When passing through a road on the highway, most believe that the greenery all around is nature's blessing. While one might be right about this in most cases, one 4.5 km stretch between Hulikal and Kudur in Karnataka is actually the result of a mother's blessings. Every morning travellers pass through an area of shade of hundreds of banyan trees, but this was not the hard work of the government or an environmental organisation, it was the initiative of a woman and her husband who devoted years of unwavering care to a barren stretch of land.
The Woman Behind the Green Legacy
That woman was Saalumarada Thimmakka, Karnataka's 'Vrushka Maate' whose living legacy continues to shelter generations. Born in 1911 in a small hamlet in Gubii taluk of Tumakuru district, Thimmakka grew up in poverty without formal schooling. She worked as a casual labourer in a quarry and entered into an early marriage with Chikkayya, a local labourer from Hulikal village. Despite their simple life, the couple shared a deep love for nature. After years of marriage, when they remained childless, instead of letting grief define life, they found purpose in nurturing life through growth. “We must care for trees as we care for children,” she said in later years, capturing the heart of her mission.
Planting the Seeds of Change
In the 1950s, the couple began their journey with a handful of saplings that soon grew into a monumental movement. They decided to plant trees along a barren stretch of road between Hulikal and Kudur, a place where travellers had little respite from the sun. The couple dug pits, fetched water from distant wells, protected young plants from grazing cattle, and sowed thousands of seeds that would become a lush green corridor. Year after year, they survived through monsoons and droughts while nurturing growing trees. Initially, they planted 385 banyan trees along a 4.5 km stretch of the highway. Through the years, Thimmakka is now credited with tending to an estimated 8,000 trees across Karnataka as her work expanded to adjoining villages and communities.
Recognition and Legacy
For decades, Thimmakka and her husband's work went largely unnoticed. However, as more people began to appreciate her efforts, she affectionately came to be known as 'Vrushka Maate', the mother of trees. In 2019, she was honoured with the prestigious Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian awards. Moreover, she was featured among the BBC's list of the world's most influential women. Thimmakka passed away on November 14, 2025 at the age of 114, leaving behind a living and breathing green legacy that stretches across villages and lives. Her work has transformed a personal dream into a community effort. In a world currently gripped by environmental decline, Thimmakka's legacy reminds us that the smallest and simplest efforts can lead to big results someday.
