A ritual for all!

We have all kinds of rituals and festivals in India. Given the diversity and culture, every region has something unique, which to others might even come forth as weird.

But this 26-year old ritual in Bhopa, Madhya Pradesh is something which we all should practice, wherever we live. Shop owners at Piplani's Adarsh Market, every year, come together to celebrate the "birthday" of a neem tree.

This year due to the pandemic it was very muted otherwise every year, there are hundreds of children and local officials who attend this ‘birthday.’

Adarsh Market's Rambabu Sharma is the man behind the initiative, who says that the aim was to give back to nature. As people use wood through all stages of their lives, he chose a tree as a symbol. He floated the idea of planting a neem tree 26 years ago on June 21 and since then, this environmental conservation event has been happening every year, like clockwork.

Now isn’t this something we all should celebrate. This birthday cake should be cut every year and surely, it will be the sweetest.