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A Pioneer of Environmental Movements in India: Bishnoi Movement

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Vol-8, No.15, June-2018 ISSN: 2248-9703
UGC Approved Journal – 41042

A PIONEER OF ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENTS IN INDIA:

BISHNOI MOVEMENT

Khabirul Alam
Research Scholar, Department of Education, University of Gour Banga, Malda
Email ID: khabirulalam81@gmail.com
&
Dr. Ujjwal Kumar Halder
Assistant Professor, Department of Education, University of Gour Banga, Malda

Abstract
This paper highlights the initiatives of Bishnois community in protection of
environment particularly in vegetation and wild life. It also focuses the principles of
Bishnoism. The Bishnois are one of the first organized proponents of eco-conservation,
wildlife protection, and green living. The Bishnois are considered as the first
environmentalists of India. They are born nature lovers. They have, for centuries, married
eco-conservation with their faith, making it one of the most ecologically relevant orders of
today. This paper depicts the Bishonoi movement and concludes that the Bishniosm can be
replicated in other parts of the country for conservation of vegetation and wild life.
Keywords: Environmental Movement, Bishnoi Communities, Bishnoism, Conservation.
Introduction
Generally, the environmental movement is a broad generic term which is used to
describe and understand different types of local struggles and conflicts concerned with
livelihood issues and ecological security within the larger context. Environmental movements
often interact and are linked with other social movements with similar moral views, e.g., for
peace, human rights etc. The environment movements favour the sustainable management of
natural resources. The movements often stress the protection via changes in public policy.
Many movements are centered on ecology, health and human rights. Environmental
movements range from the highly organized ones to the radical informal activities. The
spatial scope of various environmental movements ranges from being local to the almost
global. An environment can be defined as a social or political movement for the conservation
of environment or for the improvement of the state of the environment. The terms ‘green
movement’ or ‘conservation movement used to denote the same.
Environmental movements in India
The Environmental movements of various countries of the world have emerged due to
different reasons. The important reason for emergence of environmental movements in India
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UGC Approved Journal – 41042

of different states is control over natural resources. Regarding to the environmental

movements in the world there are two different pictures. The basic issue of the environmental
movements in the northern region of the earth is quality of life where as the environment
movements in the southern region of the earth arise due to some other reasons such as due to
conflicts for controlling of natural resources and many more. The significant characteristic of
environmental movements in India is that they have mainly involved the tribal women, the
poor and disadvantaged masses especially those peoples live in forest regions who have been
directly affected by or are victims of environmental degradation. There are some good
examples of these kinds of movements like Bishnoi movement (1700’s), Chipko movement
(1973), Narmada Bachao Andholan (1985), Silent Valley movement (1978), Jungle Bachao
Andholan (1982), Appiko movement (1983), Tehri Dam Conflict (1990’s) etc.
Bishnoi Movement
It was started in 400 years ago by a Sage known as Sombaji. in Rajasthan, a large
number of trees are still worshiped by devotees. People resisted the cutting of such tree &
advocated movement against deforestation. This movement was the first of its kind to have
developed the strategy of hugging or embracing the trees for their protection spontaneously.
Objectives of Movement
 To conserve bio-diversity of the area so as to ensure a health Eco –friendly social
life for the community.
 To promoting personal hygiene and maintaining good basic health, healthy social
behavior.
 To defend against the cutting of such trees and advocated movement against
deforestation.
 To preserve bio-diversity and encourage good animal husbandry.
Origin of the Bishnois
The sect Bishnoism was founded by Guru Jambheshwar. He had laid down 29
principles to be followed by the sect. Bish means 20 and noi means 9.
Thus, Bishnoi translates as Twenty-nine. Those who follow from their heart of 29 principles
will be called ‘BISHNOI’. The Bishnoi is a non-violent community of nature worshippers of
in western India especially in Rajasthan.
Principles of Bishnoism
The Bishnoism was founded in year of 1485 by Guru Jambheshwar, who was born in
1451. He announced a set of 29 tenets, from which the name Bishnoi is derived (Bish means

