Green Somethings: The Blog

Ramayana Tales

In ancient India, trees were always revered and environment was respected and worshiped. Our wise sages had realised the importance of planting trees and protecting the bio-diversity long back. Ramayana enjoys a hold on Indian masses which no other epic has. Tales from this mythological treatise have been a source of inspiration for ages. Amazingly, this epic has helped in spreading awareness for combating the green house effect in the present times. 

An NGO in Sonbhadra district, about 250 Kms from Lucknow has found a unique way to deal with the global warming. This NGO Raunak Evam Jagruk Samaj Sanstha (REJSS) is fighting climate change by conducting recitation of the Ramayana and of distributes saplings as prasad to the devotees. As prasad is revered the saplings are happily accepted and planted. 

The program was started in June 2009. They have conducted in many places as Varanasi, Chandauli, Mirzapur and Sonbhadra. It has distributed more than 18,000 saplings  

Initially, they had organised environmental awareness programs for school students in Uttar Pradesh. However, it lacked mass appeal. Connecting religion and environment proved to be a powerful way to create impact, which is followed with positive and concrete action. 

Green living is all about an open mindset while finding and incorporating such ideas by implementing these in our daily life. 

Article inputs by Nupur Roopa

Go Vedic with Omved

My friend suffers from extremely  dry skin and is unable to use moisturisers being allergic to most. She keeps trying different products without any respite. This time when she visited, I found a perceptible change in her skin. Gone was the red flakiness and the texture looked smooth. She had found a product which suited her skin well. And why not coming from the traditional wisdom of Vedas it had to!

On her recent visit to Mumbai, she visited Omved  at the Napeansea Road. Here she found the Omved Naturals range,  and since then she has become a great fan.

Omved is a brain child of Priti Mehta and Sucheta Khandwala,  who wanted to follow the vedic way of life. Years of research and discussions with experts  led to the creation of Omved in the later years. Prroducts are created by adhering to stringent quality codes. Interestingly, Omved provides a complete vedic solution for daily life.

Naturals
Omved Naturals has products for the face, hair and body. Baby products include moisrurising lotion, hair and body wash, diaper rash cream, baby oils, baby ubtan and bath bars. Special pregnancy safe range consists of  trimester oils, stretch balms, roll ons for easing the labour pains and morning sickness, bath bars and post-partum herbal soak. My friend loves the shower gels and scrubs which she uses happily.

Yoga
They have products, which can help you in the yoga practice like PVC-free yoga mats, cmeditational candles chakra roll ons, clothing, neti and netra shuddhi kits.

Vastu
The vastu range included grahshanti dhoops, compass and directional guidance sets, remedial pyramids.

Bhakti
The bhakti range has japa chanting bags, meditation kits with mantra CDs, handcrafted malas, pooja sets in bronze, pooja samgri kits.

Rasa
The rasa (Essence) range includes aromatic plant fragrances, medicinal remedies ayurvedic herbal dhoops, meditation candles and natural potpourris. Their Fascinating  reed diffusers are great eco-friedly options for room fresheners. These reeds absorb the natural oils and gently diffuse over a period of weeks as air moves around in your home. The reeds are flame less so there is no smoke, no wax or any risk of fire.

They have outlets only in Mumbai.  Omved will be on my agenda next time I visit the city,  though I wish they had an online store so that I could order right away.

Article inputs by Nupur Roopa

Hands of India

 If you want to buy unique handicrafts from all over India come to HandsofIndia. As the name suggests these are created by hand using natural products in an eco-friendly way. Traditional handicrafts have always been eco-friendly and find inspiration from nature. 

A dream project started by two sisters Malyada and Ramya, who are passionate about the rich tradition of hand crafts in India. They rightly believe that it's the sustainability of the natural processes used by the artisans makes it a green living option.

Their home in Vridavan was always full of simple, eco-friendly and handmade things. This love for traditional crafts was imbibed in childhood took a shape of this enterprise.

Here you will find charming hand crafts from all parts of India. The apparel range consists of blouse piece sets with lovely borders. Anyone who is fond of wearing saris would love to have. I found the scarves, stoles in bright hues very appealing.

Cloth bags and mobile covers look trendy. Home furnishings includes bedspreads and cushion covers in white with hand embroidery.

Take a look at lovely hair accessories in filigree work of pure sterling silver are just exquisite. The clips in shape of a heart and a butterfly. Attractive Hyacinth jewellery boxes and trash baskets and palmwood jewellery boxes are also available. India has a great tradition of crafts and when you witness this in places like the Hands of India you cannot help feeling proud of the heritage.

You can buy online and choose from two shipping modes of delivery.

Check out at -

Hands Of India,
C-209, Sheetal Vihar,
Plot No 10, Sector 23,
Dwarka, New Delhi – 110075
Ph: 0091-9845227919

Article inputs by Nupur Roopa

The Living

 A shop full of cane baskets in different shapes and size, table mats made of banana ribs, natural clothing, and traditional silk bags from Rajasthan and colourful toys is what The Living Store at Bangalore, is all about..

It was opened in 2009 by Chetan K Shivprasad with a group of environmentally concerned individuals from a diverse professional background who practice and help to spread awareness of an eco-conscious lifestyle.

The primary objective behind the store is to revive traditional handicrafts. It works on two principles-

 - All products marketed at the store are eco conscious.

- The store follows fair trade principles and would like to work with entrepreneurs who follow the same principle.

Traditional crafts have always been eco-friendly designed from the locally available products which also provided employment opportunities to people. These products are purchased from rural and women's self groups all over India. 

You can find household and office products,, table top accessories, lampshades, handicrafts, alternative energy products and organic food. There are musical instruments from Auroville with interesting shapes and musical chimes. 

Lovely palm leaf products from Kerala, bamboo jewelry and pens are also stocked. Traditional wooden toys from Channapatna, near Mysore, which have with natural colours are also available. Magazines, other reading material and children’s books on environmental and ecological issues can also be purchased. The product range is from Rs 30 to Rs 4000.

Various workshops are conducted from time to time. The website is under construction, but you can see them on Facebook-  The Living Store

Contact Details:

The Living 

#56, Tatana Mane Compound,  
III Main Road, Chamarajapet 
Bangalore 560018 
Ph : 9241715008 / 9901303390

Article inputs by Nupur Roopa 

Gift a Tree

Trees are considered sacred in India. The belief has been propagated since the ancient times by our wise ancestors who realised the importance of trees. They integrated the conservation and protection with religion to make effective. Due to intense urbanization the green cover has reduced drastically in the last few years. The impact of global warming is been experienced throughout the world. The solution is simple; plant more trees just as treesforfree.org is doing in Bangalore.

'Trees for Free’ was founded in 2005 by Janet Yegneswaran. She started this initiative when she found her friends complaining about the diminishing green cover in Bangalore. Initially, she planted trees for the neighbors and herself took care of the trees. In the last four years, her organisation has planted around 11,550 tree saplings.  

‘Trees for free’ has many volunteers who share the passion for environment and help in spreading awareness, facilitate planting and maintenance. They use posters, advertisements on the radio and stickers to publicize. Saplings are bought from the Forest Department every year in the monsoons. However, planting is done all throughout the year. 

At present they do this only in Bangalore. You can join as a volunteer, or become a 'tree planting member' by giving Rs.100 every month to plant a tree. Even better is that you can now gift Trees on birthdays or anniversaries. Write to 'Tree for Free' at rajanetyeg@gmail.com 

Article inputs by Nupur Roopa