|
|||||||
|
Tulsi Project
As part of the Parampara Awareness Programme, Swadha, the Tulsi's wonderful properties of healing are being explained to the people, says Priya Murle of the Chennai-based organisation.
Our basic aim is to make people nurture and care for something that will nourish them in return - the interdependence of Man and Nature - Paraspara Bhavayantha as spoken of in the Gita. Also when human beings pray to a plant and nurture it, they automatically learn to care for plant life - conservation of plant life. The tulsi represents plant life. The Shyama or Krishna tulsi that is grown at Parampara is a plant that has very high medicinal properties and is used extensively in Ayurveda and in natural beauty care products. Its leaves are black in colour and this variety is not easily available in the market like the Rama or the green leafed tulsi. Parampara is approaching schools and colleges and also plans to include hospitals and social organisations in this awareness building programme. In educational institutions, they plan to work in tandem with either the nature/environment club or any other related activity of the school.
The tulsi saplings will make ideal gifts on auspicious occasions like grihapravesham and even as gifts for children's birthday parties. The tulsi saplings are offered at a discounted rate of Rs. 10 per sapling (original price Rs. 20), to schools and social organisations. The saplings are available for sale at Parampara. They have already sent 200 tulsi saplings free of cost to Sri Parthasarathy Temple for their tulsi vana. A note on Tulsi:
In most of the Hindu temples, tulsi-soaked water is distributed to devotees to relieve them from their stress, physical, mental or spiritual. Its quality is Pure Sattva. Tulsi is, perhaps, the most sacred plant in India next to the lotus. Tulsi opens the heart and mind, bestowing the energy of love and devotion (Bhakti). Sacred to Vishnu and Krishna, it strengthens faith, compassion and clarity. Tulsi stems are worn as rosaries to promote this energy. Tulsi gives protection by strengthening the immune system. It contains natural mercury, known as the semen of Shiva - which gives the seed-power of pure awareness. Tulsi should be kept in every house for its purifying influence. Tulsi absorbs positive ions, energies, negative ions and liberates ozone from the sun's rays. Tulsi is an effective diaphoretic and febrifuge in case of colds, flu and lung problems. It removes excess 'kapha' from the lungs and nasal passages, increasing Prana and promoting sensory acuity. It also removes high Vata from the colon, improves absorption and strengthens the nerve tissue, increasing memory. Tulsi may be taken as a beverage with honey for promoting clarity of mind. The fresh leaf juice is used extrenally for fungal infections on the skin. It is known tohelp in cancer treatment too. Not only Indians, but people in many other parts of the world too revere this plant. Parampara's slogan is: 'If we nourish the Tulsi, it will in turn nourish us'. For details, contact
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||