12/25/2022
in Biodiversity, Education, Environment, Heritage, Village Life
The earthen homes in Raghunathpur, Jharkhand.
All beings pervade the same elements of nature, the Panchtatvas. The same five elements pervade all beings and nature (air, water, earth,…
12/15/2022
in Biodiversity, Education, Environment, Mindfulness, The Vrikshalaya Center, Uncategorized, Village Life
A Biologist’s Values
The more I learn about other species The embracing connectedness of nature glares at me The more I care about their habitats…
12/15/2022
in Education, Environment, Events, Group Visits, Mindfulness, The Vrikshalaya Center, Visitors
A slow trek, contemplating Nature and Resilience
What to expect when you travel from a place that never goes below 18-20 degree centigrade to temperatures from 0-2 degree centigrade?…
06/11/2021
in Activism, Biodiversity, Education, Environment, Food culture, Heritage, Himalayan communities, Inspiration, Village Life
Remembering Sunderlal Bahuguna on World Environment Day, 2021.
Clad in a white Khadi Kurta Pajama, a distinguished man with a long flowing beard was on indefinite fast on the bank…
12/12/2020
in Himalayan communities, Poetry
Haibun Poem, Sentinels, by Neera Kashyap
This ‘haibun’ poem, Sentinels, was published recently in INNSAEI journal in its December 2020 issue. It’s about the hills; the magical appearance…
12/10/2020
in Biodiversity, Education, Environment, Events, Himalayan communities, Inspiration, Mindfulness, NOLS, Programs, The Vrikshalaya Center, Village Life, Yoga & Meditation
ICIMOD Mountain Prize 2020 honors the women of Majkhali, Uttrakhand, India
Great news! The Majkhali village homestay mothers’ group, the Jagrati Swayam Sahayta Group, has won the ICIMOD Mountain Prize 2020. (www.icimod.org/mountainprize) This…
08/19/2020
in Himalayan communities, Inspiration, Mindfulness, Poetry
Freedom Beats – a poem by Neera Kashyap.
Here is the poem, Freedom Beats by Neera Kashyap. It was published last week in a poetry anthology called Freedom Raga. Freedom…
08/19/2020
in Himalayan communities, Inspiration, Mindfulness, Poetry
Summer home – a poem by Neera Kashyap
Summer home is based on the traditional Japanese Tanka structure of of 5/7/5/7/7 syllables per verse. It was first published in Mountain…
08/19/2020
in Himalayan communities, Inspiration, Mindfulness, Poetry
Nanda Devi – a poem by Neera Kashyap
Nanda Devi is loosely based on the traditional Japanese Tanka structure of 5/7/5/7/7 syllables per verse. It was first published in the…
07/23/2020
in Education, Health, Mindfulness, NOLS, The Vrikshalaya Center, Yoga & Meditation
How to contemplate nature; 3 steps towards mindful living
Nature-centred mindfulness is a great way to start meditation practice for a beginner, and also a beautiful practice for more experienced mindfulness…
04/04/2020
in Education, Environment, Health, Mindfulness, Uncategorized
Suman and her handmade masks.
Trusting in a gut feeling. Suman Bishnoi and her husband Surender Kumar live in Paonta Sahib in Himachal Pradesh. Suman said that…
03/30/2020
in Activism, Biodiversity, Environment, Heritage, Himalayan communities, Inspiration, Mindfulness, tribal communities, Village Life
Chipko Andolan; The Original Treehuggers
45 years ago, in 1970’s, there was a non-violent grassroots protest movement aimed at the protection and conservation of biodiversity of trees…