Oushadha Bhavanam

Nestled in the heart of the Western Ghats, the regions of Nanniyode, Vitura, and Peringammala are rich in medicinal plants, many of which are now at risk of vanishing. In response to this alarming trend, we launched the "Oushadha Bhavanam" project, aimed at reviving and preserving these disappearing treasures of nature. In collaboration with the largest resident association in the Gram Panchayat, the Souhrithavedi Resident Association, the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation and Rural Development established this initiative as part of a broader effort to conserve rare medicinal plants. The project was inaugurated on 2024 June 5th, World Environment Day, with a gathering of 450 households that are part of the Souhrithavedi Resident Association.To ensure the success of this initiative, a 45-member monitoring committee was formed, with each member assigned responsibility for overseeing the care of medicinal plants in 10 homes. The distribution of 4,500 medicinal plant saplings was completed within ten days of the project's launch, and since then, the monitoring committee has diligently overseen the growth and maintenance of these plants for the past four months. The plants distributed as part of this project included Adathoda zeylanica (അടലോടകം), Emblica officinalis (നെല്ലി), Saraca asoca (അശോകം), Aegle marmelos (കൂവളം), Plumbago indica (ചെത്തി കൊടുവേലി), Gmelina arborea (കുമിഴ്), Azadirachta indica (വേപ്പ്), Andrographis paniculata (കിരിയത്ത്), Piper longum (തിപ്പലി), Desmodium gangeticum (ഓരില), Asparagus racemosus (ശതാവരി), Coleus barbatus (കാട്ടുപനി കൂർക്ക), Pterocarpus marsupium (വേങ്ങ), Santalum album (ചന്ദനം), Aloe vera (കറ്റാർവാഴ), Kaempferia galanga (കച്ചോലം), Pterocarpus santalinus (രക്തചന്ദനം), Coleus forskohlii, Sida alnifolia (കുറുന്തോട്ടി), and Ocimum tenuiflorum (തുളസി).This project stands as a significant example of community-driven biodiversity conservation, where 4,500 medicinal plants have been planted and nurtured across 450 homes, contributing to the preservation of our invaluable natural heritage. However, we recognize that the knowledge of medicinal plants and their uses, an integral part of our heritage that has been passed down through generations, is at risk of being lost. The proper understanding and application of this knowledge have diminished due to a lack of guidance for the younger generation. To address this, our NGO is planning to conduct a mega camp during the upcoming vacations. This camp will educate students on the importance of medicinal plants, their uses, and the preservation of the unique biodiversity of the Western Ghats, ensuring that this valuable knowledge is passed on to future generations.