ms.Kritika. Then SAMAJA SRI Award presented to Mr.Purushotham by Guest of honor Mr.Chidambar Hegde. His achievements were read out by Ms.Kritika. While speaking on the occasion Mr.Ramesh Putnalli stressed the need for active participation of people in conserving the forest, Mr. Hegde asked people to work unitedly for betterment of rural life. While accepting the SAMAJA SRI award Mr. Purushotham thanked the The Sharavathi Nature Conservation Trust(R) for recognizing the people who dont make noice but silently work for the society, Mr.Nadaaf stressed the need of holistic approach to save the forest. Trust Vice Precident Mr. Ranganath Hegde gave vote of thanks. It was another memorable day for all of us to award the best people. Lot trekking friends had sent the best wishes to the awardees and they have been conveyed to them, thank u all for the gesture.