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Ghosts on Peepal Trees: My Journey From Folktales to Forests
Drawn from his handwritten notes, scattered across diaries, napkins, in the margins of newspapers and waste sheets of paper, the stories transport you into his childhood’s lanes of Dehradun and the green cantonment of Pune where two remarkable women – his grandmother and a primary school teacher- inculcated the curiosity and respect for life that led him to becoming Peepal Baba. While travelling across 220 Indian districts, he finally understands how his grandmother’s stories about ghosts on trees were actually lessons in how faith protects forests. How simple, honest acts of care, rooted in devotion rather than ambition, can draw millions into a movement, even when it has no structure and no name. Honest and quietly transformative, Ghosts on Peepal Trees is a reminder that we already know how to listen to the earth, to the stories that the soil tells us, and to feel the love in the shade of a tree and the poetry in the rustle of its leaves. We just need to remember.
312 pages, Paperback
Published August 4, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 12, 2026
Ghosts on Peepal Trees is a deeply moving memoir about nature, childhood memories, faith and the quiet ways in which one person's relationship with the natural world can grow into something much larger than themselves.
What I found particularly beautiful about this book is that it doesn't approach environmental conservation merely as a question of planting trees or protecting forests. Instead, it explores the emotional and cultural connections that have shaped our relationship with nature for generations. Through memories, personal experiences and stories passed down from his childhood, Peepal Baba takes us back to a time when trees were not simply part of the landscape but were woven into the beliefs, traditions and everyday lives of people.
The stories of his grandmother and primary school teacher stand out as important influences on his journey. Both seem to have nurtured something fundamental in him: curiosity, compassion and a respect for life that extended beyond human beings. Their influence is a reminder that the values that shape us often take root early in life, through the people who teach us to observe, question and care.
I was particularly intrigued by the idea behind the ghosts on peepal trees. What might initially sound like folklore gradually reveals a deeper understanding of how faith, stories and cultural beliefs can help protect the natural world. The book invites us to reconsider traditions we might otherwise dismiss as superstition and look at the wisdom they may carry. Sometimes, stories become a way of preserving what practical arguments alone cannot protect.
Another aspect I appreciated is the emphasis on simple acts of care. Peepal Baba's journey across 220 Indian districts offers a broader perspective on environmental conservation, showing how a personal commitment can inspire others and grow into a collective movement. There is something encouraging about the idea that meaningful change does not always begin with a grand plan, an organisation or a desire for recognition. Sometimes, it begins with one person doing what they believe is right and continuing to do it, year after year.
The memoir's origins in handwritten notes scattered across diaries, napkins, newspaper margins and scraps of paper also add an intimate dimension to the narrative. These fragments suggest a life in which observations and experiences were too important to leave unrecorded. Rather than feeling like a conventional account of achievements, the book offers glimpses into the memories, encounters and reflections that shaped the person behind the environmental movement.
What stayed with me most is the reminder that our relationship with nature is not just ecological; it is also emotional, cultural and deeply personal. A tree can be a source of shade, a childhood memory, a part of a community's identity or a living connection between generations. When we begin to see trees this way, conservation becomes more than a responsibility. It becomes an expression of gratitude and belonging.
I also found the book's underlying message particularly relevant today, when conversations about the environment often revolve around alarming statistics and the scale of the damage we have caused. Those conversations are necessary, but so is remembering why nature matters to us in the first place. Stories, memories and everyday experiences can reconnect us with the very thing we are trying to protect.
Ghosts on Peepal Trees is a thoughtful and quietly inspiring read for anyone interested in environmental conservation, Indian folklore, memoirs and the relationship between people and the natural world. It reminds us that we do not always need to learn to love the earth from scratch. Sometimes, we simply need to rediscover what childhood stories, elders and the trees around us were already trying to teach us.
A gentle reminder that the roots of meaningful change often lie in the smallest acts of care and that sometimes, all we need to do is remember.
