Man converts place of death into cradle of life

Vijaysinh Parmar TNN /Amarapar (Rajkot district): Meet Teja Vasani, 50, landless labourer with a passion for nature. This resident of Amarapar village in Jasdan taluka, Rajkot district, has turned a crematorium into an oasis by planting 1,000 trees. Vasani owned two chhagadas which he rented out to make a living. Three years ago, when he decided to plant trees in the crematorium, he sold one for Rs 80,000 and ploughed the money into planting trees and conserving soil. “I’m a casual labourer and had no money to pursue my interest in tree plantation. Also, there was no space in my village for large-scale planting. I found a crematorium but the land was rocky. To make it suitable for cultivation I needed money. So, I sold my chhagada,’’ says Vasani. When he began his work people used to laugh at him and many villagers opposed it. People believed the land was not suitable for growing trees. Some thought he would encroach on it using tree plantation as an excuse. “But, I went ahead working almost 24X7 for two years. I’ve planted 20 different species at the site,” says the determined green activist. Often, Vasani had to sleep in a spot at night where someone had been cremated in the day. But, this didn’t scare or disgust him. “I wanted to complete my mission at any cost. I have nothing to leave behind as a legacy but these trees,” he says. Earlier, he lived with his wife in the village. Now, they have made this crematorium their home.