Celebrate International Day of Forests & World Poetry Day with Tina Khatri. DIY tree experiments, Warli art, and baked forest seed brittle.
Rhythm of the Roots: Celebrating Forests and Poetry
By TINA KHATRI
Imagine a forest not just as a collection of trees, but as a grand, living library. Every leaf is a page, every rustle of the wind is a verse, and the roots deep underground are the ancient stories that hold the world together. On March 21, we celebrate two intertwined wonders: the forests that give us breath and the poetry that gives us a voice.
In India, our connection to the Aranya (forest) is thousands of years old. From the Vedic sages who wrote in the woods to the modern-day poets who find peace under a Banyan tree, nature has always been our greatest muse. Today, we invite you to step into the green, bake a forest-inspired treat, and find the rhymes hidden in the trees.
DIY Experiment: The "Vriksha-Swas" (Tree Breath) Test
We often forget that trees are active, breathing beings. This simple experiment proves that every leaf is working hard to keep our planet cool and our clouds full.
- Materials: A clear plastic bag and a piece of string.
- The Setup: Find a sunny branch on a living tree. Wrap the clear bag around a cluster of leaves and tie it tightly at the base.
- The Wait: Leave it for 3 hours in the afternoon sun.
Warli "Vriksha-Doha" Art
Celebrate World Poetry Day by combining a traditional Hindi couplet (Doha) with the minimalist beauty of Warli art. Copy this Doha and draw your own forest dancing around it.
तरुवर फल नहिं खात है, सरवर पियहिं न पान |
कहि रहीम परकाज हित, संपति सँचहिं सुजान ||
(The tree does not eat its own fruit; the lake does not drink its own water.
The wise serve others for the benefit of all.)
Draw triangular stick figures and trees around this verse to complete your Warli masterpiece!
Baked Forest Seed Brittle
In Indian tradition, seeds represent the "potential" of a whole forest. This warm, crunchy snack is a modern take on the classic jaggery chikki.
The Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats, ½ cup crushed jaggery (gud), 2 tbsp each of sesame, sunflower, and melon seeds.
The Bake:
Melt jaggery with ghee, stir in ingredients. Spread thin on a tray and bake at 160°C for 12–15 mins. Once cooled, break into "bark" shards!
Rhyme-in-the-Forest Word Search
Forests have a rhythm, just like a poem. Can you find the rhyming pairs hidden below?
F R E E Q W E R B T
G O O D Y M A I N U
B E E I F R U I T O
P A S K N E E D F G
S T O O D H J K L L
Z X C V G R A I N B
N M Q W E R T Y U I
F L U T E O P A S D