By Ajita dasa
A series of earth works have recently been completed at New Govardhana. By this venture the main lake, ‘Manasi Ganga’, has been cleaned and land reclaimed behind the Retreat Centre and the old dairy.
Manasi Ganga was excavated in the early 80’s during Ramai Swami’s management. The lake was then used for various water sports and festivals. It gradually became infested by a highly invasive lily called Nymphanea Mexicana. One characteristic of this lily is the strong smell emanating from the roots, resembling sewerage. Added to this, a large amount of Ecoli bacteria was also present at times.
Though the water quality remained safe throughout the decade, the time had come to undertake the huge task of emptying out the 60 million litres and scooping out the sludge. This task was time sensitive, requiring immediate attention just before the rainy season.
To siphon the water 60 metres of 150 millimetre pipes were installed. Priming such a voluminous pipe was a challenge. On the third attempt the outflow reached three million litres per day.
Unfortunately a storm ripped the pipe system before the end of the pumping. Unable to re-prime the system, a 1.5 ton pump was used with the farm excavator and placed near the edge of the remaining water.
Another week of pumping, racing against the five natural springs, and transferring a few hundred eels to another lake, was quite an experience.
Finally a 25 tonne excavator and two large mining trucks were hired to scoop out a two metre thick layer of sludge, analysed by the Gold Coast laboratories as a composition of sulphur and iron, hence the smell.
After two weeks of excavation 25,000 tonnes of unwanted materials were excavated. This is now being used for various fills and to re-establish pasture for cows to graze upon.
The lake has since refilled mostly with its own springs and stands now at three quarters full of its full capacity of 100 million litres, with an eight metre depth near the island. The water, though looking somewhat murky, is very clean and pleasant for swimming. It will take about one year to settle.
A ghat was built to allow swimmers to walk down the steps to bathe. Once full, the waters will reach the third step of the stairways.
Behind the stairs, the foundation for the temple of Manasi Ganga has been completed. It will hold a small but beautiful temple to honour the sacred place where pilgrims commence their walk around Govardhana Hill.
A couple of weeks later the same 25 tonne excavator accompanied by an 8 tonne bulldozer ripped through the jungle behind the school ridge and the old dairy. Some 30 acres of land were cleared in which to plant useful trees, such as tallowood, yellow stringy, iron bark and gum. Here they can grow unimpeded by the invasive camphor laurel, box and paper bark.
The land is now grassed up with fresh growth opening up large areas of pastures for the cows and bullocks, who seem to enjoy munching and discovering the new grounds which were previously inaccessible.
We are now regularly burning huge piles of timber that burn for days. On the upper side of the cleared land we have started another Cavendish banana plantation with 200 small plants already in and 800 more to go.
The total cost for the earth works was $63,000.