PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Haridwar
Sandalwood cultivation, long considered limited to South India, is now spreading to north India too thanks to the persistent efforts of Acharya Balkrishna, claimed Patanjali. It further claimed that the “Sandalwood Forest” model, developed by Patanjali, has proven the possibility of successful sandalwood cultivation in north India under favourable conditions.
As per Patanjali sources, Acharya Balkrishna, began experimenting with sandalwood cultivation nearly two decades ago. At that time, the cultivation was virtually non-existent in north India. Studies conducted on sandalwood plants at Patanjali’s research centres and medicinal gardens yielded positive results.
According to experts, sandalwood is a semi-parasitic tree that requires nutrition from the roots of other plants to grow. Therefore, its cultivation depends on scientific methods and proper management.
The plants planted in the Patanjali Medicinal Garden grew into a “Sandalwood Forest” within a few years. Subsequently, the experiment was successful in other areas, including the Pauri district.
The Acharya said that Uttarakhand’s ‘Sandalwood Forest’ could stop migration. While laying out his vision at the international conference on Vision 2047 at IIT Roorkee, he said that prosperity could be achieved here by properly utilizing local resources. “A few years ago, I visited the hills there where large areas of land were barren and dry. Turning this challenge into an opportunity, I began planting other climate-friendly plants, including sandalwood. After initial efforts, the experiment gradually became successful, and within a few years, the area was covered in greenery,” he said.
