Sanatana Dharma, as a way of life, lays out certain duties that are to be carried out during the lifetime of a person. One of those duties laid out is to respect and protect the environment that nurtures us with its bounty. Nature and the environment are held with great reverence with each natural element given the place of Devas. The many ways to pay respects to every Deva are laid out in the Vedas. Our esteemed Acharyas were proponents of the Vedas and the Vedic lifestyle, which not only paid reverence to the Devas but also considered Earth, Nature, and all animals as forms of God. Therefore, going green, being eco-friendly and sustainable were weaved into the day to day practices of this lifestyle.

With the blessings of our Acharyas, we have initiated Project Prakruthi. The goal of this initiative is to carry out our duty to preserve our Mother Earth for future generations. This is the motivation to establish Sri MahaPeriyava Manimandapam NJ, USA as one of a kind low-waste and a self-sustainable place of worship.

To start off with, the facility has been equipped with a storm water run-off pit that channels rainwater to the stream behind the temple, preventing it from getting into the sewage system. Efforts are also being made to incorporate native plants and trees that are indigenous to the New Jersey area. This will reduce the use of water for irrigation and the excessive dependence on fertilizers.

With the Balaalayam opened, there is an effort to reduce the use of plastic in and around the Kovil. All prasadam services are done using reusable or compostable cutlery which do not cause further damage to the environment at large and to the local community. Trash disposal will be separated based on the type of waste and impact to the environment. Long term plans include the setup of a compost pit, solar or other natural forms of energy, gho-shala, Net Zero Greenhouse Nandavanam that will be used to grow the flowers required for nithya-poojai, and a small scale produce garden that can provide the vegetables and fruits required for prasadam.

Apart from this, a bee-farm is also being planned to ensure fresh and most natural honey to be used for prasadam and neivedyam. Prayers to our Acharyas to continue this divine endeavor along with everyone towards self- sustainability.

At present, we are seeking a lot of volunteers to be part of #ProjectPrakruthi. If you can give a hand towards this green initiative, please contact us today.

For more information, you may also write to us at prakruthi@mahaperiyava.org