Nantĥavanäm - நந்தவனம் / नन्दवन - A brief look back

Saŗvam Sarvĕsãrpanam 

A temple is a legacy and a cultural identity which has also progressed sustenance and livelihood of people. One of the essential practices for centuries and a cultural tradition is offering leaves, flowers and fruits in the temples. It is considered as sacred offerings to deities, which symbolize purity, devotion while promoting conservation, the community building a circular economy.

This history of right flowers for use and the offerings dates back to the age of Mahābhāratam

The 13th pařva of the Mahābhāratam - The Anuśāsanapařva, chapter 99, Bĥisĥmā describes a forest as follows in Sĺokha 2 as an answer to King Yudisĥtŗa’s question.

सुप्रदर्शा वनवती चित्रधातुविभूषिता
      उपेता सर्वबीजैश च शरेष्ठा भूमिर इहॊच्यते

Meaning - The well-grown forest is adorned with picturesque views, ornamented and endowed with the best plants and all the seeds are said to be the best in that land.

The Mahābhāratam - Read More on:

Sanskrit

https://archive.sacred-texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs13099.htm

Tamil:

https://archive.org/details/dli.jZY9lup2kZl6TuXGlZQdjZp7kuQy.TVA_BOK_0002439

 

Nantĥavanäm (நந்தவனம் / नन्दवन)

Generally, Nandavanams  are elaborate and pristine gardens associated with Hindu temples. They are similar to sacred groves and were built around temples to provide trees, plants, fruits, flowers, for worship and as medicines for the people.

The name Nantĥavanäm is the same in Sanskrit, Prakrit, Grantham or Dravidian  language. This name appears to connote the same meaning and use from the age of Mahābhāratam, in Buddhist texts, Later Chola tests, sources from Vijayanagar empire and still in use as a common word in Bharathiya society.

In contemporary literature, Kalkis’ “Poņniyin Selvan” describes about Nantĥavanäm when depicting the character “Śenthan Amŭthan”

Therefore, these Flowers, leaves, fruits, roots constitute an important item of devotion in any place of worship. These species have been cultivated, nurtured , saved and have been passed on for generations till now. Traditionally parts of native plants have been used in prayers, rituals and observances. Here is a detail about the number of temples under HR&CE and there are also may temples, which are not under HR&CE.

The Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act XXII of 1959 controls 36,425 temples, 56 mathas or religious orders (and 47 temples belonging to mathas), 1,721 specific endowments and 189 trusts. - Source: Wikipedia

Each temple has a Sţhala Virŭķsham a geographical identifier of the native plant / tree of the land. Even this day, we can still notice and witness these trees in every temple in South of Vindhya and Sāthpŭra ranges - the Deccan peninsula India.

Other than this, there is a daily consumption in huge quantities every temple that we offer Flowers, fruits, leaves and roots while performing Niťhyapōjai (Daily worship), and in smaller quantities in every household.

In ancient Tamil civilizations, culture and societies, the landmass itself was well defined under தினை - “Thiňai” and the land distinctions were named after flowers- the fauna as  குறிஞ்சி, முல்லை நெய்தல் பாலை, மருதம் (Kŭrinji, Mŭllai, Nėithal, Pālai, Marŭdham respectively).

Kuṟiñcippāṭṭu, written by Kapilar classified under the Tamil Sanagam literature - listed under Paththŭppātŭ, has a compile of around many flowers form the mountains regions of western and eastern ghats of the southern peninsula. (Refer the in lines 61 to 95:

 http://www.sangathamizh.com/10paddu/10paddu-nedunalvadai-%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%B1%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%9E%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AA%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9F%E0%AF%81.html)

Another reviving aspect is that, there is also ever growing demand for the native plants, flower, roots as they have medicinal and aromatic plants value. Therefore, conservation and sustainable use of these species are will yield maximum benefits meeting the needs of present and future generations.

The Message:

The Project Nantĥavanäm from Thai(தை) Madurai, Tamil Nādu has been initiated primarily for sustainability to meet the needs of daily consumptions while combating climate change. This project also comes with a host of benefits of enduring biodiversity, health, water conservation while also preserving the culture and the biological heritage of our nation.