Wedding with a difference, as Mumbai family celebrates by giving back to nature
Parag Shah speaks about the green guest list
In a run-up that is a shout out to climate consciousness, Parag Shah, a real-estate professional, started preparing for his daughter Vidhi’s wedding, scheduled on December 19, by donating 150 saplings to develop a Miyawaki forest in the city. The Miyawaki technique involves planting saplings, usually of native species, very close together in a relatively small space, so that when the trees grow, they give a forest-like impression.
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The saplings have been planted at a Vikhroli gurudwara, said Subhajit Mukherjee, founder of Mission Green Mumbai, who implemented the project.
Mukherjee said, “This is a super and special effort to plant native trees and support urban forest plantation. These trees have been planted to maintain biodiversity. I wish Vidhi Shah and Pranav Raval, the young couple, the best on their journey which has started with an inspirational green milestone.”
Vidhi Shah and Pranav Raval’s new journey begins with a green milestone
Eco-conscious
“I wanted to give back to nature, and what better way than creating a dense, green patch in the city,” said Shah. “I have donated a total of 150 saplings so that the Mission Green Mumbai, with their expertise, can plant these in a befitting manner. The 150 saplings stand for the 150 guests invited to my daughter’s wedding. I learnt that there are approximately 1 crore weddings in India, every year. Just imagine if 1 crore families planted even five trees to mark that occasion, we would have 5 crore trees in India every year, what a huge difference that would make to the environment,” said Shah.
Out-of-the-box
“I have asked my daughter Vidhi and her fiancé Pranav to visit the plantation regularly, to check on how the trees are doing,” said Shah, a Ghatkopar resident. “During functions like these, we usually buy new garments for loved ones. I thought why not buy a new, green piece of apparel for Mother Earth through this Miyawaki method. My friends know me for thinking out of the box, and I may have lived up to my reputation with this one,” he finished with a laugh.
Couple speak
Vidhi said, “My dad has always been a plant lover. He told me that we are always taking, so let us give back in some way. Our guests have been informally informed about this initiative, that a tree has been planted for each one, and many of them were delighted. I would like to tell people that one does not even have to plant 150 saplings, for those who may be intimidated by the scale. Simply plant one or two to begin with, even that is a great start.” For Pranav, the gesture is as simple as showing gratitude to Mother Earth. He said, “Look at global warming and deterioration in conditions. We need to do our bit to repair the lungs of the planet, to make this a better place. There is a lot of talk about climate change, going green and eco-consciousness; translate that into action.” There have been concerted efforts in Mumbai to develop green patches using the Miyawaki method, which is apt for the Maximum City with minimum space.
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