Our Village's Secret Forest: A Story from Purba Atapur



Our village, Purba Atapur, in Sandeshkhali, has a very special place. We call it the 'Jongoler Than'—the forest shrine. It’s not a very big forest, but it’s full of life. It is the home of the goddess Ma Manasa.

When I was a child, my grandfather would always tell us, "Stay away from there! It is a holy place, and we must respect it." We never understood why. Why couldn’t we play there? Why was no one allowed to cut trees or hunt animals?

Later, when I was in Class 10, my science teacher helped me understand. He said, "The 'Jongoler Than' is our village's biggest treasure. All the plants and animals you see there—the jackals, the snakes, the birds—they all have a special job. They keep our village healthy."

I remember one year, our houses were full of rats. My father said, "This must be because the snakes are not doing their job. We need them to keep the rats away." It was then I realized that everything in nature is connected. If one part is gone, the whole system suffers.

The forest gives us many gifts. It keeps our soil strong, it soaks up rainwater, and it fills our mornings with the sweet songs of birds. And all this happens because of our faith. Our old traditions and our belief in Ma Manasa have created a safe place for nature. It's a protected area, not by any law, but by our hearts.

Now, I take our village's children to the shrine. I tell them about the People's Biodiversity Register—a list of all the plants and animals in our village. I show them how the birds build nests and how the ants work. I tell them that our faith is the best tool we have to protect nature.

This small forest is our village's local hotspot. It shows us that religion and science can work together to protect our home. It reminds us that we are all part of one big family—the family of nature. It is our duty to protect this treasure for the future.

contact - swapan@sukherswarga.org 

7074365525( WhatsApp only) 

Mangrove CSR initiatives in Sundarbans | Mangrove CSR INITIATIVES IN KOLKATA| MANGROVE PLANTATION| Mangroves Restoration| Carbon Footprint, Carbon sink | carbon credits| top 10 NGO in Sundarbans 

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