What I found particularly beautiful about this book is that it doesn't approach environmental conservation merely as a question of planting trees or protecting forests. Instead, it explores the emotional and cultural connections that have shaped our relationship with nature for generations. Through memories, personal experiences and stories passed down from his childhood, Peepal Baba takes us back to a time when trees were not simply part of the landscape but were woven into the beliefs, traditions and everyday lives of people.
The stories of his grandmother and primary school teacher stand out as important influences on his journey. Both seem to have nurtured something fundamental in him: curiosity, compassion and a respect for life that extended beyond human beings. Their influence is a reminder that the values that shape us often take root early in life, through the people who teach us to observe, question and care.
I was particularly intrigued by the idea behind the ghosts on peepal trees. What might initially sound like folklore gradually reveals a deeper understanding of how faith, stories and cultural beliefs can help protect the natural world. The book invites us to reconsider traditions we might otherwise dismiss as superstition and look at the wisdom they may carry. Sometimes, stories become a way of preserving what practical arguments alone cannot protect.
Another aspect I appreciated is the emphasis on simple acts of care. Peepal Baba's journey across 220 Indian districts offers a broader perspective on environmental conservation, showing how a personal commitment can inspire others and grow into a collective movement. There is something encouraging about the idea that meaningful change does not always begin with a grand plan, an organisation or a desire for recognition. Sometimes, it begins with one person doing what they believe is right and continuing to do it, year after year.
The memoir's origins in handwritten notes scattered across diaries, napkins, newspaper margins and scraps of paper also add an intimate dimension to the narrative. These fragments suggest a life in which observations and experiences were too important to leave unrecorded. Rather than feeling like a conventional account of achievements, the book offers glimpses into the memories, encounters and reflections that shaped the person behind the environmental movement.
What stayed with me most is the reminder that our relationship with nature is not just ecological; it is also emotional, cultural and deeply personal. A tree can be a source of shade, a childhood memory, a part of a community's identity or a living connection between generations. When we begin to see trees this way, conservation becomes more than a responsibility. It becomes an expression of gratitude and belonging.
I also found the book's underlying message particularly relevant today, when conversations about the environment often revolve around alarming statistics and the scale of the damage we have caused. Those conversations are necessary, but so is remembering why nature matters to us in the first place. Stories, memories and everyday experiences can reconnect us with the very thing we are trying to protect.
Ghosts on Peepal Trees is a thoughtful and quietly inspiring read for anyone interested in environmental conservation, Indian folklore, memoirs and the relationship between people and the natural world. It reminds us that we do not always need to learn to love the earth from scratch. Sometimes, we simply need to rediscover what childhood stories, elders and the trees around us were already trying to teach us.
A gentle reminder that the roots of meaningful change often lie in the smallest acts of care and that sometimes, all we need to do is remember.
October 2, 2026
“What if ghosts could be angels, superstition could be protection, and faith could be as practical as a hand on your shoulder?”
These are some of the contradictions Ghosts on Peepal Trees made me pause and think about. The book is the memoir of environmentalist Swami Prem Parivartan, popularly known as Peepal Baba, whose lifelong contribution to planting and nurturing trees has earned him several titles along the way.
The memoir takes us into Peepal Baba’s early years in Dehradun and Pune, where he seemed to belong more to the outdoors than to the classroom. His grandmother’s rituals became his first lessons in fieldwork, teaching him, perhaps without intending to, to observe and respect the natural world around him. These lessons were later complemented by his primary school teacher, Mrs Williams, who introduced him to another way of looking at nature and responsibility.
What began with a homework assignment from Mrs Williams, under the name “Give Me Trees,” would eventually grow far beyond the classroom. That simple school exercise would, years later, become the foundation for something much larger bringing together faith, community and a deep-rooted commitment to planting trees.
One idea from the book that particularly made me think in depth was that ,”Soil is the soul of everything.” We have learned how civilisations have flourished or fallen depending on the soil beneath them, yet we often overlook the quiet role it plays in sustaining life.
