In a small village near Jatni, 61-year-old Dinabandhu Behera, lovingly known as Dina Mausa, sells tea but not for money. Instead, he asks for a sapling.
For over two decades, he has planted thousands of trees, guided by a simple belief “Nurture a tree for 2 years, and it will give for 100.”
Without any fame or funding, he searches for safe spaces where trees can grow and survive. To him, it’s sacred work. “Planting 1 tree is like building seven temples,” he says.
Interestingly, all of Jatni is seeing a green wave of its own, thanks to the community coming together to plant and protect trees -- each sapling is tagged and tied with a rakhi.
Here’s to more towns like Jatni. To more hearts like Dina Mausa’s. And to planting trees — not for applause, but for the future.