Odisha: Doctor installs statue of late gardener to pay tribute to his hard work

Bhubaneswar: A doctor in Odisha’s Ganjam district has shown extraordinary love and affection for his nature-loving late gardener by installing a statue of the latter in a local hospital’s premises.

According to reports, doctor Balunkeswar Sarangi who works at Gobara Community Health Centre (CHC) under Belaguntha block, had unfathomable likeness and respect for his hospital’s gardener Khadal Behera as he dedicated all his life in planting and nourishing medicinal plants in the garden of Gobara Community Health Centre.

According to reports, the garden has over one hundred varieties of plants that very often cater to the needs of local people. People visit the place both in the morning and evening to unwind themselves.

“We regularly visit this medicinal garden both in the morning and evening as it is a valuable resource for promoting health and well-being. This garden contains a variety of herbs with known medicinal properties. These plants are used to prepare herbal remedies for various ailments. For example, plants like chamomile, lavender, and echinacea are known for their soothing and immune-boosting properties,” says Krushnachandra Patnaik, a local resident.

Susanta Sahoo, a lecturer in English at Polasara college, says he often visits the garden for stress relief.

“A medicinal garden is a great source of natural stress relief. Spending time in a garden surrounded by medicinal plants can have therapeutic effects on mental health. The presence of aromatic medicinal plants enhances the calming and soothes the atmosphere,” adds Susanta.

Doctor Balunkeswar Sarangi said he chose to install the statue of Khadal Behera as a mark of respect and tribute to the latter’s years of perseverance and dedication to raise the garden that not only attracts huge numbers of people everyday but provides them the required “healing touch.”

“When people visit this garden, they learn about the medicinal plants. They will be motivated to plant similar trees in their backyards and use them to get relief from various diseases,” said the doctor.