Project Sanjeevani

  • Home
  • Project Sanjeevani

Project Sanjeevani

Transforming Green Spaces into Sources of Health

“In a beautiful, green village called Haripur, there lived an old herbalist named Maya. Everyone knew Maya because she knew a lot about herbs and how they could help heal people. Her house was full of jars and bundles of herbs, each one special in its own way.

One day, a young boy in the village named Aarav got very sick with a fever. No doctor could help him get better. His family was very worried, so they went to Maya for help, hoping she could use her knowledge of herbs to cure him. Maya listened carefully, her eyes shining with kindness, and then she went out into nature with her basket just as the sun was coming up.

When she came back, she had ginger, peppermint, and Echinacea with her. She knew these herbs could help Aarav. Ginger could warm him up and fight the infection, peppermint would calm his stomach and help with the fever, and Echinacea could make his immune system stronger. Maya made a special tea with these herbs and gave it to Aarav.

To everyone’s surprise, Aarav started to feel better the very next day. He got stronger and stronger until he was back playing outside, laughing and running around. Everyone was amazed and thankful for Maya’s wisdom.

The story of how Aarav got better spread throughout the village, and it reminded everyone how amazing and powerful nature can be. Maya showed them that herbs can do incredible things for our health. From then on, the people in Haripur would go to Maya whenever they felt sick, learning more about the herbs and how to live in harmony with nature”

DEEKSHA deeply respects nature and the old knowledge it offers. Inspired by stories about preserving nature, we started PROJECT SANJEEVANI. This project honours the tradition of using herbal plants and natural remedies in everyday life and medicine. It connects old wisdom with today’s lifestyles. Our goal is to remind everyone of the value of our herbal heritage, keeping it alive and relevant in our busy world.

Long ago, people relied on nature for healing, using sacred herbs like Tulsi (Holy Basil), Mint (Pudina), Ashwagandha, Aloe Vera, and Neem. These plants were valued for their healing powers and were part of daily health routines. PROJECT SANJEEVANI celebrates this history, aiming to share and keep this knowledge of herbs alive for future generations.

PROJECT SANJEEVANI plans to create Herbal Gardens, more than just plant collections. These gardens will be ecosystems for learning about nature’s healing powers. We have several goals for these gardens:

– Educational Havens: These gardens will be interactive places where people can learn about medicinal herbs, from planting to using them. We want to help people of all ages understand and appreciate herbal medicine.

– Conservatories of Biodiversity: By growing a wide range of medicinal plants, we celebrate and protect our plant heritage, helping to keep rare and valuable species alive.

– Sources of Health and Wellness: We encourage everyone to use herbal remedies in their daily lives. This supports a natural, sustainable way of taking care of oneself, reducing dependence on chemical medicines.

– Beacons of Sustainable Health: These gardens symbolize our commitment to living sustainably and healthily. We promote practices that are good for both our health and the environment.

PROJECT SANJEEVANI is more than a project; it’s a movement towards valuing health, heritage, and living in harmony with nature. We aim to create Herbal Gardens as symbols of hope, healing, and heritage. Join us in this effort to spread health and sustainability, leaving a positive mark on the earth for future generations.

As we embark on this green journey, we invite you to join this transformative movement. Whether you’re interested in natural health, an educational institution wanting to add green spaces, or a community looking to improve its environment and health, there’s a role for you in PROJECT SANJEEVANI.

Together, let’s sow the seeds of health and sustainability, cultivating Herbal Gardens that will stand as beacons of hope and healing for generations to come.

Our Initiatives

Herbal Garden

To date, we have successfully established 456 Herbal Gardens across a diverse range of educational institutions, residential communities, and other organizations throughout the country. Our primary goal with this initiative is to impart comprehensive knowledge about a variety of herbal and medicinal plants, including their propagation, utilization, and maintenance. We are passionate about fostering a sense of responsibility and connection between individuals and these plants. To this end, we encourage everyone to take personal responsibility for a plant, thoroughly understand its characteristics and benefits, and then share this valuable knowledge with others. This approach not only enhances awareness of the importance of these plants but also promotes a culture of learning and sharing within communities, contributing to a healthier, more sustainable environment.

Medicinal Plants in Rural Area

Our project, aimed at encouraging the use of medicinal plants and herbs as home remedies among rural women in Punjab, got tremendous support from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, with help from the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, Chandigarh. We directed our efforts towards the village of Tira in the Mohali District of Punjab, where the local community welcomed us wholeheartedly, playing a crucial role in the success of our initiative.

A significant contribution came from Mr. Avtar Singh, a kind-hearted villager who donated his land for setting up a key herbal nursery. This act was fundamental in our mission to educate and involve the villagers, many of whom were not very literate and were new to modern ways of communication and learning. To make things easier, we used audio-visual aids, making the learning process more engaging and allowing for an interactive atmosphere where everyone felt comfortable to ask questions and express their curiosity.