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UGC Approved Journal – 41042

twenty, Noi means nine). His spiritual name was Jambhaji. Of his 29 tenets, ten are directed
towards personal hygiene and maintaining good basic health, nine for healthy social
behaviour, four tenets to the worship of God, andsix tenets have been prescribed to preserve
bio-diversity and encourage good animal husbandry. Of the 6 tenets that focus on protecting
nature, the two most profound ones are: Jeev Daya Palani – Be compassionate to all living
beings. Runkh Lila Nahi Ghave – Do not cut green trees. The principles were not only
tailored to conserve bio-diversity of the area but also ensured eco-friendly social life. For
modern societies it is unbelievable to find that Bishnoi women feed milk to the babies of the
black deer with their breast caring for them as their own children. It determined the adherence
of Bishnois to such values that has helped them survive and ensure the survival of the fragile
desert ecosystem.
Amrita Devi and Bishnoi Movement:
On a Tuesday (The 10th day of the month of Bhadrapad according to the Indian Lunar
Calendar) in 1730 A.D., Amrita Devi, a Bishnoi woman was at her home with her three
daughters (Asu, Ratni and Bhagu Bai) when she came to know that a number of people had
descended on their otherwise sleepy village of Khejarli. The name Khejarli was derived from
‘Khejri’ (Prosopis cineraria), since these trees were found in abundance in the village. The
people were a party of men sent by Maharaja Abhay Singh, the ruler of the kingdom
of Jodhpur in the Marwar region, who wanted to fall green Khejri trees to burn lime for the
construction of the Maharaja's new palace. Since there was a lot of greenery in the Bishnoi
villages even in the middle of the Thar Desert, the king ordered his men to get the wood by
cutting The Khejri trees. Amrita Devi decided to literally hug the trees, and encouraged
others to do so too, proclaiming: “A chopped head is cheaper than a felled tree.” Bishnois
from Khejri and nearby villages came to the forest and embraced the trees one by one to
protect them from being cut down. As each villager hugged a tree, refusing to let go, they
were beheaded by the soldiers. This voluntary martyrdom continued until 363 Bishnoi
villagers were killed in the name of the sacred Khejarli forest. From the various sources of
research, it is revealed that people from 49 villages sacrificed their lives, 294 of them were
men and 69 were women, 36 of them were married couples including one newly married one
who was passing by Khejadali village when the massacre was taking place. This event is
believed to have taken place on 9 September 1730.
Once word got back to the King about this activity he rushed to the village and
apologized, ordering the soldiers to cease logging operations. Soon afterwards, the maharajah
designated the Bishnoi state as a protected area, forbidding harm to trees and animals. This
legislation still exists today in the region.
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Recommendations & Suggestions

 Introducing Bishonism in School Syllabus:
It is suggested that Bishnois stories specially, Amrita Devi story, on protection of wild
life and vegetation should be included in the school syllabus in all over the country,
due to this; the school children will get awareness towards the protection of
vegetation and wildlife.
 Creating official Web-Page on Bishnois’ Sect:
There is a need to create web page in Internet so that many other parts of the country
and the world can be known about the successful lessons of Bishnoism in protecting
the wild life and vegetation in their villages. In addition, the message of non-violence,
cleanliness, conservation of natural resources is to be disseminated so as to maintain
ecological balance.
Conclusion
While media and research scholars have celebrated Indian women environmentalists
and activists such as Medha Patkar, Arundhati Roy, Gaura Devi, and Vandana Shiva among
others, the story of Indian ecofeminism, as of today, rarely mentions Amrita Devi. According
to me she led a massive sacrifice for the protection of trees in the village of Khejadali, near
Jodhpur. As many as 363 Bishnoi men and women, led by Amrita Devi, sacrificed their lives
to protect the khejari trees from the soldiers of the king Abhay Singh of Jodhpur.
The question of such motivation, capable of even overcoming the instinct of self-
preservation, can probably only be understood in the presence of an extremely stable moral
foundation. This extraordinary steel base was poured many centuries ago by someone who
himself had just survived a famine. Not many people know that the concept of tree huggers
and tree-hugging, have roots in the Bishnoi history in year of 1730 A.D. The famous in the
20th Century ‘Chipko Movement’ was inspired by a true story of a brave lady called Amrita
Devi Bishnoi who refused to let the king’s men cut the trees. This sacrifice not only inspired
the “Chipko Movement” by Sunder Lal Bahuguna but also the Government of India in the
form of “Amrita Devi Bishnoi Smrithi Paryavaran Award” for contributing to environment
conservation.

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UGC Approved Journal – 41042

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Journal of Education & Development | 287

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