Where the sea grows forests: Gujarat’s living green revolution

In his October Mann Ki Baat 127th episode address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke of a quiet revolution unfolding along Gujarat’s coast, a mission where forests rise from salt, and roots breathe in rhythm with the sea. He praised the Gujarat Forest Department for transforming the barren shores of Dholera into a thriving mangrove belt spread across 3,500 hectares . “Where once there was only sand and tide, now dolphins swim, crabs scuttle, and migratory birds return,” the Prime Minister said, calling it a living example of how people and nature can heal each other.

In the 127th episode of Mann Ki Baat , he elaborated, “Five years ago, the Forest Department teams of Gujarat started planting mangroves near Dholera near Ahmedabad, and today, mangroves have spread over 3,500 hectares on the Dholera coast. The effect of these mangroves is visible throughout the area today. The number of dolphins in the ecosystem there has risen. Crabs and other aquatic creatures have also increased in number compared to earlier. Migratory birds are also coming here in large numbers now. A Mangrove Learning Centre has also been set up in Kutch, Gujarat.”

For many Indians, the word mangrove barely stirs an image. We know the mountains, the rivers, the deserts, but not these strange, salt-loving trees that grow where land and sea blur into one. We speak of forests that stand tall on hills, but rarely of those that kneel to the tides. We walk the beaches and never notice that just beyond the reach of the waves lies one of the most powerful natural defenses our nation has, a forest that grows in water , breathing through roots that rise like fingers from the earth, binding soil, calming storms, and cradling life unseen.

The forest that breathes with the tides

Mangroves are not like any other tree. Their roots arch above the mud like sculptures, letting them breathe even when the soil is flooded. They stand in salty swamps and estuaries, absorbing the rhythm of the tide, twice a day, every day. They are half land, half ocean; half strength, half serenity.

When cyclones lash Gujarat’s coast, it is these roots that absorb the fury of the waves. When tsunamis rise, they act as a natural shield, softening the impact. Across the world, studies have shown that mangrove belts reduce storm damage, prevent erosion, and store up to five times more carbon than tropical forests, making them a quiet yet powerful ally in the fight against climate change.

A new life for Dholera and Kutch

Five years ago, few believed mangroves could grow on the Dholera coast. But the Forest Department took a chance. With patient effort and local participation, saplings were planted across muddy flats. Slowly, roots took hold. Today, the coastline sings a different tune, one of balance. Dolphins are returning. Fish and crabs have multiplied. Fishermen who once struggled are now witnessing better catches.

Farther west, in Kori Creek of Kutch , Gujarat has established a Mangrove Learning Centre , where students and visitors can see these coastal forests up close and understand their value. Here, life feels ancient, water shimmering in sunlight, roots twisting through silt, birds resting between tides.

And somewhere near Guneri village , scientists discovered mangroves growing 45 kilometres inland , a phenomenon so rare it seems like the ocean’s memory still lingers in the soil.

A part of a larger green dream

This is not just Gujarat’s story; it is India’s environmental blueprint in motion. Under the MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes) scheme, Gujarat has restored over 19,000 hectares of mangroves in just two years. It’s a feat that blends ecological wisdom with economic empowerment, giving local communities new livelihoods and hope.

Prime Minister Modi’s words, “Those trees are blessed that disappoint no one” , echo deeply here. Mangroves protect the shore, nurture fish, store carbon, and cradle biodiversity. They ask for nothing, but give endlessly.

The forgotten beauty of our coasts

It is astonishing that in a country of over a billion people, so few have ever seen a mangrove forest. Perhaps because they live in muddy, mosquito-filled edges where beauty hides beneath practicality. But step inside one, even for a moment, and you’ll understand. The air hums differently. The water mirrors the sky. Roots rise like veins of the Earth, and the tide becomes a heartbeat.

In their silence, mangroves tell us everything about resilience. They teach that survival doesn’t always roar, sometimes it rustles softly in the breeze.

The message beneath the tide

As India races ahead in technology and growth, these coastal forests whisper a reminder: progress must have roots. And in the tide-swept lands of Gujarat, those roots now grow strong again.

So the next time the sea calls you, look beyond the waves. Somewhere between the salt and the soil, between human hands and nature’s patience, the mangroves stand tall, guardians of a fragile line where land breathes with the sea.In the quiet hush between land and sea, where roots drink salt and waves breathe life, the mangroves remind us, healing is not loud, it’s patient, it’s green, and it begins where we choose to let nature live again.