At a time when the air in India hangs heavy with nauseating stories of corrupt babas (godmen), he comes across as a breath of fresh air. Though he wears a saffron robe, he does not talk religion or spirituality. He, surprisingly, talks ‘green’!
Meet Manish Tewari, better known as ped-wale-baba (tree baba), who can be spotted pedaling his bicycle on the streets of Lucknow, the capital of India’s most populous State, Uttar Pradesh. A native of Gopalganj, Bihar and a Graduate in English Literature and Political Science, Tewari does not greet people with the usual “namastey”. He will greet you saying “jai vriksh dev” (hail the Tree God).
In his mid 40s, Tewari has been planting saplings and sensitising people for the past two decades. “People find me crazy, they abuse me, and many have even threatened to kill me but I am least bothered. I am happy doing my bit to ensure that the earth gets greener,” says Tewari while wiping off the sweat from his forehead after planting a sapling along a city road, where this correspondent spotted him. He adds, “What hurts me most is that people are happy to talk about preserving nature but when it comes to act, hardly anyone comes forward.”
Prod him about his driving force, and he, while pointing towards the load of saplings on his cycle, says, “I think I am born to do this. I plant saplings, gift them to people, take care of trees, and educate people about trees.” Putting the hoe back in the iron box fitted to its cycle and settling the saplings inside the box, he averred, “When you plant a sapling or take care of a tree, you are doing the biggest service to God, but people fail to realise this.”
“I hate the popular concept of religion in India.”
The word God immediately brings the focus onto his saffron robe, which, in India, makes one relate him to a particular religion. “I love this colour and my attire has nothing to do with my religious preferences. By birth, I am a Hindu-Brahmin, but I hate the popular concept of religion in India. The nation is suffering it and everyday people are being killed or discriminated against in the name of religion,” states ped-wale-baba with a stern face. As Tewari walks forward, he is greeted by one Hafizullah from a neighbouring district, who has come all the way to the State capital looking around for Baba to seek help from him. As per Hafizullah, a couple of local goons have been trying to illegally cut the Neem tree on his land and as he believes ped-wale-baba can prevent that, he has come to him. Baba immediately makes him sit along the road and offers him a cup of tea, which he orders from a roadside tea-stall. After giving a patient hearing, Baba flips out his mobile phone, opens his diary to look for a number and then calls up the concerned forest official. He explains the case and requests the official to to help Hafizullah. “Now when Baba has taken interest, my tree would be saved,” says Hafizullah with gratitude as Baba rubs his back sympathetically.
As Hafizullah leaves, Baba gets up and pays the tea-stall owner. Ask him how he funds his passion, and Baba gets perturbed. He retorts, “See, money has nothing to do with taking care of Mother Nature. It is your civic sense that matters.” Baba soon calms down and explains. “I do not buy saplings nor do I sell them. I collect them from wherever I spot them and until I find a taker, plant them at the several vacant pieces of land across the city.”
And while all of this was happening, a man comes rushing to greet Baba. Realising that Baba is probably talking to a media person, the man introduces himself as KK Trivedi, a Chemistry teacher and a follower of Baba. He excitedly tells, “Baba will not tell you, but please write that he has also donated his body to the Medical College and that Doordashan (the National TV Channel of India) shall shortly be airing a documentary film featuring him.” Look at Baba for a confirmation and he nods with a smile endorsing Trivedi. Without even being prompted to comment, Baba says, “I am not bothered about getting covered by the media. I do not even watch TV. But yes I feel happy about donating my body to the Medical College. Just like a dead tree, this way, I too can be of some use to the society.”
Baba takes a deep breath, bids adieu to this correspondent, waves to the crowd of onlookers and moves ahead on his bicycle. And then someone in the crowd says, “I wish I can do half as much for Nature as he does.”
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