For centuries, India has embraced a reverence for nature, viewing it as a nurturing mother integral to life and spirituality. This cultural attitude fostered sustainable practices long before modern environmental movements. Ironically, many Indians now dismiss these traditions as backward until validated by the West, like cow cuddling's recent global popularity. To progress sustainably, India must decolonize its mindset, reclaiming pride in its ecological wisdom by integrating indigenous knowledge with contemporary science rather than blindly adopting Western models.
Written By : Amit Kumar Srivastava, for News18.com
In the heart of our ancient land, there lies a philosophy of living harmoniously with nature, a principle that has guided generations through time. Bharat, as we affectionately call our nation, has always embraced nature not merely as a resource but as a living entity, a nurturing mother. For millennia, Bharat has cherished a profound and reverential relationship with nature, viewing it as an inseparable part of life and spirituality. This deep-seated reverence for the environment was not born out of necessity but from an intrinsic understanding of life’s interconnectedness, a wisdom that predates modern environmental awareness by millennia.
The Western world, in its relentless pursuit of growth, eventually stumbled upon the harsh truths of ecological limits and the pressing need for sustainable development. Ironically, this realisation came through extensive debates and international agreements, a stark contrast to Bharat’s natural inclination towards sustainability, embedded in our spiritual practices, festivals, and daily life.
Unlike in the West, where nature was often seen as something to be subdued, conquered, and exploited, Bharat’s traditions have treated nature as a nurturing mother, with its own identity, dignity, and purpose beyond human utility. This cultural attitude—rooted in timeless rituals, scriptures, and folk traditions—fostered a symbiotic balance that allowed Bharat to sustain one of the world’s densest populations while preserving its natural ecosystems.
Bharat, the cradle of the world’s oldest continuous civilisation and home to millennia of uninterrupted human habitation, stood as a bastion of biodiversity where no species met extinction—until the brutal incursions by Islamic invaders and the exploitative rule of European colonialists shattered this ecological harmony. But today, we are at a critical juncture where this reverence risks being lost under the pervasive influence of a colonial mindset that still dictates much of our education, governance, and societal values.
Bharat’s Heritage of Sustainability
From ancient scriptures to folklore, Bharatiya thought has consistently emphasised harmony with nature. Our texts, such as the Vedas and Upanishads, enjoin respect for trees, rivers, animals, and even mountains. This wisdom is not mere romanticism; it represents a sophisticated, sustainable approach to life that we see echoed today in global discourses on environmental conservation and sustainability. Our ancestors, through observation and experience, understood the intricate interconnectedness of life, recognising that any harm to nature would eventually harm humanity.
Unlike the modern idea of sustainable development, which gained traction only after environmental crises began to threaten human survival, the Indian approach was preventive rather than corrective. By treating nature as an extension of human life, our society instinctively managed to coexist with its surroundings without the need for regulatory frameworks or international agreements. For instance, traditional farming practices in Bharat promoted crop diversity and soil regeneration, while local rituals safeguarded water sources and sacred groves. These practices weren’t categorised under terms like “sustainable agriculture" or “biodiversity conservation," but they embodied these principles organically.
India’s traditional respect for nature, however, faces a peculiar challenge today, not from external forces but from within. With the dawn of Macaulay’s education system, which was designed to create a class of Indians who were Indians in blood and colour but English in taste, opinions, morals, and intellect, there has been a gradual shift. This educational legacy, still very much alive, has inadvertently sown seeds of doubt about the value of our own cultural practices.
The educated elite, often seen as the torchbearers of progress, sometimes join hands with those who mock our traditions. Terms like ‘cow-worshippers’ or ‘river-worshippers’ are thrown around in jest or disdain, distancing ourselves from our heritage. Yet, there’s an amusing twist in this narrative; when these same practices gain international acclaim, they are embraced with fervour.
The Paradox of Western Validation
Take Yoga, for instance. In Bharat, it transcends mere physical exercise, embodying a comprehensive journey towards physical, mental, and spiritual harmony. However, its true recognition among many of our own often comes only after it receives applause abroad, repackaged and celebrated as “Yoga." This ancient discipline, once dismissed as outdated or quaint, now stands as a global symbol of wellness.
Similarly, our humble haldi doodh, which is a concoction familiar to every Indian home for its healing properties, was often overlooked by urban dwellers until it re-emerged on the international stage as the exotic ‘Golden Latte’ or ‘Turmeric Latte’ in Western cafes, suddenly becoming a health trend. This transformation from a simple home remedy to a global health trend underscores a poignant irony in how we perceive and value our own traditions.
When misguided Western intellectuals, alongside critics within Bharat, mocked Hindus as “cow-worshippers," even some educated Hindus joined in shaming their own culture. They scorned the practice of respecting, worshipping, and even cuddling with cows, dismissing it as a backward ritual. Ironically, however, the practice of cow-embracing—referred to as “koe knuffelen" in Dutch—has gained traction globally as a wellness trend with profound mental health benefits.
According to a BBC report, cow-hugging began over a decade ago in rural Dutch provinces and has since expanded to places like Rotterdam, Switzerland, and the United States, where farms now offer cow-hugging sessions to promote joy and alleviate stress. Remarkably, this isn’t just beneficial for people; research published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science in 2007 found that cows also enjoy these interactions, showing signs of relaxation and comfort when massaged in certain areas. The calming and healing influence of animals, especially cows, which Bharat has understood for centuries, is now recognised and embraced by wellness experts worldwide.