What will stay with me the most, though, is Granny’s wisdom hidden in everyday rituals and Mrs Williams’ words: “Learn to feel the ground. Knowledge begins with touch.” There is something profound about that thought. Before we learn to measure, analyse or explain nature, perhaps we need to learn to simply feel it.
The title may make you think this is a book about ghosts living on trees. But beneath that intriguing premise lies something much deeper the idea that belief, culture and community can sometimes become unexpected ways of protecting nature.
The memoir takes us through the many places Peepal Baba travelled and the people and experiences he encountered along the way. What struck me was the simplicity of his approach. His acts of care were devotional, without any expectation of recognition or a particular outcome. He didn’t set out to persuade people or ask them to follow him. He simply continued doing what he believed was right.
Perhaps that is what makes his story so compelling. When care is genuine, it doesn’t always need a name or an invitation. Sometimes, it simply takes root and grows.
The memoir itself is simple to follow, divided into small chapters that draw from his handwritten notes and reflections. There is something fitting about this format. The book, much like his acts of care, remains quiet and unassuming. It never feels preachy. Instead, it allows the stories and observations to speak for themselves.
These are some of the contradictions Ghosts on Peepal Trees made me pause and think about. The book is the memoir of environmentalist Swami Prem Parivartan, popularly known as Peepal Baba, whose lifelong contribution to planting and nurturing trees has earned him several titles along the way.
The memoir takes us into Peepal Baba’s early years in Dehradun and Pune, where he seemed to belong more to the outdoors than to the classroom. His grandmother’s rituals became his first lessons in fieldwork, teaching him, perhaps without intending to, to observe and respect the natural world around him. These lessons were later complemented by his primary school teacher, Mrs Williams, who introduced him to another way of looking at nature and responsibility.
What began with a homework assignment from Mrs Williams, under the name “Give Me Trees,” would eventually grow far beyond the classroom. That simple school exercise would, years later, become the foundation for something much larger bringing together faith, community and a deep-rooted commitment to planting trees.
One idea from the book that particularly made me think in depth was that ,”Soil is the soul of everything.” We have learned how civilisations have flourished or fallen depending on the soil beneath them, yet we often overlook the quiet role it plays in sustaining life.
What will stay with me the most, though, is Granny’s wisdom hidden in everyday rituals and Mrs Williams’ words: “Learn to feel the ground. Knowledge begins with touch.” There is something profound about that thought. Before we learn to measure, analyse or explain nature, perhaps we need to learn to simply feel it.
The title may make you think this is a book about ghosts living on trees. But beneath that intriguing premise lies something much deeper the idea that belief, culture and community can sometimes become unexpected ways of protecting nature.
The memoir takes us through the many places Peepal Baba travelled and the people and experiences he encountered along the way. What struck me was the simplicity of his approach. His acts of care were devotional, without any expectation of recognition or a particular outcome. He didn’t set out to persuade people or ask them to follow him. He simply continued doing what he believed was right.
Perhaps that is what makes his story so compelling. When care is genuine, it doesn’t always need a name or an invitation. Sometimes, it simply takes root and grows.
The memoir itself is simple to follow, divided into small chapters that draw from his handwritten notes and reflections. There is something fitting about this format. The book, much like his acts of care, remains quiet and unassuming. It never feels preachy. Instead, it allows the stories and observations to speak for themselves.
September 28, 2026
People keep saying, floods are coming, landslides are happening, storms are brewing, and viruses arrive that bring everything to a standstill. But have we ever stopped for a moment to think about who is responsible for all this? We humans are. We keep cutting down trees,sometimes for construction, sometimes for building materials, furniture, or paper products.
Have we ever thought, why not do something different? Why cut trees when we could plant them instead?
This is exactly what came rushing back to me when I read the book "Ghost on the Tree" by "Peepal Baba". It brought back flood of memories with my own grandmother, much like the author's own reflections on childhood and the vital importance of trees.
