Discover how Aranya transforms barren land into a thriving green sanctuary in the heart of Auroville.
If you are a bird and animal enthusiast, make visiting
the Aranya Forest and Sanctuary in Auroville as one of your bucket lists to meet those tiny flying friends. The Aranya forest and sanctuary lies outside the green belt of Auroville and is located in Poothurai villagenear Pondicherry.
Early days
It all started in 1994, one of the barren lands of Auroville which had only palm trees here and there, has begin to take its shape as a lush evergreen tropic forest with the several measures by the Auroville community to bring back equilibrium of the ecosystem.
Doesn't it sound like creating a forest is a cake walk. Let us walk you through some of the experiments conducted & measures taken to build that green empire.
Contour Bund
It was used to arrest water to nourish the land, enrich the water table, bring back the vegetative growth & prevents soil erosion.
Planting indigenous species
Especially sacred grooves as it can easily adapt to the soil and also to save those plants.
Involve local stake holders
Immense support from volunteers had made the above experiments possible.
As the forest started to grow, it had become home for birds, butterflies and animals. According to recent survey the forest accommodates 248 varieties of birds including the great Indian eagle owl, 248 species of butterflies and 20 varieties of snakes. Afraid of snakes, then that could be a best reason to get in touch with Aranya as they have a workshop on snakes and first aid for snake bites. What could be better than getting rid of fear.
Oh wait, do you know what the birds and butterflies has gifted back Aranya for accommodating them? Yes, you guessed it right; they contributed to the forest to grow bigger and greener by helping in pollination.
Aranya is not only for bird enthusiasts. It helped a lot of biologist and ornithologist to complete their research. The establishment of eco clubs involving school children has sensitized the younger generation on the need for conservation.
Sounds nerdy? It's not over yet.
Guess what, it has lots of adventures games like rope climbing, zip line and so on. It is a green heaven for people who wish for a break from the fast paced city life and get back in touch with peace. Aren't we right about the bucket list thing?
