Students in Gujarat tie bands to plants to mark Friendship Day

In a bid to create awareness among the people to preserve nature, the students in Vadodara tied friendship bands to trees and plants on the occasion of World Friendship Day.

While most people celebrate their friendship by exchanging gifts or tying colourful bands on each other's wrists, the commerce faculty students of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda celebrated the occasion with a unique touch as they made plants and trees their friends.

The students said everyone should make efforts to help preserve nature and reduce the harmful impact of human activities on the environment.

"We have celebrated Friendship Day with new students who have come in Gaekwad University and we have passed a unique message. Friendship Day is a western culture, so today we have celebrated it in a different way by tying threads and bands to plants. We have also talked about issues related to global warming and rainfall. Also, to maintain the culture of India and promote new thinking, we are celebrating Friendship Day with plants," said Gautam Nayak, a student leader.

The students believe that plants are true friends of humans.

"Plants provide us oxygen and help us a lot. Greenery is the best thing which provides us a lot of things like books, oxygen, air, rain, shade. Everyone celebrates Friendship Day but not everyone celebrates it with plants," said Ruchika, a student.

Friendship Day is celebrated all over the world on the first Sunday of August.