The Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind (JUH) and the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance (GIWA) join hands and hearts for a Historic Three-Day Peace & Unity Journey
From Rishikesh, Haridwar, Saharanpur, Muzzafarnagar, Deoband to Shamli were covered in the First Phase of this Yatra. Gujarat and Delhi to be covered in Second Phase, during this monsoon season.
Message spread far and wide to inspire millions across the nation and around the world.
25 AUGUST, 2019 RISHIKESH TO MUZZAFARNAGAR: After a plantation at Rishikesh Railway Station the faith leaders stopped by to meet Acharya Balkrishnaji in Kankhal, Haridwar to check on his health. He was very happy to hear about the Hariyali yatra and pledged to donate 50,000 neem trees for the next season.
Thereafter the yatra stopped in Darul Uloom Rasheediya, Subhash Nagar, Jwalapur were they were met by Speaker of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly Shri Prem Chand Agarwalji and Mahant Ravindra Puriji Maharaj, Nirvani Akhara and others to plant trees of hope and healing with children from the localities.
Next stop was Margubpur where Pujya Swamiji delivered a brief but powerful address to hundreds of followers on the crucial need to protect and preserve water and the significance of mass tree plantation. Everyone was deeply inspired to care for the plants and to plant as many trees as the number of children studying at the Madrasa.
The yatra also stopped through Purkaji, Baguwali, Charthawal, Thavli and concluding in Muzzafarnagar for a night halt. The Yatra which includes visits to temples, mosques, madrasas, schools, stations, hospitals and other public places on a trail from Rishikesh to Delhi will move through Saharanpur, Shamli, Deoband and many other locations in the next two days before ending on 27th August at the Gandhi Ashram, Delhi.
26 AUGUST, 2019 DEOBAND & DELHI: Today signified the historic conclusion of first phase of the Aman Ekta Haryali Yatra organized by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind (JUH), Global Interfaith WASH Alliance (GIWA), Parmarth Niketan and the Jamiat Youth Club in an effort to bring Hindu and Muslim faith communities together to take climate action, combating together the devastating effects of environmental degradation and climate change.
As Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, President and Spiritual Leader of Parmarth Niketan, and Maulana Mahmood Madani, Secretary General Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, arrived to Deoband and spoke in one voice on the three pronged objective of the yatra: to inspire mass tree plantation, encouraging everyone to plant at least eleven trees each, preventing the utilisation of single use plastic and working together to conserve water in every capacity through rain water harvesting, treatment of wastewater and prevention of water wastage.
Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji stated, “Time has come for us to work together as one. Haryali – which means greenery and prosperity is the followers of Hari (Hindus) and the followers of Ali (Muslims) come together to make the world a cleaner and greener place for all. Because the next war will be over water and the growing water crisis is becoming a reality of our times. Therefore it is crucially important for us to work together across all faiths building bridges and breaking barriers through our collective efforts to make a cleaner and greener world for all.”
Maulana Mahmood Madani, Secretary General, JUH shared, “In cities like Chennai water scarcity has created a massive call for action. Together with Pujya Swamiji and GIWA, Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind is committed to climate action, interfaith harmony and serving towards a clean and healthy India for all. This yatra is the beginning of our journey together but each one of us must play their part. We can plant the saplings but it’s your job to ensure they grow and thrive into trees providing fruit and shade to our future generations.”
It was in Deoband and Shamli that the faith leaders and community came together to urge for the revival of the Kaala River that is now known as the Kali River due to the massive sewage and industrial pollution in the river.
Pujya Swamiji added, “Just as Sant Seechewalji came forward to revive the Kali Bein River, illustrating the power of the faith community to come forward to be the change they wish to see. Now let us also join our hands and hearts to plan and execute a pilot plan in our own backyard. Let us make this Kali Nadi (Black River) into a River of Light and Love.”
Over the course of the three day yatra over 6,000 trees of fruit, shade, medicinal and other types were delivered by GIWA and Parmarth to five main locations whereby JUH coordinators further transported the select trees to their several locations across the districts. The faith leaders planted and addressed some the main locations but simultaneously tree plantations were taking place in many other locations. Over five districts across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi were covered and as many as 25 locations were covered and inspired by the faith leaders. In the next phase Gujarat and Delhi will be covered in the second phase during this monsoon season.
#HariyaliYatra #ClimateAction #SDGs #LandDesertification #BetheChanget