Tripura temple flowers turned into vermicompost

In a unique initiative, used flowers,  Aegle marmelos (Bilva Patra), from the Mata Tripurasundari temple, traditionally used for worship, will now be repurposed to make vermicompost.
 
In Tripura, the Tripurasundari temple is perhaps the first where such an initiative has been undertaken by a youth named Jayanta Datta.
 
The temple is considered to be one of the 51 Shakti Peethas located in the Udaipur Subdivision of Tripura’s Gomati District, around 55 km from Agartala.
 
Speaking about the initiative, Jayanta told India Today NE that since childhood, he has observed that the flowers, Bilva Patra, used for worshiping Goddess Kali at Tripura Sundari Temple, are often thrown into the dustbin or garbage after the worship.
 
"I felt very disheartened seeing that flowers, Bilva Patra, used for worshiping Goddess Kali, are discarded in the dustbin or garbage after the worship. This looks bad as we offer these things to God. So, I was planning to do something, especially with the hibiscus locally known as Joba flower. I tried making incense sticks, but I failed as the flower became too sticky. After several attempts, I decided to make vermicompost," said Jayanta.
 
He mentioned that he learned the process from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mann Ki Baat.
 
"I heard about the use and production of vermicompost in Mann Ki Baat by PM Modi. It has been two months since we started making vermicompost after collecting the flowers, Bilva Patra, from the temple. This is a 90-day process," he informed.
 
Jayanta has also established a Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) for the development of farmers in the Mata Bari Assembly, and under this banner, he is producing vermicompost.
 
He stated that during the on-season, they collect around 100 kilograms of flowers and leaves, and in the off-season, an average of around 30 kilograms is collected.
 
"We will start packaging it from January next year. As the demand is high and chemical-free, I also plan to extend this initiative to other temples by involving local people. I aim to produce it on a larger scale. At present, we have a team of 200 members," he added.
 
The District Magistrate of Gomati, Tarit Kanti Chakma, also wrote about it on his Facebook page.
 
"District Administration and Matabari FPO have taken an initiative to collect flowers and bel pata (leaves) from Matabari Temple every day after puja. Previously, it was discarded as garbage, so the idea to make vermicompost was taken as an initiative. With this initiative, the temple will remain clean, and by using vermicompost, farmers will gain financial benefits," the post reads.