Today is World Environment Day, observed every year on the 5th of June to raise global awareness about taking positive environmental action to protect nature and our planet. Spearheaded by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), this day calls for collective efforts to safeguard our environment. In honour of World Environment Day, let’s revisit two of the most crucial tree conservation movements in India: the Chipko Movement and the Amrita Devi-led Bishnoi Movement.

Don’t destroy the greenery and don’t spoil the scenery!

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CHIPKO MOVEMENT

In the 1970s, an organized resistance to the destruction of forests spread throughout India, known as the Chipko Movement. The term “Chipko” comes from the Hindi word meaning “to stick” or “to hug,” symbolizing the villagers’ act of embracing trees to protect them from being cut down. This grassroots movement began in response to the needs of the people of Uttarakhand (then Uttar Pradesh).

The first Chipko action occurred spontaneously in April 1973 in the village of Mandal in the upper Alakananda valley. This movement was sparked by the government’s decision to allocate a forest plot in the Alaknanda Valley to a sports goods company. Village women and men, led by Sunderlal Bahuguna, a renowned Gandhian, and activist Chandi Prasad Bhatt, began a non-violent protest by hugging the trees to save them from being felled. Encouraged by the local NGO Dasoli Gram Swarajya Sangh (DGSS), the villagers formed circles around the trees, effectively preventing the loggers from cutting them down.

Mr. Bahuguna famously appealed to then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, leading to a ban on green-felling. He also coined the Chipko slogan: “Ecology is the permanent economy,” emphasizing the long-term benefits of preserving natural resources.

AMRITA DEVI-LED MOVEMENT

While the Chipko Movement of the 1970s is well-known, India’s history of tree conservation dates back even further. One of the earliest recorded instances of such efforts comes from the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan in the 18th century.

The legend of Amrita Devi tells the story of a Bishnoi woman who, along with her three daughters, sacrificed her life to protect the trees around her village of Khejarli. On September 11, 1730, the local Maharaja’s minister, Giridhar Bhandari, arrived to cut down the sacred Khejri trees to burn lime for a new palace. Amrita Devi, adhering to her community’s faith which prohibited harming trees, protested by hugging the trees and refusing to pay a bribe to spare them. She declared, “If a tree is saved even at the cost of one’s head, it’s worth it,” before offering her life.

Amrita Devi a mother of three daughters — Asu, Ratni and Bhagu was at home with her daughters. Suddenly, she came to know that many people had descended in their otherwise sleepy village of Khejarli.

It was a party of Giridhar Bhandari, a minister with Maharaja Abhay Singh, Ruler of Marwar (Jodhpur) state who wanted to fell the sacred green Khejri (Prosopis cineraria) trees to burn lime for the construction of his new palace. Since there was a lot of greenery in the Bishnoi villages even in the middle of Thar Desert, the king ordered his men to get the woods from Khejri trees. Amrita Devi protested against the tree-felling because such acts were prohibited by the Bishnoi’s faith. Amrita Devi along with other Bishnoi men, women and children jumped in front of the trees and hugged them. The royal party said that they would only cease if she paid them a bribe, which she refused to do because she saw that as ignominious and an insult to her faith. She said:

सर सान्टे रूख रहे तो भी सस्तो जाण

In English, it means: If a tree is saved even at the cost of one’s head, it’s worth it.

Saying these, she offered her head. The axes, which were brought to cut the trees, severed her head from her trunk. The three young girls Asu, Ratni and Bhagu were not daunted and offered their heads too. The news spread like wildfire.

Her brave act sparked a movement among the Bishnoi community, leading to the sacrifice of 363 lives to protect their sacred trees. This tragic event led to the Maharaja forbidding the felling of trees and killing of animals in Bishnoi territories, a legislation that remains in place today.

News of the deaths spread and summons to a meeting were sent to 83 Bishnoi villages. The meeting determined that one Bishnoi volunteer would sacrifice their life for every tree that was cut down. Older people began hugging the trees that were intended to be cut and many were killed. These efforts failed to have the desired impact and Bhandari claimed that the Bishnois were sacrificing ageing people whom they no longer saw as useful to society. In response to this, young men, women and children began to follow the example of the old. The development shocked the tree-felling party. The group left for Jodhpur with their mission unfulfilled. 363 Bishnois died in the incident. September 11, 1730, is marked as Forest Martyrs Day to remember and respect the green warrior foresters who martyred to protect our forests.

When Maharaja learned about the carnage, he was repentant and forbade any killing of animals and cutting of trees in the Bishnois territories. This legislation still exists today in the region. It’s no wonder that the Bishnois are considered as among the earliest conservationists in the world.

A Legacy of Conservation

These historic movements have laid the foundation for numerous conservation efforts across India today. From waste management and wildlife preservation to the cleaning of lakes and rivers and tree planting initiatives, India continues to honour its rich legacy of environmental stewardship.

On this World Environment Day, we reflect on these powerful stories of courage and commitment to nature. They serve as poignant reminders of the vital role we all play in protecting our environment. Let’s draw inspiration from these green warriors and commit to taking positive action for our planet.

In the words of the Chipko poet Ghanasyam Raturi, let us embrace our trees and the natural world, preserving it for future generations:

चिपको आन्दोलन की इस आवाज़ को
हर दिशा में हम पहुंचायेंगे,
पेड़ों के साथ अपने दिलों की भी
धड़कन को हम मिलायेंगे।

“We will carry the message of the Chipko movement
To every direction,
We will merge the heartbeat of our hearts
With the heartbeat of the trees.”

Happy World Environment Day!