Furthermore, we arranged for practical demonstrations using potted plants, enabling the villagers to get a close look and learn about the wide variety of medicinal plants. Ms. Deepti, an active member from the Tira community, took on a significant role as the main facilitator in setting up the herbal garden. Her dedication and zeal were key in spreading awareness and motivating the use of medicinal plants among the village women. Through a two-week training session, she acquired detailed knowledge about different medicinal plants and their uses, becoming an essential part of our project’s success and our larger aim of promoting natural health remedies within the community..

Herbal Garden from Wasteland

DEEKSHA teamed up with the Sat Krishna Charitable Trust in Village Narsingpur, Gurugram, to transform a big piece of unused land into a beautiful Herbal and Utility Garden. First, we cleaned up the place really well, removing rubbish, making the ground even, and getting rid of unwanted weeds and bushes. Then, we carefully set up the area with 25 different sections for planting, each for a different kind of herbal plant variety.

The Sat Krishna Charitable Trust, thereafter, took on the responsibility of looking after the garden. In just four months, all our hard work paid off, and we had a lovely, full-grown herbal garden. This garden became a special place for the people living nearby, who found the plants useful in many ways. Everyone in the community have appreciated our efforts and thanked us for it, showing that when we all work together to take care of our environment, we can make a big, positive difference.

Garden of Three Sense’s at the Institute for the Blind, Sector 26, Chandigarh

DEEKSHA adopted an inclusive approach by developing a Garden of Three Sense’s at the institute for the Blind in Chandigarh. As the visually challenged children could not see the herbal plants and make use of them, we developed an innovative methodology in which the herbal plants were segregated into three categories by which they could be identified:

  • Touch
  • Smell
  • Taste

By this way, the visually challenged children were able to first learn the identification of and then make usage of the herbal plants.

Workshops For Educationists

If you want to bring about a change – start from the educationists for it is them who can shape the destiny of the world. Keeping this in mind and In order to propagate the usage of herbal plants, a major training workshop was organised by DEEKSHA for the teachers of various schools and colleges of Punjab at Mohali supported by Punjab Education Board. During this workshop all the participants were given exposure to the uses of herbal plants. All the participants were made aware about the uses of various herbal plants and how their regular usage can keep a lot of health challenges away.

Herbal with Pantaloons

During one of the novel initiatives along with Pantaloons India, Volunteers of DEEKSHA interacted with and sensitized the shoppers who visited the Pantaloons store at Elante Mall, Chandigarh about environmental issues related to herbalism, conserving tree cover, and waste management which impact our lives. An interactive quiz was also organized involving the shoppers while they shopped. Over 150 herbal plants were also distributed to the shoppers who shopped at the outlet and were made aware of their usage. The shoppers were pleasantly surprised and showed very high interest in the interaction.

