CM Vishnu Deo Sai Plants Parijat Sapling on Hareli Tihar
Synopsis
On Hareli Tihar 2026, Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai planted a Parijat sapling at his Nava Raipur residence alongside Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh and former Governor Ramesh Bais, linking the state's traditional festival to the national Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam afforestation campaign.
Key Takeaways
Vishnu Deo Sai planted a Parijat sapling at his official residence in Nava Raipur on 12 August 2026 during Hareli Tihar.
The ceremony was attended by Assembly Speaker Dr.
Raman Singh and former Governor Ramesh Bais .
Hareli Tihar is one of Chhattisgarh's oldest festivals rooted in tribal and agricultural traditions, celebrated at the onset of the sowing season.
The event was linked to the national 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, launched on World Environment Day 2024 , urging citizens to plant trees in honour of their mothers.
CM Sai called on all citizens to plant trees and pledge to protect them for future generations.
On the sacred occasion of Hareli Tihar, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai planted a Parijat sapling at his official residence in Nava Raipur on Wednesday, 12 August 2026 — turning one of the state's most cherished festivals into a living pledge for the environment.
The planting ceremony was held in the presence of Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh and former Governor Shri Ramesh Bais, lending the occasion a weight beyond the ceremonial. Sharing the moment on X, CM Sai wrote: 'Hareli hamare ko prakriti se judne ke saath-saath use sahejne aur aane wali peedhiyon ke liye surakshit rakhne ka sandesh deti hai' — 'Hareli gives us the message not only to connect with nature but to preserve it and keep it safe for future generations.'
Hareli Tihar: When Chhattisgarh's Oldest Festival Meets a Green Pledge
Hareli Tihar is among Chhattisgarh's oldest festivals, rooted in the agricultural and tribal traditions of the state. Observed at the onset of the sowing season, it celebrates the bond between communities and the land that sustains them. Over recent years, the state government has systematically woven tree-plantation drives into the festival's fabric — making the act of planting a cultural as much as an ecological statement. The Parijat — a flowering tree of deep cultural and religious significance across India — was the sapling of choice, a detail that underscores the symbolic intent of the occasion.Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam: The National Campaign Behind the Local Moment
CM Sai's post carried the hashtag #एक_पेड़_माँ_के_नाम, anchoring the Hareli event firmly within the national 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' afforestation campaign — launched on World Environment Day 2024 — which calls on citizens across India to plant a tree in honour of their mothers. By invoking the campaign at a state-level cultural festival, Chhattisgarh signals how local tradition and national policy can reinforce each other without either losing its identity. Sai closed his appeal with a direct call to action: 'Let us all plant trees and take a pledge to protect them. This will be our true contribution towards a green, clean and safe future.' With Hareli Tihar 2026 now serving as a platform for measurable green action, the question is how many saplings the state's district-level drives will log before the season closes — and whether those numbers will reflect in Chhattisgarh's afforestation targets under the national programme.Point of View
CM Sai is doing more than marking a festival — he is signalling that environmental messaging carries cross-party, institutional weight in the state. Linking Hareli Tihar to the national 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign is a deliberate alignment of local cultural capital with a centrally driven afforestation agenda, a pattern the BJP has pursued across multiple state governments. The real test will be in district-level plantation numbers: symbolic ceremonies matter only as much as the targets they mobilise. Chhattisgarh's tribal heartland, where forest cover is both an ecological and livelihood issue, gives this annual ritual stakes that go well beyond optics.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hareli Tihar and why is it celebrated in Chhattisgarh?
Hareli Tihar is one of Chhattisgarh's oldest festivals, celebrated by tribal and farming communities at the start of the sowing season to honour nature, agricultural tools, and the land. It falls in the month of Shravan and is marked by rituals, greenery, and community gatherings.
What is the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign?
'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' is a national tree-plantation campaign launched on World Environment Day in 2024, encouraging every Indian to plant a tree as a tribute to their mother. It is part of India's broader afforestation and climate action agenda.
Who attended CM Vishnu Deo Sai's Hareli Tihar tree-planting event?
The planting ceremony at CM Sai's Nava Raipur residence was attended by Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh and former Governor Shri Ramesh Bais.
What tree did CM Vishnu Deo Sai plant on Hareli Tihar 2026?
CM Vishnu Deo Sai planted a Parijat sapling — a flowering tree of cultural and religious significance in India — at his official residence in Nava Raipur on 12 August 2026.
Where is Nava Raipur located?
Nava Raipur, officially known as Atal Nagar, is the planned capital city of Chhattisgarh. It houses key government offices and official residences, including that of the Chief Minister.
