On the fourth day of Navratri, the Devi Kushmanda is incarnated in a century year old woman who is the mother of 8000 Green children.
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My journey began more than a hundred years ago, in a village Gubbi taluk in Tumakuru District of Karnataka. I was born to a labour class parents Chikkarangayya and Vijayamma and was lovingly named Thimmakka.
Since we lived in grovelling poverty and survived on daily wages my parents had no means to send me to school and give proper education. With lack of facilities from an early childhood, I accompanied my parents to the quarry, while they got busy with quarrying activities, I took up grazing of sheep and cattle and would help to carry stones as a coolie.
Even before I could realise, my parents got me married off to Bikkalu Chikkayya who was a son of another labourer.
My married life was peaceful, my husband Chikkayya was very understanding. We both wanted to become parents and complete our happy family. Even after many years of marriage, I was unable to bear a child, I believe, destiny had some different plans. I did everything in my capacity to bear a child, I prayed to the almighty, performed various rituals and visited temples. I was trying to conceive for more than 20 years, yet my prayers went unanswered. It started disturbing my mental health and at the age of 40, I wanted to end my life by committing suicide. My husband at that point gave me a new purpose and together we decided to plant trees and take care of them like our own children. Thus, after our hard day’s work as a daily labourers, the evening was spent planting saplings on the sides of the long stretch road.
My husband Chikkayya and I started by planting 10 banyan saplings in a row for several kilometres on either sides, in the first year we completed a stretch of 4 kms. These samplings were just like my children so we protected them from cattle and other animals from grazing, I created fencing around them with thorny shrubs. Without fail, every evening, me and my husband carried water for a long distance to nurture all the saplings, over a period of time, we planted over 384 banyan trees that are standing tall.
These children of mine provide shelter and shade to many travellers. They produce fruits which is eaten by many birds and alternatively has became a home for all species. We are emotionally connected to each and every tree planted by us. It gives me sense of satisfaction that every part of the tree can be an excellent fertilisers and have a great medicinal value. Hence my every child is known as National tree of India.
Few years later my husband Chikkyya died leaving me with my 8000 grown up green children. I did not receive a formal education but recognition came my way long after my husband’s death in the year 1995.
I was honoured with the National Citizen’s Award of India. The Government of India conferred me with the Padma Shri award in year 2019, which is the highest civilian award in the Republic of India.
Due to my work of planting thousands of Banyan trees, I am now fondly called ‘Saalumarada Thimmakka’, it means the row of trees fame Thimmakka.
People around the world say that I have brought worldwide recognition to the state of Karnataka through my incredible and massive environmental services. There is also an environmental organisation named after me in the U.S. called Thimmakka’s Resources for Environmental Education.
My work caught attention of the international media, and at a age of 105, I was named by the BBC as the 100 most influential women in 2016.
Today, the trees I have planted are worth several crores of rupees yet my life has no respite from poverty. It is a very sorry state that at age 105, I am dependent on a pension of Rs. 500/- given by the government, which is the sole source of my income. Most of my savings are today spent on the illness and hence my next mission is to bring hospital close to my village, Kadur. A trust has been set up to secure a land and construct a hospital in the place where no medical aid is easily available.
Today at my age, I still want to continue my fight against afforestation and will attend every tree planting initiative in the state. My journey of becoming an environmentalist was only possible due to the unconditional support of my husband and the purpose he showed me.
Today my green children have made me a role model to the entire world. And I wish, everyone should plant one sapling to make world a better for our own children.
Written by Anjusha Chaughule