Once, we lived with trees at the center of our days; now, they sit at the edge of our maps. Yet, they hold the air we breathe, the soil that feeds us, and a slow comfort our busy lives forget. When we lose trees, we lose parts of ourselves. We need trees more than they need us, but we are forgetting how essential they are to our survival. Let’s bring them back
One sapling, One choice, One remembered afternoon at a time.
This book feels like someone sharing their story straight from the heart filled with childhood nostalgia, folklore, and a deep love of nature. If you want a book that honors a person's whole life and relationship with the earth, this is the one for you. It beautifully reminds us that caring for nature is not just about the environment it’s about memory, culture, and the way we choose to live. It is a deeply moving pick that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
Have we ever thought, why not do something different? Why cut trees when we could plant them instead?
This is exactly what came rushing back to me when I read the book "Ghost on the Tree" by "Peepal Baba". It brought back flood of memories with my own grandmother, much like the author's own reflections on childhood and the vital importance of trees.
Once, we lived with trees at the center of our days; now, they sit at the edge of our maps. Yet, they hold the air we breathe, the soil that feeds us, and a slow comfort our busy lives forget. When we lose trees, we lose parts of ourselves. We need trees more than they need us, but we are forgetting how essential they are to our survival. Let’s bring them back
One sapling, One choice, One remembered afternoon at a time.
This book feels like someone sharing their story straight from the heart filled with childhood nostalgia, folklore, and a deep love of nature. If you want a book that honors a person's whole life and relationship with the earth, this is the one for you. It beautifully reminds us that caring for nature is not just about the environment it’s about memory, culture, and the way we choose to live. It is a deeply moving pick that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
September 29, 2026
”These cities were not merely places; they were lessons in light and leaf. I kept returning to them in later years, as if my roots had scattered themselves along those routes.”
- Swami Prem Parivartan (Peepal Baba), Ghosts on Peepal Trees
Ghosts on Peepal Trees by Peepal Baba is a memoir which chronicles his life and times as an environmentalist. Before he got the title - Peepal Baba, he was just a curious student of nature. He recalls how he enjoyed punishments in school as he could steal glances in the greenery around him.The Eagle snatching his sandwich during his early years was a revelation. Spanning different cities like Pune, Kolkata and Dehradun, each one had a character of its own.
”Peepal Baba was one such name, not invented in a meeting room, but born in the dust of village paths, among cows, children and saplings.”
The writing is poetic almost as if the roots and the stem are singing distinct tunes. He fondly recollects how his grandmother instilled his love for nature. Swami Prem has a philosophical explanation of the different moods of the surroundings. For example, his outlook towards composting of how it turned ego to empathy was particularly memorable. Swamiji's love for words is depicted in the chapter - Enid Blyton and Ruskin Bond. He began observing how art plays an important role in nature's whimsies. The chapters are short, crisp and gets to the point without beating around the bush (pun not intended)
”So here I am, not a saint, not a scientist, not even a full-time environmentalist; just a man once called Peepal wale Baba, who kept walking with saplings until they became forests.”
- Swami Prem Parivartan (Peepal Baba), Ghosts on Peepal Trees
Ghosts on Peepal Trees by Peepal Baba is a memoir which chronicles his life and times as an environmentalist. Before he got the title - Peepal Baba, he was just a curious student of nature. He recalls how he enjoyed punishments in school as he could steal glances in the greenery around him.The Eagle snatching his sandwich during his early years was a revelation. Spanning different cities like Pune, Kolkata and Dehradun, each one had a character of its own.
”Peepal Baba was one such name, not invented in a meeting room, but born in the dust of village paths, among cows, children and saplings.”
