Vijay Singh
Surat (Gujarat) [India], July 21: On the auspicious occasion of Ashadhi Beej, renowned environmentalist ‘Greenman’ Viral Desai organized a mega tree plantation and sapling distribution drive at Shri Shivshakti Ramdev Alakhdham, located in Gangadhara village near Palsana.
Popularly known as the ‘Mini Ranuja’ of South Gujarat, the Ashadhi Beej festival at this Alakhdham holds immense cultural and religious significance across the region. Over 2.5 lakh devotees from various districts, including Surat, Bardoli, Navsari, Bharuch, and Valsad, gathered to seek the blessings of Baba Ramdev Pir.
Marking this pious day, Viral Desai distributed thousands of eco-friendly saplings to the devotees as ‘Prasad’. Furthermore, a large-scale tree plantation drive was executed in the temple’s gaushala premises in the holy presence of the temple’s spiritual head, Gadipati Shri Yogeshwar Bapu.
Expressing his profound gratitude and joy on this occasion, Viral Desai said:
“To plant trees on the sacred land of Alakhdham and seek the blessings of Ramdev Pir on Ashadhi Beej feels like a divine mandate from a cosmic power. Blending spirituality with sustainability, the initiative further advanced Satyagraha Against Pollution and Climate Change, reaffirming that serving nature is among the highest forms of devotion. On this day, common people wait in long queues for hours just to enter the temple and get a glimpse of the deity. It is surely a divine sign that we were blessed with the opportunity to plant trees on this holy soil. I am also deeply heartened by the enriching spiritual dialogue I had the privilege to share with Gadipati Yogeshwar Bapu.”
It is worth noting that while ‘Greenman’ Viral Desai has successfully developed seven urban forests within Surat city, he remains continuously dedicated to expanding the green cover in the outer and rural areas of Surat as well.
