With over 32,000 trees flourishing under its care, and waste management and healthcare upgrades under its belt, Gamewadi village in Maharashtra is now marching towards becoming a tourist hub for nature lovers.
Nature thrives in the quaint village of Gamewadi in the heart of Maharashtra’s Satara district — nurtured by the dedicated hands of its inhabitants. A labour of love, each tree is tended to with care, creating a lush, serene sanctuary.
Gamewadi (pronounced ‘Gameywadi’) is part of a group panchayat that it shares with Patherwadi, renowned for its Tali plateau and waterfalls that come alive during the monsoon season. Brimming with tree-lined streets, pristine open spaces, and a photogenic view of the meandering Koyna river, the village beckons nature enthusiasts to discover its hidden treasures.
Here, Santosh Jadhav, who lives and works in Mumbai but returns to his idyllic village every weekend, shares tales of a green revolution that is quietly taking root. A mission that has seen over 32,000 trees flourish under the community’s care over the past eight years.
“This achievement is the result of a collective effort within the village boundaries, on individual farm plots, and on the surrounding forest land,” said 42-year-old Jadhav on a rain-soaked afternoon in the village, which lies 16 km from Karad city.
A tightly-knit community of about 1,200 residents, Gamewadi has garnered the Chhattrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vanashree Award, a testament to their commitment to tree plantation and environment conservation.
Embarking on their green journey, the villagers have sourced plants from distant nurseries in Ratnagiri, using their own funds. On most days, men and women can be seen with umbrellas or raincoats, digging pits, removing weeds, providing fertiliser to the plants, and planting saplings of native varieties such as banyan, peepal, tamarind, mango, teak, sandalwood, bamboo, amla, arjuna, custard apple and khair. Most of these are planted during the rainy season.
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Villagers earlier used to water the plants using a bullock cart, but now they utilise a water tanker purchased through community funds, said Rupesh Jadhav, a commerce postgraduate and member of the village’s Vriksha Mitra Mandal.
“During the summer and winter months, the infant trees are watered regularly and fenced so that grazing animals do not harm them,” explained Santosh Jadhav.
Most inhabitants in Gamewadi have the same surname — Jadhav, adopted en masse in the mid-1960s. Previously known as “Gamey” derived from the Marathi word gammat, meaning fun or amusement, the village has seen several development activities since young men started migrating in search of livelihood, returning occasionally during summer vacations or the paddy sowing season.
The village has adopted other environment-friendly practices too. The hearth in homes once fueled by forest wood now embraces cleaner energy with the advent of LPG.
Beyond their green endeavours, Gamewadi’s altruistic spirit shines through. Their communal effort has paved the way for development activities, aided by the MGNREGA’s “Bihar Pattern” scheme for nurturing saplings. Employment opportunities now bloom, empowering the locals to safeguard their green haven while fostering sustainable growth.
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Fruit-bearing trees like mango and jackfruit have been planted on fertile farm plots, where the villagers cultivate sugarcane, jowar and groundnut.
In this emerald enclave, time has honoured their devotion. Eight years without a single forest fire bears witness to their vigilance and care. And as the village flourishes, so do the aspirations of its people.
Beyond tree plantation, Gamewadi has engaged in various sustainable development activities, from construction of roads, rainwater percolation tanks and earthen and concrete dams to promoting vermicomposting and establishing a solid waste management centre.
The village’s commitment to environmental preservation has earned it recognition, and it now aims to become a tourist destination for nature lovers, showcasing the remarkable efforts of this model village on a green mission.
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The lead image at the top shows a newly planted tree on the hill top near Gamewadi village in Maharashtra (Photo courtesy Vriksha Mitra Mandal)
Hiren Kumar Bose is a journalist based in Thane, Maharashtra. He doubles as a weekend farmer.
