More than 30 years ago, a teenager named Jadav "Molai" Payeng began planting seeds along a barren sandbar near his birthplace in India's Assam region, theAsian Age reports.
It was 1979 and floods had washed a great number of snakes onto the sandbar. When Payeng -- then only 16 -- found them, they had all died.
"The snakes died in the heat, without any tree cover. I sat down and wept over their lifeless forms," Payeng told the Times Of India.
"It was carnage. I alerted the forest department and asked them if they could grow trees there. They said nothing would grow there. Instead, they asked me to try growing bamboo. It was painful, but I did it. There was nobody to help me," he told the newspaper.
Now that once-barren sandbar is a sprawling 1,360 acre forest, home to several thousands of varieties of trees and an astounding diversity of wildlife -- including birds, deer, apes, rhino, elephants and even tigers.
The forest, aptly called the "Molai woods" after its creator's nickname, was single-handedly planted and cultivated by one man -- Payeng, who is now 47.
According to the Asian Age, Payeng has dedicated his life to the upkeep and growth of the forest. Accepting a life of isolation, he started living alone on the sandbar as a teenager -- spending his days tending the burgeoning plants.
Today, Payeng still lives in the forest. He shares a small hut with his wife and three children and makes a living selling cow and buffalo milk. According to the Assistant Conservator of Forests, Gunin Saikia, it is perhaps the world’s biggest forest in the middle of a river.
"We were surprised to find such a dense forest on the sandbar," Saikia told the Times Of India, adding that officials in the region only learned of Payeng's forest in 2008.
Finally, Payeng may get the help -- and recognition -- he deserves.
"[Locals] wanted to cut down the forest, but Payeng dared them to kill him instead. He treats the trees and animals like his own children. Seeing this, we, too, decided to pitch in," Saikia said.
This article is reprinted with permission from the Huffington Post's Good News Channel. More from them: Elderly Couple to Marry Despite Language Barrier Polio Victim Break Dances With Crutches Service Dog Saves Woman By Bringing Her Phone
planting trees to save mother earth??? It's awesome!!!
I thank God for D life of dis man... He must love nature so much...
I can only wish that I could make a difference in the world like this man. There is a special place in Heaven for him.
his is a powerful man ;and am happy he found love ,a wife and kids' yea'this man is bless, give him a good look he is strong look and look very young for his age
यही है हमारे देश का असली नायक!!! ऐसे लोगों को ही सलामी देनी चाहिए न कि "जयराम" कहके "रमेश" भरोसे देश के पर्यावरण को छोड़ना चाहिए!
WOW. AMAZING . Inspiring. Goverment should protect his FOrest.
Thank God they did not name this re-forest as RajivGandhi/IndraGandhi
This man has more will than any one i have recently read about!! He is more powerful than our President and Prime Minister who cannot even have an hecter of land protected. He "Jadav "Molai" Payeng" should be our Minister of Agriculture and Forest as the current one in place have no clue of what a plant is...!! Our prime minister should have him in the ministry asap. We are proud of you Jadav "Molai" Payeng...Jai Hind!!
Great job. Keeping the company of good people brings positivity, creativity in our lives. You have inspired us in many ways. keep up the good work. I will remember you everytime I face a challenge.......and I know the your courage and integrity will guide me to do the right thing....Thank you!!!
I have a comment on the following saying from the Holistic Science view point in our everyday lives:
Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.
- Robert Louis Stevenson -
Comment:
The harvest one reaps each day is the fruits of the past which were planted by one in the past. The seed one plants in one's inner mechanism of mind, body and speech after tasting the fruits will be the fruit of the future. The seed that relates to mankind are the likes and dislikes. A like seed will result in a sweet fruit and a dislike seed will result in a bitter fruit.
e.g. of a seed: Have you have the following projection (seed) after tasting the fruit of hurting, causing someone to hurt or supporting someone hurting even slightly the ego of any living being?
I a total of 9 test of which one can see the seed's which are planted in one's life on a continuously.
Truly inspiring what one person can do if they have passion and great love for what they do. Teaches me to find what I love and grow it to a huge forest.
1 reply: Lisofby | Post Your Reply
Wow, even when it's the fruits of a man's labor people just want to mow it down. You go Molai! Protect your creation and nurture life. I'll remember this story the rest of my life.
1 reply: Barbiecakes | Post Your Reply
The human spirit is capable of so much! Mr. Payeng's vision became a reality. Beautiful...
Hats off to this man and more power unto him!
1 reply: Commdoc | Post Your Reply
On Nov 25, 2013 Girlie wrote:
Its literary meaning "ONE MAN CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE." If he was able to do it why not 10 people share to plant a tree and make sure it will grow, not just plant a tree and let it grow as in the wild...No we have to make sure it will grow.
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