On the auspicious occasion of the 60th Mani Vizha (pontificate anniversary) of Dharmapuram Adheenam’s SriLaSri Masilamani Desika Gnanasambanda Paramacharya Swamigal, Sadhguru’s Cauvery Calling launched the Temple Forests Project in collaboration with Dharmapuram Adheenam.

The inaugural ceremony was held yesterday at the Vallalarakaram Vadharanyeswarar Temple, where the first sapling was planted by Thavathiru Sivagurunatha Thambiran Swamigal, Junior Pontiff of Dharmapuram Adheenam. The event was attended by Dharmapuram Adheenam Administrator Balaji Babu, Isha Brahmacharis Swami Aloka and Swami Kailasa, along with Tamilmaran, Field Project Coordinator of Cauvery Calling.

Speaking on the occasion, Thavathiru Sivagurunatha Thambiran Swamigal said, “In collaboration with Isha’s Cauvery Calling, Dharmapuram Adheenam has initiated the planting of 1,000 saplings in each of the 60 temples under its jurisdiction to create temple forests.”

Elaborating on the sacred bond between trees and temples, he added, “When we speak of Murthi (deity), Theertham (sacred water), and Sthalam (sacred site), every temple has its Sthala Vriksham (sacred tree). In the Saiva tradition and Indian culture, the divine resides in the form of a tree. Our ancestors created temple forests and sacred groves with the noble intent that abundant tree cover would bring rainfall and preserve nature.”

Tamilmaran, Field Coordinator of Cauvery Calling, explained the broader vision of the initiative, saying, “Sadhguru launched the Cauvery Calling movement to improve farmers’ livelihoods and rejuvenate the river and the environment. As we promote tree-based agriculture among farmers, we also aim to restore the ecological and spiritual heritage of Tamil Nadu through the One Village, One Arasa Maram initiative and the Temple Forests Project. Through these initiatives, our goal is to establish a mini-forest in every panchayat in Tamil Nadu. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Dharmapuram Gurumaha Sannidhanam for graciously providing temple lands for this noble cause.”

He further highlighted that Tamil Nadu once had temple forests in all of its 12,000-plus panchayats. “Our ancestors established temple groves to mitigate climate change, heat, and erratic rainfall. They consecrated deities in these forests and transformed them into places of worship to prevent tree felling. But over time, we destroyed the forests for our own needs. Now it is our duty to restore them. All Adheenams, spiritual organizations, and the public must come together to create temple forests and turn them into native seed banks. Villages like Iluppur and Kadambur were named after trees that have since vanished. Our aim is to revive that legacy. Cauvery Calling will provide free native tree saplings suited to local soil and water conditions after detailed analysis, along with continuous guidance from planting stage to their full growth,” he added.

About Cauvery Calling

Cauvery Calling is a movement launched by Sadhguru to revitalize the Cauvery River and restore ecological balance across the region. The initiative promotes tree-based agriculture, enabling farmers to adopt sustainable livelihoods while replenishing groundwater, enriching soil health, enhancing biodiversity, and increasing green cover across the Cauvery basin—thereby helping sustain the river’s flow throughout the year. The movement aims to facilitate the planting of 242 crore trees across 16.1 lakh hectares of private farmland in the Cauvery basin and has already enabled the planting of over 12.2 crore trees, including 1.36 crore trees in 2024–25 alone.