We want to teach them to live in harmony with nature
and reserve it as our forefathers did.
Set on a rocky rise amidst agricultural land, Shanti Bhavan is part
of the ecosystem of the Deccan Plateau in South India. The Deccan Plateau,
according to geologists, has rocks dating from the Pre-Cambrian Era.
The rocks lend character to the Shanti Bhavan landscape. We have tried
not to blast natural rock formations for purposes of construction. Flowering
bushes sprout from joints in the rocks. They are also the natural habitat
of chameleons, snakes and many species of insect and plant life.
The rocky terrain has stray clumps of wild grasses and bushes. Tiny
yellow, pink, purple and blue wild flowers grow at random in the grass.
Flowers bloom on some of the bushes. Beautiful cactus flowers can be
seen before sunrise on some of the wild cacti.
Groves of Eucalyptus trees border Shanti Bhavan on the Eastern side.
More Eucalyptus green the landscape around. In Shanti Bhavan hundreds
of tree saplings have been planted. A five year old named Jyothi planted
the first sapling on her fifth birthday. There are coconut, papaya,
pomegranate, custard apple, mango, chico and tamarind trees. Gulmohar,
pine and even a species of maple related to the chinar of Kashmir have
taken root. In a few years these trees will provide shades, fruits,
and other by-products. They will be homes for insects, birds and animals.
They will also play a key role in the water cycle.
The rocky soil of Shanti Bhavan has carefully cleaned, mixed and fertilised
to plant home grown vegetables. There are rows and rows of green, yellow,
red and white vegetables. Lettuce, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, red and
white radish, peas, beans, bitter gourd, ridge gourd, snake gourd, cucumber,
pumpkin, tomato, okra, spinach, parsley, coriander, mint, turnips, beetroot,
eggplant and green chillies are some of these vegetables. We have decided
to use eco-friendly fertilisers and pesticides from natural products
such as neem. Compost from kitchen waste is also used.
The garbage disposal unit has been designed with the environment in
mind. Separate compartments for plastic, paper, glass, medical waste
and metal have been constructed. We are educating our staff and children
in the need for sorting and re-cycling garbage. Shanti Bhavan is considering
the necessity of a landfill for solid hazardous waste.
Solar heating and lighting make effective use of the sun's energy.
Sunlight is in abundance at Shanti Bhavan. We have ample hot water for
baths and cleaning purposes.
In the South Indian winter when the north east monsoon is in full
gale, flocks of migratory birds come to the lake. In the grove of trees
near the lake, birds of varied plumage can be seen. They do not intrude
on the parrots, crows, white cranes, sparrows, mynahs, hawks and kingfishers
that live there year round. Their calls fill the air in the early mornings
and late evenings. It is not usual to come across nests of different
kinds at ground and tree level. Field rats and six-inch long scorpions
are among the living creatures that inhabit the campus.
Shanti Bhavan is fortunate to have an abundant supply of ground water.
Our borewells pump up clear, fresh, cool water for domestic and horticulture
needs. We aim to device a strategy that will enable us to use this rich
source of water judiciously. We are aware that if we do not conserve
ground water, the water table will gradually be depleted. If the monsoon
rains failed, the wells could run dry and Shanti Bhavan could face severe
water shortages in the future even though the lakebed is a catchment
area. Water, like all of nature's resources, has to be used with care.
The air around Shanti Bhavan is unpolluted. We have the advantage of
being situated far from main highways and of being surrounded by agricultural
plots. As far as the eye can see there are acres of greenery, which
will be our insurance against air and noise pollution. Since the atmosphere
is so clean, we are able to view the star-studded night sky in all its
brilliance.
The children of Shanti Bhavan are taking their first steps in environmental
awareness by going on nature walks. They delight in catching butterflies
and grasshoppers and in picking wild flowers and nests. We want to teach
them to live in harmony with nature and revere it as forefathers did.
Shanti Bhavan strives to cultivate environmental awareness and conservation
of nature in all its programs. We want to be model ecological concerns.
