Ancient Environmental Conservation: Practices and Concepts by Dr. U. Rajani Rao

IIWC hosted the the lecture on Ancient Environmental Conservation: Practices and Concepts presented by Dr.U.Rajani Rao on 1st of August 2017. It was organized in the memory of Prof V. Gopalaswamy Iyer in association with Ramakrishna Students Home, Bangalore. 

The lecture highlighted the importance of environmental conservation in the current context and maintaining its self-sustainability.

Dr.U.Rajani Rao whose doctoral thesis was on ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY FROM INDIAN PERSPECTIVE : A CRITICAL EXPOSITION was instrumental in raising the topic of being self-sensitive in preserving the environment. The lecture appreciated how ancient indian ancient practices were supportive for the environment, if not augmentative.

The speaker underlined the man’s denial mode in handling the environment and his ignorance in appreciating how a good environment can influence the man. She quoted ‘We surely can feel the difference while travelling from an urban congested area and entering into a village or a forest or just a patch of greenery. We who positively feel a sense of rejuvenation when we enter these places definitely know that it is so because these places are least or not polluted.’

Main excerpts of the seminar are:

• In every step of man, the environment has been a common casualty.

• Ancient Indian lifestyle revered plants and trees as individuals or in collective forms For ex: Praying to Tulsi plant and Peepul tree

• Rituals like Pancha Maha Yajnas were keeping the environmental conservation in perspective. 

• Although attempts are made by many people across the world to conserve the forest, the impact is minimal if not negligible compared to the scale of destruction every human civilization is causing on the earth
• Attitudinal change in man is the need of the hour

The lecture also included the screening of awareness video created by Bittu Sahgal(Link is attached below). It was followed by an interactive session where the audience who were overwhelmed with the insights engaged in the discussion. 

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Link to Video: She's Alive... Beautiful... Finite... Hurting... Worth Dying for by Bittu Sahgal

Full transcript of the lecture:

A short transcript of the talk given at Indian Institute of World Culture, Basavanagudi on 1-08-2017 at 6.15pm as part of the Endowment Lecture in memory of  Prof.V.Gopalaswamy Iyengar organized by Sri Ramakrishna Student’s Home, V.V.Puram, Bangalore.

“Ancient Environmental Conservation: Practices and Concepts”. Though it is a vast and deep subject but in the given stipulated time, I would like to throw light on some significant points.

The subject matter which I will be covering today is on Nature Conservation, current Environmental situation and some Ancient practices. I once again, welcome you all for this lecture. I look forward with lots of hope and enthusiasm that we all learn from this presentation and use it in our daily life.

This question used to always intrigue me whether I’m part of Environment or Nature. And I am sure many of you would also have felt the same. Is it not true that many individuals make up the whole? Similarly, all environments put together form Nature. Or in simple terms, Nature is the Vision and Environment is the Mission. According to Vedantic literature, Samasthi or Nature is the totality and Vyashti or environment is individuality. Hence, when people talk about Environmental Conservation, I trust and pray that they all strive to reach the ultimate goal of Nature Conservation.

Again the very term ‘Nature Conservation’ sounds perplexing. Does Nature require Conservation and WHY? With drastic climate change occurring the world over, SADLY it does today. Let me break it down in this way. The environmental conservation of air, land, water all put together is what is termed as Nature Conservation. It is the preservation of different aspects of Nature. It is vital for us to have the Mission to strive for the Vision to conserve Nature. If we fail in our Mission, like how the potholes of Bangalore roads affect our drive, similarly it will surely affect our path towards ultimate Vision.

Man, who is a part of Nature, knowingly or unknowingly through his actions FOR his self-indulgence and fulfillment of wants has started taking away too much from the environment. Some of the areas in which he has created a great visible destruction are in polluting waters, indiscriminate destroying of forest, leaving toxic fumes and gases into atmosphere and generating colossal amount of non-degradable waste. All this, in my opinion, is created by the biggest internal pollutant that lies within man. And that my friends, is nothing but GREED and excessive DESIRES.

