Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
PUNE, INDIA, August 24, 2009: The leaves of the Khejadi (Prosopis cinerari) tree, known as shami tree in Marathi, are offered in abundance to Lord Ganesha–but this revered species is on the verge of extinction. During this Ganapati festival, the directorate of Social Forestry has attempted to rekindle the spirit of the martyrs who laid down their lives to protect the shami tree in Khejarli back in 1730.
“I have visited the place in Rajasthan where the sacrifice had taken place in the 18th century, when Amrita Devi, a Bishnoi woman, helped stop the indiscriminate felling of the shami trees in Khejarli. The message of this sacrifice and the need for saving the shami tree should reach to everyone, especially the children,” says Prakash Thosre, director of Social Forestry, Maharashtra state.
Since 363 people laid down their lives to protect the shami trees, 363 seedlings will be planted in an area of preservation. “We are also keeping extra seedlings in case any of these seedlings die. We propose to establish the Amritadevi Shahid Vann across all the districts in the state. So far, some 50,000 seedlings of shami have been prepared for the state,” Thosre said.
See the story of the Khejarli massacre of 1730, where 363 Bishnois people laid down their lives to protect the shami trees:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishnois