Saalumarada Thimmakka age 106, Karnataka state lo unna Hulikal village lo puttindi ee old lady. Aa rojullo almost 13 years age ragane girls ki marriage chesevaru. Alane mana Thimmakka marriage kuda chala tender age lo undaga ‘Chikkaiah’ tho marriage chesaru.
As Thimmakka and Chikkaiah not blessed with childrens they decided to plant tree saplings and tend to them as their own children.
Some years aipoyayi ee iddariki pillalu puttaledu, chala mandi doctors daggara check cheyisthe villaki eppatiki pillalu puttarani telisindi. Labourer ga work chese Chikkaiah ee vishayam vinnaka chala bada paddadu. Appude ‘Thimmakka’ ki oka idea vachindi adi entante tree plantation.. Pillalu lekapothe eh trees ne mana children anukundham ani ‘Chikkaiah’ tho cheppindi.
Started with 10 Banyan saplings couple selflessly planted almost 8000+ trees saplings till date.
Ala ee iddaru ‘Hulikal and Kudoor’ madhya 5 Kms road lo 10 Banyan saplings ni plant chesaru. Ika idi next year ki 15 aa next 20 ila prathi trees count pergadam tho ee couple ki pillalu leni badha tiripoyi ade paniga chetlu natadam lo nimagnam aipoyaru.
Ila villu natina chetlani ekkada cattles like goats and cows tintayo ani cheppi vati chuttu mulla (horns) tho cover chesevaru. Anthe kadu vitiki regular water kuda posevaru. Ila 10 trees tho modaliana villa journey ippudu ekanga trees 8000+ varaku vellindi.
Earned ‘Vrikshamitra and Mother of trees’ fame and bunch of state and national awards but she belongs to below poverty line.
Yes, 65 years span lo husband Chikkaiah tho kalisi Hulikal and Kudoor’ madhya almost 385 banyan trees pnat chesindi ‘Thimmakka’. 40 years age lo undaga suicide chesukundam anukunna Thimmakka tana husband support and encouragement tho tana 66 years life mottham trees planting ke dedicate chesindi.
1991 lo tana husband chanipoina trees planting ni continue chesthu Karnataka lo unna different regions lo ippati varaku 8000+ trees plant chesindi. Ime chesthunna environmental efforts and cauase ni gurtinchina state and central governments and different societies enno awards iccharu. Ala imeku ‘Vrikshamitra and Mother of trees’ ane birudu kuda ravadam Karnataka people antha alane pilavadam start chesaru.
Intha chesina ime matram inka below poverty line kinda and Karnataka government icche 500 pension eh emeku major income source. She later started a Thimmakka Foundation NGO with support of his adopted son to plant more trees.
Ala ime chesthunna selfless efforts gurthinchina central government recent ga most civilian award ‘Padma Shri’ tho sanmaninchindi.
Idi mana Mother Of Trees Saalumarada Thimmakka inspiring story. This old lady deserves Padma Shri and deserves respect and honor for all the right reasons.
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