What is happening to our environment? Let’s see from the perspective of Climate Variation. The short-term variations of fluctuations in atmospheric temperature, precipitation and winds indicate weather and long-term variations of same variables depicts climate.

Weather is observed on a daily basis and hence it is short term variant. Climate is the pattern that is observed at a specific place over several decades and hence is long term variant. Climate change is a natural phenomenon following a standard pattern over long periods of time, but accelerated climate variation has been observed over short period of time. Hence, reason for major concern.

When we go through the examples, we can see that

1. Increase carbon emission increases carbon-di-oxide in atmosphere.

2. Predicted 1.5 - 4% increase in temperature causes drastic climatic impacts.

3. Fear of 1metre rise in sea level has forced island nations to opt for future translocation.

4. Year 2014 witnessed increased frequency of extreme weather events.

5. In Pampa and Ganges rivers, presence of fecal coliform bacteria was found way beyond its permissible limits.

Thus, it is clear that at micro level, environmental hazard caused is undetectable to naked eye and can be validated only with scientific experiments. Effect is in tiniest ways not yet decipherable by human being and makes it harder to grasp Nature’s complexity. On the other hand, environmental hazard at macro level is most visible.

In today’s comfort world, we might be in the DENIAL mood like Trump that these so called environmental problems are not hampering or going to hamper us. To give a simple example, we surely can FEEL the difference while travelling from an urban congested area and entering into a village or a forest or just a patch of greenery. We who positively feel a sense of rejuvenation when we enter these places definitely know that it is so because these places are least or not polluted.

This term ‘Environmental pollution’ is very NEW in the face of the clock of human existence which I’m sure had never snowballed during the ancient period. Because then, men use to follow the RIGHTEOUS path.

And what was this path. The path was that in every action he took, maybe in building a kingdom, in laying roads, in making waterways or in performing rituals; the so called today’s ‘environmental concern’ was not a bother for him. It was a part of his doing or in other words, ‘environmental concern’ was already embedded in each and every activity of the ancient people. Their outlook towards Nature was that they took it to be a part of their daily living.

In their reverence towards birds and animals, maybe in the larger sense of its conservation, they associated them as vahanas or vehicles of Gods and Godesses. Another example can be seen in the use of animal symbols in zodiac signs.

They had GREAT reverence towards plants and trees as individuals or in collective forms which is visible even today. For ex: Praying to Tulsi plant and Peepul tree. Also seals excavated from the earliest known Indus and Harappa civilization have tree and animal symbols inscribed in them. Thus we see that worshipping trees was a benevolent idea for not only the benefit they provided but also for preservation of native trees.

They had a festival of trees called Vanamahotsav through which tree conservation was silently taking place. Relating it to modern times, Neralu or Shade is a celebration of urban forest festival being conducted in Bangalore. Also, the Soliga tribes of K Gudi near Chamrajnagar District till today practice Vanamahotsav as part of their age old custom.

One of the largest tree conservation movements was in the form of assigning large tracts of forest as SACRED GROVES or devara kadu. In this devara kadu, none of the living beings could be harmed or disturbed. Sadly only some sacred groves can be found in existence today. They have been mainly protected and preserved by the respective locals and forest department.    

Modern example of new devara kadu's being created can be sighted. One such place is at Hosanagar, Shimoga district which has all the known tree species of Western Ghats grown in a small sphere. Also, another place having plants and trees of medicinal value and maintained by the forest department is near Channapatna enroute to Mysuru.

The ancient people even gave a nonhuman form to the forest and termed it as the spirit of the forest or Aranyani. This had a role of taking care of the forest so that no destruction could take place. In praise of the spirit of trees, many folklores and folksongs have also been composed.

To put it in a very, very generous perspective, I don’t mind telling that whatever good air that we are breathing, some unpolluted water bodies that is still available and little amount of greenery that we are noticing is all that we are LEFT with EVEN after large scale destruction in recent past. This shows that in quantity how much our forefathers must have left behind for us. Our ancestor’s farsightedness in conserving Nature is what is helping us to survive till today. Do we have that foresight to conserve for us and future generation or shall we watch the worsening of environment and exhaustion of natural resources like water, air in our own life time? This question is worth thinking about.

