Eco-Spirituality centre / Tertianship
Shembaganur Jesuit campus out of the community of love of Jesuit formators and formees. Besides their religious and academic pursuits, they dedicated themselves to the Mission and Ministry of Mother Earth by admiring, exploring and conserving Nature and the natural resources of the Palnis, worshipping the Creator through their stewardship and service of earth and creation. They walked humbly with joy on the hallowed land of Shembaga trees in the joyous company of myriad Kurinji blossoms. As sons of St.Ignatius and being contemplatives in action, they continued the work of God the Creator of Earth and Heaven by their wholehearted commitment to conservation.
They established flower gardens, tree-lined alleys, arboreta, the Foreau Fernery and the Ayreaud Orchidarium. Meticulously, they documented the local flora and fauna and took delight in biological illustrations. The ancient inhabitants of the Palnis, the Paliyars and Pulayars, drew their attention which resulted in a scientific and archcological exploration.
The South Indian iron age relics revealed to the world the tribal anthropology, indigenous knowledge systems, cultural and societal ethos.
As we recall such a hoary past of the SHC campus, it is a spectacular creation and joint enterprise of Nature and Humans working together. It is a living manifestation of eco spirituality that blossomed in the transformation of SHC campus into a sacred place for ecology, eco-heritage, nature spirituality, biodiversity conservation, environmental education and research.