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Conservation |
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Tradition to Future |
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A miraculous escape in childhood from an elephant attack in a forest made Mahadeo Mahato, a teacher from Jharkhand, realize the importance of environmental damage by unwanted, human intrusion in the forests and the wild life. He delved into traditions to seek solutions for deforestation. Frequent references to reverence for Nature in scriptures led him to adopt the concept of Raksha Bandhan, a festival in which sisters tie Rakhi, a symbolic thread on the wrists of their brothers, to take a pledge from them for defending sisters against all odds. He thought if people do the same to the trees, then they will never harm them despite their compulsions of consumption. An initiative was born in the form of Vriksha Raksha Bandhan Fair (Fair involving tying sacred threads to trees for their protection). Lately, several attempts like this are being tried in different parts of the country such as Panipat, Haryana, 2006 (http://www.nerve.in news:25350011451), Alwar, Rajasthan, 2001 (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/features/parched/india_singh.htm) etc.
Mahadeo Mahato then established the Vanya Prani Suraksha Samiti (Wildlife Protection Committee). The first Vriksha Raksha Bandhan,
was organized in Dudhmatia area in Chattisgarh on 15th Oct, 1995. Mahadeo undertook padyatra (walk on foot), held vichar goshthi (meetings), cycle rally, school level meetings to instill the feelings for the need of conservation. Gradually villagers started to join the movement. Mahadeo met the initial expense for his campaign. The local support came from the villagers.
Organizing the Raksha Bandhan Fair
The Raksha Bandhan ceremony is encased in the event of a fair. The final day celebrations are fore-tailed by months of efforts of the volunteers. After identifying a suitable village willing to take the oath, committees are formed, a survey of the vegetation and wild life in the near by forest is taken up to gauge the likely results of conservation after five to ten years. A suitable date is then decided, keeping in mind that it would be celebrated as the Vriksha Raksha Bandhan for years to come.
The main event is preceded by week long engagements like writings of slogan on the walls, street plays and meetings. On the final day there are exhibitions and cultural events by children on wild life preservation and conservation. On a fixed time every one gathers and offers prayer to nature. Traditional musical instruments and folk songs fill the air. A red cloth is used as the string, to symbolize danger for the trees. Local forest products are used as prayer material.
This movement has almost become an annual festival for the villages that have already participated in it. Mahadeo continues to bear the major load. He was conferred Sristi Sanman in 2007. HB volunteers presented this idea before Dr Vijay Kelkar, Chairman 13th Finance Commission, during his visit to Hazaribag. He was pleasantly surprised with this model of innovative efforts by Vanya Prani Suraksha Samiti that has succeeded in foresting up to 500 Acre owned by villagers in different places of Jharkhand.
Contributed by Rajeev Ranjan Pandey, SUT, Hazaribag, Jharkhand
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| Volume No. |
Honey Bee 19(4): 15, 2008 |
