Piplantri The Village That Plants 111 Trees for Every Girl Child
In most places, the arrival of a child is marked by celebration. In Piplantri, the birth of every girl
child is marked by the planting of 111 saplings.
Years ago, the village struggled with severe water scarcity. The loss of his young daughter
Kiran due to dehydration changed the life of former village head Shyam Sunder Paliwal forever.
Determined that her memory would inspire hope, he planted 111 trees in her honour. What
began as a father’s promise soon became a tradition embraced by the entire village.
Today, every girl child born in Piplantri is welcomed with 111 saplings, each one growing
alongside her through the seasons of life. Over the years, those saplings have grown into a
thriving forest, transforming a once-barren landscape into one of greenery and resilience.
The trees are more than symbols. They replenish groundwater, prevent soil erosion, attract
birds and wildlife, and provide livelihoods to the community. Every sapling carries the promise of
a healthier future, for both the land and the child it represents.
Yet the true transformation lies beyond the forest. Piplantri challenges generations of social
prejudice by celebrating daughters as blessings rather than burdens. Families and the
community nurture both the girls and the trees, creating a lifelong bond between people, nature,
and future generations.
In Piplantri, the planting of a sapling is the beginning of a forest. Every tree tells the story of a
daughter, and every daughter grows with a forest by her side. Here, hope is measured not only
in lives lived, but in forests grown.