Eternity Forest
Eternity was once a barren sand dune but is now a lush forest on the coast made up of 18.5 acres. In the past, the Eternity community had coconut plantations and other fruit orchards, however, now the forest and fruit trees have merged. This has been a conscious move on the part of the steward; it has reduced the crop greatly but has increased wildlife also.
Acreage:18.5 | Steward: Jonah
An extraordinary effort has been put into establishing this forest right on the beach. This plot was bought for the Mother while she was at the ashram as a potential place of refuge. It was never used as such, and only in the 80s did the first people start to live there and work the land. It can be tough: seedlings have to be watered for up to five to seven years after planting to ensure their survival.
The tsunami in 2004 damaged several young and smaller trees, while the Thane Cyclone in 2011 took out most of the taller and older trees, but this did not stop the Eternal gang from continuing planting. A diversity of trees are now established according to a recent forest group survey - Diospyros ebenum, Manilkara hexandra, Aglaia elaeagnoidea, and Pterospermum suberifolium are some of the noteworthy species common in Eternity.
