ABOUT US

The Martuvam Healing Forest began in 2002 with a piece of barren wasteland, a man with a dream, and some help from his friends. The land is part of the international Township of Auroville, located on its outer perimeter next to the Tamil village of Annainagar. The man is Sivaraj, who with the help of his wife, and daughter, and as they grow up his two sons, has developed the land into a “Healig Forest”.

First he planted trees and bushes which are known for their healing qualities in the traditional Indian medicine system of “Siddha” medicine. The ground-breaking work was supported by Lisa Borstlap of Holland, Auromics and Palmyra of Auroville, and the back-breaking input of Ivar Jenten andJohnny Allen of Auroville.Now the landis covered with thousands of medicinal plants(see Herbs gallery for the collection of plants), bushes, trees of more than 100 varieties, flourishing, blossoming, giving their shade and their leaves and their roots and their essences into his project. Friends from the Pitchandikulam Bio Resource Centre in Auroville, where Sivaraj once worked, gave enormously of information, seedlings, and encouragement.

The Martuvam Healing Project has been largely supported by the Netherlands-based Isaimayam Trust, founded by Ivar Jenten, which gives a musical education to orphans in Puducherry. On weekends about 45 children come to Martuvam for fun and frolic among the trees and plants, an outing into the country. They are accommodated in a large house, recently completed with the support of the Trust, where not only Sivaraj’s family but also visitors live.

The Martuvam office, a handicraft workshop, and eventually the medicinal preparations, are also accommodated here. The children’s games are shaded by a thatched roof training shed, which was erected some years ago with the help of Healing Touch USA practitioners, who have trained local women and youth in this effective and simple energy training on their semi-annual visits.