Yet, it took Western acceptance for many of us to acknowledge and celebrate our own cultural practices. The “cow worship" that once invited ridicule now stands validated by science and embraced globally, highlighting once more the need for Bharat to reclaim pride in its own wisdom.
This trend of embracing our traditions only after Western endorsement reflects a deeply ingrained colonial mindset. We are constantly looking for validation from the West, whether in our cultural practices, intellectual contributions, or societal values. As a result, indigenous wisdom is stripped of its original significance and rebranded to fit Western frameworks, robbing it of the very context and depth that made it invaluable in the first place.
The Disruption of Macaulay’s Education System
With the advent of Macaulay’s education system, designed to create Indians who were “Indian in blood and colour but English in taste, opinions, morals, and intellect," a profound shift began. This colonial project fundamentally disrupted our cultural harmony, replacing indigenous knowledge systems with Western rationality.
In 1835, Lord Macaulay aimed to “form a class who may be interpreters between us and the millions whom we govern," thus cultivating a generation detached from its own cultural roots. Indigenous rituals, languages, and practices were systematically devalued, and education became an instrument of alienation from our heritage.
Even today, this colonial shadow lingers. Many educated Indians view traditional knowledge with scepticism or, at worst, outright disdain. They label practices like river or cow worship as “backwards," failing to grasp the ecological wisdom woven into these traditions. Ironically, when practices such as yoga or Ayurveda gain validation in the West, they are quickly celebrated, rebranded, and embraced by those who once dismissed them. This disconnect underscores the need for a revival of cultural pride, so that we no longer require external validation to honour our heritage and its inherent wisdom.
Even in empirical disciplines like Geography, which closely examine the environment and human ecology, Bharat’s knowledge remains glaringly absent in mainstream textbooks. When discussing ancient classical geography, Western and Eastern civilisations like Roman, Greek, and Chinese are given prominence—even based on epics like the Odyssey. In contrast, Hindu epics such as the Mahabharata and Ramayana, which offer remarkably detailed geographical knowledge of Bharat and beyond, are seldom acknowledged.
Despite a growing interest in indigenous knowledge systems and nature-based solutions, Bharat’s rich Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is often overlooked, even by researchers and scholars from Bharat. This informed neglect, rooted in an ingrained colonial mindset, has fostered a deep-seated inferiority complex that blinds us to the wisdom within our own heritage.
Reclaiming Bharat’s Cultural Identity
To move forward, Bharat must reclaim its cultural identity and resist the remnants of colonial conditioning. This is not about blind traditionalism or regressive nationalism; it is about recognising the value of our indigenous knowledge systems and integrating them with modern advancements. For a truly sustainable future, Bharat must develop a decolonised perspective on development, one that blends ancient wisdom with contemporary science, rather than blindly adopting Western models of progress.
Decolonising our minds begins in our classrooms, where textbooks and curricula continue to privilege Western histories, theories, and ideologies over local knowledge systems and philosophies. We need an education that introduces students to indigenous environmental ethics, encourages respect for traditional agricultural practices, and honours our linguistic and cultural diversity. Decolonisation also requires a shift in our societal attitudes. It calls for pride in our identity, a willingness to question imported biases, and an appreciation for the values and insights that have sustained Bharat for thousands of years.
A Call for Decolonisation of the Mind: Towards a Jagrat Bharat
The need of the hour is a jagrat Bharat—an awakened India that confidently embraces its heritage while engaging with the world on its own terms. This reawakening must come from within, through a collective effort to reconnect with our roots, understand the wisdom in our practices, and acknowledge the contribution of our ancestors to a sustainable way of life.
I envision an India where our children learn about both quantum physics and the Vedas, understanding that both talk about the interconnectedness of all existence, and the nature of reality – without having any prejudice. Yoga is practised not because it’s a global trend but because it’s a path to holistic health ingrained in our culture. Traditional ecological practices are not only preserved but are also seen as forward-thinking models for sustainable living worldwide. This vision of a jagrat Bharat (awakened India) isn’t a retreat into the past but a forward march with confidence in our cultural identity, where we innovate with our roots as our foundation.
As we stride into the future, let us not forget that the wisdom of our ancestors provides not just historical pride but practical solutions to contemporary issues. The journey towards decolonising our minds might be long, given the deep imprints left by centuries of foreign rule and subsequent cultural shifts. Yet, the path is clear, and the destination—a nation proud of its heritage and its contributions to global culture—is within sight. In embracing our traditions, not out of nostalgia but with an understanding of their relevance, we pave the way for a sustainable, culturally rich India, contributing to not just our well-being but to that of the planet. Let us strive for this awakening, for in our culture lies the key to a future where progress and tradition dance in harmony.
Let us be a nation that honours its rivers, protects its forests, and cherishes its traditional wisdom not as an exotic relic but as a valuable part of a modern, progressive Bharat. This is the Bharat that can stand as a beacon for the world, demonstrating that the path to true sustainability lies not in conquering nature, but in living harmoniously within it.
As we envision an awakened Bharat, let us recognise that honouring our own wisdom and cultural heritage is not about looking back, but about moving forward sustainably. In a world grappling with climate crises and ecological degradation, Bharat has a unique opportunity to lead by example. This transformation, however, begins with decolonising our minds—shedding ingrained biases and reclaiming pride in our indigenous knowledge. Only then can Bharat emerge as a truly resilient and self-assured nation, rooted in its values yet equipped to address global challenges.
https://www.news18.com/opinion/opinion-sustainability-and-spirituality-why-bharats-traditions-matter-now-more-than-ever-9126686.html
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