Day 16 of the "virtual (digital) tour" of places known for unusual customs, practices, mysterious phenomena. This post is part of the A to Z Challenge and Blogchatter A2Z 2026
It’s simple: every time a baby girl is born, the community comes together to plant 111 saplings. This specific number is chosen because it is considered auspicious in local culture.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
The movement began in 2006, led by the former village head, Shyam Sundar Paliwal. After losing his 17‑year‑old daughter, Kiran, he planted a tree in her memory and decided to turn his personal grief into a programme that would benefit every girl in the village.
Since then, the villagers have planted an incredible number of trees transforming what was once dry, barren land into a lush green oasis. The number of trees planted range from 286,000 to over 350,000.
SECURING THE FUTURE
The practice goes far beyond simply planting trees. To ensure each girl has a bright future, the village takes several important steps.
- The villagers and parents contribute money to open a fixed deposit account in a bank for the girl. This sum, roughly Rs 31,000, can be accessed when she turns 18 or 20 to pay for her education or wedding.
- Parents must sign an affidavit pledging that they will not marry their daughters off before the legal age of 18 and that they will ensure she receives a proper education.
- Families don’t just plant the saplings; they must nurture them as they grow, just as they nurture their daughters.
This “eco‑feminist” approach has changed the local environment. As the trees grew, groundwater levels rose, bringing more water back to the parched region.
The village also found a clever way to protect their new forest from pests: they planted millions of Aloe vera plants around the trees to act as a natural barrier against termites.
This created a new business for local women, who now run cooperatives to process Aloe vera into juices and gels to sell, providing them with their own income.
A MODEL FOR CHANGE
In Piplantri more girls now attend the local school than boys, and the social status of women has greatly improved.
The village has even set up a training centre to teach others the “Piplantri Model” so that more communities can learn how to protect the environment and empower their daughters at the same time.
What a wonderful example of how a small community can solve problems with a little bit of love, hard work, and, of course, a lot of trees.
(Information sources: BBC, The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, News 18, Earth Day)
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