On the positive side, it is heartening to note that people were using various methods to take care of environment. Some of them are still in existence today maybe in a new format. But it is done in a very minute scale and the new generation is unaware of the age old concepts and practices.

This is where the concept of Panchamahayajna comes into picture. The ancients were not only conservationists, thinkers and futurists in their activities but also had same amount of commitment in their rituals.

Yajna as you all know is 'sacrifice' or 'worship'.  Hence, Panchamahayajna reflects five major sacrifices or form of worship. They need to be performed in various proportions by each individual. Let us understand these terms with respect to what they mean, how they were being used by ancients and their relevance today. First one is

1. Brahmayajna: It is the worship of the giver, the giving and the getter of true knowledge. Environmental knowledge was a part and parcel of it. In ancient days, it indicated the worship of Brahma, Vedas and Sages. In today’s practice, for every kind of knowledge received, studied and shared; environment concern should play an important role. Ex: A lawyer can take cases relating to environmental matter, an architect can design environmental friendly buildings, a teacher can educate about environmental issues.

2. Pitryajna: This worship towards forefathers and ancestors was a form of thanksgiving. Ancients showed this through performing rituals. In present context care for elders and seniors is required.  We need to have reverence towards them for all that they have done to us and also pledge ourselves to do the same for future generations. Let's always remember that the air we are breathing is mainly because of trees that they had not cut but preserved for us. Hence, we are indebted to them in various ways. 

3. Athithiyajna: This form of worship was towards fellow human beings whose existence in the form of community is allowing us to share knowledge and make optimum usage of resources. In ancient times, Athiti or guests included saints, travellers, learned and informed people who had less material comforts. Bringing total equanimity to all was the main reason behind this kind of worship. But in today’s world, man’s selfishness has resulted in hoarding and over utilising of resources. This needs to be substituted by charity and need based usage.

4. Bhutayajna: This form of worship was a way of respecting non human form of life such as trees, birds, insects, animals. The ancient people knew of their unique importance and role played in maintaining life in Nature. Hence ancients felt it to be their duty to take care of them. Examples include keeping bowl of water outside their homes for thirsty birds and animals. Also sharing food with other creatures before partaking it oneself. In the present context, one can be a part of any environmental friendly activity such as planting trees, keeping city clean and keeping nests and feeds for house sparrows. Such activities helps one visualise and respect the same oneness in life.

5. Devayajna: This form of worship was towards the great five elements of ether, air, earth, fire and water. They perceived them to be governed by celestial beings or various Gods. For ex: Vayu was wind God, Agni was fire God and Varuna was water God. This was ancient's way of expressing their gratefulness for the elements that help in sustaining all living beings. In today’s context, ‘Bhagvan’ might have got conceptualized this way. Bha means Bhumi or earth, Ga means Gagan or space/ether, V means Vayu or air, A means Agni or fire and N means Neer or water. Hence these five elements are equivalent to Bhagvan or God.

Thus we see that, Panchamahayajna, is a testimony to show that existence in this world is a close knit web of various forms of wisdom. The ancient man took great pride in doing them as a duty to be performed. It shows how man paid respect not only to his guru, creator and fellow human beings but also to all life and five elements.

A saying from Prthvi Sukta goes like this ‘Mata bhumi putroham prthviyah’. It means ‘earth is our mother and we are her children’. This phrase has its relevance today as modern man is on the lookout for a habitable place to live like on planet Mars or anywhere else, but is oblivious of the fact that earthly environment is a must wherever he lives. Earth is the only conducive place to live and truth is that Earth is a living entity. This is beautifully shown in the video that you can view shortly.

Prthvi Sukta has a set of sixty three verses on earth. These verses highlight the opulence of the earth by glorifying it. Sacred and reverential attitude towards Nature can be seen in the verses.

The present Environmental situation that all of us find ourselves in is totally Man Made.  So, let’s not forget the processes in the form of concepts and practices left by our ancient folks. It is everybody’s duty to preserve and conserve our environment. Following the panchamahayajna in thought, spirit and words is a crucial way to ward off man’s internal pollution.