The writing is poetic almost as if the roots and the stem are singing distinct tunes. He fondly recollects how his grandmother instilled his love for nature. Swami Prem has a philosophical explanation of the different moods of the surroundings. For example, his outlook towards composting of how it turned ego to empathy was particularly memorable. Swamiji's love for words is depicted in the chapter - Enid Blyton and Ruskin Bond. He began observing how art plays an important role in nature's whimsies. The chapters are short, crisp and gets to the point without beating around the bush (pun not intended)
”So here I am, not a saint, not a scientist, not even a full-time environmentalist; just a man once called Peepal wale Baba, who kept walking with saplings until they became forests.”
October 24, 2026
'Nature never did betray the heart that loved her.'
-William Wordsworth
Everyone might have heard that Ghosts live on peepal tree. Also many believed this myth.
Peepal tree and it's benefits are already mentioned in Bhagwad Geeta and other hindu scriptures. Neem tree, the beneficial one is also one known for its benefits in ayurveda.
Ghosts on Peepal trees, is a book of stories and folktales shared by Swami prem parivartan known as Peepal baba. Author shares his conversations and tales told by Granny to him about forests, lands, nature's gift to humans. Peepal Baba teaches us through this book about Earth's beauty, his childhood's stories and his journey of travelling across India acknowleding Forests, Trees, and Our nature Earth.
He tells us not to just be educated with slogans of saving planet Earth and Nature but understand deeply about the beauty of Nature. A chapter is there where he mentioned about his Guru's .His Granny,Mahatma Gandhi and Acharya Rajneesh,who motivated him to take action to save planet by taking actions.
Get this book to learn about the importance of Nature Trees and Saving them at your place. Because without them we would be destroyed.
#ghostsonpeepaltrees
(Penguin India, penguin 🐧books, nonfiction books, Ecology, Environment friendly read, Bookstagram India, bookstagram reels, Peepal trees, Go green, Book recommendations, bookreviews)
-William Wordsworth
Everyone might have heard that Ghosts live on peepal tree. Also many believed this myth.
Peepal tree and it's benefits are already mentioned in Bhagwad Geeta and other hindu scriptures. Neem tree, the beneficial one is also one known for its benefits in ayurveda.
Ghosts on Peepal trees, is a book of stories and folktales shared by Swami prem parivartan known as Peepal baba. Author shares his conversations and tales told by Granny to him about forests, lands, nature's gift to humans. Peepal Baba teaches us through this book about Earth's beauty, his childhood's stories and his journey of travelling across India acknowleding Forests, Trees, and Our nature Earth.
He tells us not to just be educated with slogans of saving planet Earth and Nature but understand deeply about the beauty of Nature. A chapter is there where he mentioned about his Guru's .His Granny,Mahatma Gandhi and Acharya Rajneesh,who motivated him to take action to save planet by taking actions.
Get this book to learn about the importance of Nature Trees and Saving them at your place. Because without them we would be destroyed.
#ghostsonpeepaltrees
(Penguin India, penguin 🐧books, nonfiction books, Ecology, Environment friendly read, Bookstagram India, bookstagram reels, Peepal trees, Go green, Book recommendations, bookreviews)
September 21, 2026
Ghosts on Peepal Trees by Peepal Baba is the memoir takes us through Swami Prem Parivartan’s journey from childhood memories and folktales to becoming Peepal Baba, an environmentalist deeply devoted to planting and protecting trees. This book connects something as simple as stories told by grandparents with a much deeper understanding of nature. The idea.....that tales about ghosts living on peepal trees could have quietly protected these trees is beautiful and thought-provoking.
I also loved that this is not just a book about environmentalism. It carries memories, faith, childhood, teachers, forests and a genuine love for the earth. The journey across hundreds of districts and the experiences gathered along the way give the memoir a very personal warmth. The book is drawn from Peepal Baba’s handwritten notes, which makes the journey feel even more intimate.
Reading it reminded me that caring for nature does not always begin with something advance, Sometimes it begins with noticing a tree, respecting its shade and understanding the stories passed down to us. A gentle, meaningful read .
