Swapnali Dabke was overwhelmed with emotions when she turned 46 on September 30. Her husband Dr Suneet asked her to accompany him for a tree plantation drive in Manjusar village. But Swapnali reached there, a fluttering gift was awaiting her – a butterfly garden made on a wasteland!.

Suneet, 51, an environmentalist thought of doing something that can be a perfect idea as well as a permanent gift that can also help nature.

For Swapnali, emotions were running high as the garden was dedicated in memory of her late mother Pratiksha Kulkarni, who died last year due to cancer.

The butterfly garden is located just outside a crematorium in Manjusar. “The life of butterflies gives us a simple message of transformation of life from one form to another. When we die our soul leaves our body,” said Suneet, adding that the diversity of butterflies also gives pleasure when you see them flying around.

Suneet, an expert on solid waste management and founder of Kachare Se Azadi Foundation, had started developing the butterfly garden on April 22 marking Earth Day after entering into an agreement with the Manjusar gram panchayat.

“Earlier, this was just a dumping site. I wanted to develop into a space which people coming to attend final rites of their near and dear ones at the crematorium can also use to get peace of mind,” said Suneet. “Now, we can see butterflies in the 2 km radius of the crematorium as well,” he said.

The barren land spread on 2,000 sq ft area is replete with a range of butterfly-attracting plants – tabebuia rose, rose, star jasmine, jamaican spike, karan, pendula, bohemia, jatropha, passion fruit, alamanda (creepers), kesuda and kadam trees among others.

Suneet now plans to put up signages that will help school children and locals identify the butterflies.

The story has been extracted from: https://m.timesofindia.com/city/vadodara/vadodara-activist-converts-wasteland-into-lively-butterfly-garden/amp_articleshow/94692583.cms