Archives

 A few of the herbal plants are listed below along with their uses for your reference
# Scientific Name Common Name Medicinal Values Part(s) Used
1 Abrus Precatorius Ratti Swellings, Purgative, Emetic, Aphrodiasic Leaves, Seeds
2 Acorus Calamus Vach CNS Stimulant, Carminative, Tonic Rhizome
3 Withania Somnifera Ashgandh General Weakness, Diuretic, Antibiotic, Antibacterial Roots, Leaves
4 Adhatoda Vasica Vasaka Expectorant, Bronchitis Leaves
5 Aloe Vera Ghrit Kumari Purgative, Cosmetics Leaves
6 Alpinia Galanga Barakulanjan Rheumatism, Stomach Disorders Rhizome
7 Althea Officinalis Gulkhera Demulcent, Emollient Roots
8 Ammi Majus Atri Lal Leucoderma Fruits
9 Andrographis, Paniculata Kalmegh Tonic, Fever, Worms, Dysentery Stem, Leaves, Inflorescence
10 Anethum Graveolens Soya Condiment, Carminative Fruits
11 Artimesia Anua Sweet Worm Wood Malaria, Fevers Aerial Part
12 Asparagus, Racemosus Shatawari Demulcent, Diuretic, Aphrodisiac Roots
13 Asparagus, Adscendens Safed Musli Demulcent, Diarrhoea Roots
14 Bacopa Monniera Brahmi Diuretic, Nerve Tonic, Cardiotonic, Insanity Whole Plant
15 Balanitis Roxburghii Hingot Steriod Harmones, Oral Contraceptives Seeds, Oil
16 Barleria, Prionites Kala Bansa Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Febrifuge Bark Juice, Leaves, Roots
17 Caesalpinia, Bonducella Karanjwa Tonic, Antipyretic Seeds
18 Cannabis Sativa Bhang Sedative, Anti-Spasmodic, Analgestic, Stomachic Leaves, Flowers
19 Carissa Carandas Karaunda Pickles, Jams Fruits
20 Catharanthus Roseus Sada Bahar Anti Cancer Activities Roots, Leaves
21 Cassia Angustifloia Senna Laxative, Cathartic, Purgative Leaves,Fruits
22 Centella Asiatica Mandukaparni Diuretic, Tonic, CNS 8 Skin Diseases Whole Plant
23 Cichoriurn Intybus Kasni Fever, Vomiting, Diarrhoea, Spleen Enlargement, Stomachic, Diuretic Roots
24 Cissus, Quadrangularis Hadjor Joining Of Fractured Bone Stem
25 Clerodendron Phlomidis Arni Gunela Worms, Gonorrhea, Demulcent, Nervous Disorders Leaves, Roots, Root Bark
26 Clerodendrun Viscosum Ushna Tumors, Skin Disease, Hernia, Fever, Malaria Leaves, Roots
27 Clitorea Ternatea Shankpushpi Purgative, Cathartic, Diuretic Seeds, Roots
28 Coleus Froskohlii Patharchur Hypertension, Asth ma, Vasodla lation, Cardiac Problems Tubers
29 Cymbopogon Citratus Lemon Grass Cold, Cosmetics Leaf Oil
30 Datura Stramonium Datura Expectorant, Demulcent, Asthma, CNS Stimulant Leaves, Seeds
31 Dioscorea Bulbifera Zimikand Asthama, Bronchitis, Dyspepsia, Piles, Tumours Diosgenin Bulbs
32 Dioscorea Floribunda Ratalu Steroid Hormone Dlosqenln Bulbs
33 Dracaena Sanderina Lucky Bamboo Antimalarial, Antibacterial, Antifungal Plant Extract
34 Emblica Officinalis Aonla Diuretic, Carminative, Cooling, Astringent Fruits, Flowers, Bark
35 Glycirrhiza Glabra Mulheti Tonic, Laxative, Gastric Ulcers Roots
36 Glycosmis Pentaphylla Ban-Nimbu Fever, Liver Complaints etc. Fruits
37 Gymnema Sylvestre Gudmar Jaundice Leaves
38 Jatropa Curcas Jangli Arand Purgative, Biofuel Seeds
39 Lepidium Sativum Haloon Stimulant, Diuretic, Tonic, Aphrodiasic Leaves, Seeds
40 Linum Usitatissimum Alsi Gonorrhoea, Nervine & Cardiac Tonic, Diuretic, Emollient Leaves, Flowers, Seeds
41 Majorana Hortensis Murwa Sprains Of Paralytic Limbs, Carminative, Stimulant Leaves, Flower Heads, Oil
42 Mentha Arvensis Pudina Carminative, Refrigerant, Stimulant Leaves
43 Mentha Piperita Vilaiti Pudina Carminative, Vomiting, Headache, Rheumatic Pains, Cough Drops Leaves
44 Mentha Aquatica Tivra Headache, Cholera Volatile Oil
45 Matricaria Chamomilla Babuna Tonic, Gastric Stimulant Seeds
46 Moringa Oleifera Sonjna Gout, Acute Rheumatism Seed Oil
47 Neriurn Indicum Kaner Ringworm, Cardiac Stimulant Roots, Dried Leaves
48 Nyctanthes Arbortristis Harsinghar Laxative, Diuretic, Cholagouge, Fevers, Expectorant Leaves, Seeds
49 Ocimum Sanctum Tulsi Bronchitis, Asthma, Cold, Digestion, Urinary Complaints Leaves, Seeds
50 Ocimum Basilicum Bantulsi Dysentery, Chronic Diarrhoea Leaves
51 Plantago Major Lahuriya Inflammation Of GIT & GUT Seeds
52 Plantago Ovata Isabagol Dysentely, Digestive Disorders Seeds
53 Pluchea Lanceolata Rasna Cooling Effect Aerial Part
54 Plumbago Zeylanica Chitrak Appetizer ,Skin Diseases, Diarrhoea, Scabies, CNS Stimulant Roots, Milky Juice
55 Polianthes Tuberosa Rajnigandha Diuretic Emetic, Gonorrhoea Bulbs
56 Psorelia Corylifolia Babchi Leucoderma, Leprosy Skin Diseases Seeds (Resin)
57 Rauwolfia Serpentina Sarpgandha Insanity, Insomnia, Schizophrenia, CNS Disorders Roots
58 Rauwolfia Canescens Barachandrika Chronic Skin Infections Bark
59 Rourea Minor Vidhara Diabetes, Rheumatism Roots
60 Ruta Graveolens Sadab Anthelmintic, Antispasmodic Oil
61 Santalurn Album Chandan Cooling, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Expectorant, Fevers Roots, Wood
62 Saraca Indica Ashok Astringent, Antipyretic Stern Bark
63 Sarcostemma Acidum Somlata Insect Repellent Stem
64 Silybum Marianum Milk Thisle Anti Diabetic Flowers
65 Solanum Nigrum Makio Liver Ailments, Dropsy Leaves, Fruits
66 Tamarix Aphylla Farash - -
67 Tecoma Stans Pila Kaner Diuretic, Vermifuge, Tonic Roots
68 Tinospora Cordifolia Giloe Dysentery, Joints Pain, Arthiltis Dried Stem
69 Tylophora Indica Antamul Fevers, Rheumatic Arthritis Leaves
70 Urginea Indica Jangli Pyaz Expectorant, Stimulant, Cardio Tonic, Bronchitis, Epidermal Carcinoma, Asthma Bulbs
71 Viola Serpens Banafsa Swellings Root Paste
72 Vetiveria Zizanioides Khas Swellings Root Paste
Note: The list above is only indicative and not exhaustive.