I also loved that this is not just a book about environmentalism. It carries memories, faith, childhood, teachers, forests and a genuine love for the earth. The journey across hundreds of districts and the experiences gathered along the way give the memoir a very personal warmth. The book is drawn from Peepal Baba’s handwritten notes, which makes the journey feel even more intimate.
Reading it reminded me that caring for nature does not always begin with something advance, Sometimes it begins with noticing a tree, respecting its shade and understanding the stories passed down to us. A gentle, meaningful read .
September 16, 2026
The book is not about ghosts. It is a thoughtful memoir about trees, memories, folklore and the quiet ways in which people learn to care for nature. Written by Swami Prem Parivartan, popularly known as Peepal Baba, the book follows his journey from a curious child listening to stories about spirits living in trees to an environmentalist who has spent decades planting and protecting them.
What makes the book appealing is its personal beginning. Peepal Baba looks back at his childhood in Dehradun and Pune, and at the influence of his grandmother and a schoolteacher who taught him to respect every form of life. Their stories about trees and ghosts are presented not simply as superstition, but as a traditional way of protecting nature. If people believed that a spirit lived in a tree, they were less likely to cut it down. This simple idea becomes one of the book’s central reflections.
What makes the book appealing is its personal beginning. Peepal Baba looks back at his childhood in Dehradun and Pune, and at the influence of his grandmother and a schoolteacher who taught him to respect every form of life. Their stories about trees and ghosts are presented not simply as superstition, but as a traditional way of protecting nature. If people believed that a spirit lived in a tree, they were less likely to cut it down. This simple idea becomes one of the book’s central reflections.
October 9, 2026
I just finished Ghosts on Peepal Trees and what stayed with me was the strange tenderness with which Peepal Baba writes about trees not merely as something we need to protect, but as living witnesses to our memories, stories and beliefs.
The book moves through childhood memories, travels, people and years of conservation work, making it part memoir, part environmental reflection, and part meditation on how we relate to the natural world. At times, the journey feels more important than the destination; some stories linger beautifully, while others feel slightly uneven in their pacing.
But perhaps that is what I took from it.
We often talk about saving nature as if it were a task waiting for us. This book quietly reminded me that perhaps we first need to feel that we belong to it.
And now, every peepal tree looks a little less ordinary.
The book moves through childhood memories, travels, people and years of conservation work, making it part memoir, part environmental reflection, and part meditation on how we relate to the natural world. At times, the journey feels more important than the destination; some stories linger beautifully, while others feel slightly uneven in their pacing.
But perhaps that is what I took from it.
We often talk about saving nature as if it were a task waiting for us. This book quietly reminded me that perhaps we first need to feel that we belong to it.
And now, every peepal tree looks a little less ordinary.
October 28, 2026
I read this in two wildly contrasting landscapes-
For the most part I was talking and tending to saplings, flowers, trees, birds in green spaces nurtured with care... for the remaining time, I walked through the gas chamber called Delhi.
This lovely memoir had one thing to say to me for both spaces;
Death and decay "is just the soils way of saying,' Don't worry, I'll take care of it'."
Does it matter what little steps we take to care for the environment now when we've already hurt it so terribly?
Absolutely. Do it, our author says.
But more importantly, enjoy and love the heck out of it while you're at it regardless of what happens next - that's how nature flows. And we're a part of it.
A light read, full of light. Sprinkled with reflections, laughs, lived tips and the divine smell of the soil all over.
For the most part I was talking and tending to saplings, flowers, trees, birds in green spaces nurtured with care... for the remaining time, I walked through the gas chamber called Delhi.
This lovely memoir had one thing to say to me for both spaces;
Death and decay "is just the soils way of saying,' Don't worry, I'll take care of it'."
Does it matter what little steps we take to care for the environment now when we've already hurt it so terribly?
Absolutely. Do it, our author says.
But more importantly, enjoy and love the heck out of it while you're at it regardless of what happens next - that's how nature flows. And we're a part of it.
A light read, full of light. Sprinkled with reflections, laughs, lived tips and the divine smell of the soil all over.
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