Wildlilfe Viewing - The Philosophy of Indian Co-existence

An area of 4.4 million sq km, population of almost a billion people, more than 300 species of mammals, over 1200 species and sub-species of birds, more than 500 species of reptiles, over 30,000 insect species, some 13,000 species of plants. Sounds almost impossible. How can so many people and so much wildlife co-exist? How can people struggling to make ends meet allow wild animals to threaten their lives and damage their crops?


¤ Wildlilfe Viewing -

The Philosophy of Indian Co-existence is just magnificent. People co-existing with these wild animals are actually worshipping them. Most of rural India has not gone to schools that would have taught them the importance of conservation, the buzzword of today, but they seem to understand it nevertheless.
Not only do they believe in conservation, but they go out of their way to actually conserve. How many communities you know of would find reasons not to kill the elephants who raid their crops year after year? I know of one – the Kong tribals in the eastern state of Orrisa. According to Kong folklore, elephants were earlier dogs. The Kong tribals mistreated these dogs who then went complaining to the gods about their plight. So the gods took pity on them and turned them into elephants. After all, size does matter. Now these elephants take revenge on the tribals by destroying their crops and the tribals think that it is just fair considering the fact that they were the ones who started the whole thing in the first place.
This is not the only story of its kind. Other stories – with or without religious leanings – have, over centuries, created an attitude among Indians that encourages co-existence with wild life, especially tribals who have the greatest interaction with wildlife. Indian wildlife viewing includes the message of conservation, that is indoctrinated; you will find it intricately woven into every aspect of Indian culture.


¤ Theory of Ancient literature and philosophy

Ancient literature and philosophy is perhaps the root from where this attitude stems. In ancient Indian literature the whole theory of Creation emphasises the obligation of humans to respect their environment. Man is seen as only one among the innumerable living and nonliving creations of god. Ancient Indian philosophers went to the extent of saying that protection of environment is a fundamental duty of all men. Man is seen as an intelligent creature capable of understanding the fragility of the world he lives in. At the same time it is reasserted over and over again that man is not the possessor of all knowledge and what he knows he has learnt from the other live forms around him. The priests of all creatures were born ahead of humans. Cosmic intelligence, inherent in all forms is the self-existent source of all knowledge.


¤ The Description of Plants and Animal Life

Ancient Indian texts like the Vedas, Upanishads and the Puranas (see Ancient Scriptures and Folklore) have meticulously described and recorded the plants and wildlife that surrounded the human habitation and laid down rules that would guide the interaction between man and nature. The Yajur Veda emphasises the need to offer prayers to all life forms especially the cow which, till date, occupies a special place in the hearts of all Hindus. The Varan Purana suggests that planting of trees is an act of such piety that it would help man achieve heaven after death. The Matsya Purana equates the planting of a single tree to the procreation of a progeny of ten sons. The Narsimha Purana has gone to the extent of personifying trees as Brahma (the Creator of the Hindu Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer).

While the textual tradition in India offers a complete and systematic analysis of the universe the oral tradition focuses on practise. In the oral tradition the forces of nature were perceived as a positive living entities that were recognised and given special regard. From here began the ritualisation of the forces that man either feared or did not understand, or both. This ritualisation was to become the foundation of Hindu religion.
Even in Islam the reverence of certain animals and plants was encouraged. The Qoran (sacred text of the Muslims) refers to nature as a microcosmic counterpart of itself. The 8^th century Sufi saint Aziz-al-Nasafi compares each genus of a plant or animal to a surah in the Qoran, each specie to a verse and each individual to a letter.


¤ Plants and Animals Associated With Hindu Gods

In Hinduism plants and animals were associated with gods if not given godlike status. Tree worship gained importance and from this emerged the concept of ‘sacred groves’, a concept that was here to stay for a long long time to come. These sacred groves were given complete protection; no harm was to come upon the flora and fauna within the assigned area and the rules governing these sacred groves were formidable. Even today it is not unusual to come across a dense patch of vegetation protected as a sacred grove, exhibiting the traditional values that have been able to hold ground through the ages.


¤ Animal Worship


Among the animals the more awesome ones like tiger, elephant and snake and the ones with which interaction was more, like the monkey, got a more god like status. But the rest did not go unnoticed, for almost every animal, big or small, was under the benevolence of a god. The wildlife viewing erose admiration for these animal. Animals treated like gods are still alive through religion in all most the country giving enough reason to the believer to protect them.


¤ Tiger Associated With Goddess Durga


The tiger has been loved, feared and worshipped throughout India for centuries. It is seen as a brother, a protector, a fertility symbol, a destroyer of all evil and the guardian of the jungles. Durga, the Hindu goddess who fights all evil, is always depicted as riding a tiger or a lion making them comrades in her mission against evil.


¤ Elephant Worship

Another animal that has an overwhelming presence in the subcontinent is the elephant. It has also been able to secure a predominant status in religion and mythology, both Hindu and Buddhist. A story well known amongst Buddhists is that of queen Maya, the mother of Gautam Buddha, who is believed to have seen a white elephant in her dream before she gave birth to Buddha.

According to a Hindu myth, a legendary white elephant Airavata was created during the churning of the ocean of milk that consequently led to creation of earth. Airavata was thus seen as a source of all life forms. But elephant worship amongst Hindus goes beyond Airavata. The elephant god Ganesha (who has a human body and the head of an elephant) is worshiped throughout the country as the son of Shiva (the Destroyer) and the removal of obstacles. It is believed that the elephant head of this god makes him one of the most intelligent gods and a great patron of knowledge. There is a waggish story of how he and his brother, Skanda, set out on a race around the world. Skanda did so in a more conventional way, riding his peacock mount, while Ganesha claimed victory by simply walking around his parents, Shiva and Parvati. He claimed that since his parents meant the world to him he had actually encircled the world, as he knew it.


¤ Naga - The Serpent


The ‘naga’ or the serpent (mostly the cobra) is one of the most popular figures that are frequently mentioned in Indian mythology and innumerable references to the legendry nagas can be found in the ancient texts. The religious naga cult is one of the oldest in the world and still has a large following in India. The snake is seen as a guardian of the earth and all its secrets including the biggest secret of all – the secret of Creation. Snakes have also found a place among the Buddhist Jakata stories which talk of them as having gathered around Buddha’s mother to help with the bird of Sidhartha, the to be Buddha.

The cobra is closely related to Shiva whose dual nature, of creator (in the sense of procreation) and destroyer, ascetic and erotic, it shares. Serpents are seen adorning Shiva’s neck and guarding the linga (Shiva’s phallic symbol) as also Shiva’s sons Ganesha and Murugana, who are also depicted with cobras around their chest and ankles. Vishnu (the Preserver) is also illustrated resting on the coils of a giant seven-headed cobra while he awaits the Creation of life.

Snake worship has taken a number of forms in India. Snake deities are often represented as half human and half serpent, and their images are placed under sacred trees and outside temples and are believed to protect all those who come to worship them. The highpoint of snake worship is reached during Nagapanchami (the festival of sakes). Live snakes are captured, to be released later, and worshiped amongst much festivity. Since there is strong phallic symbolism associated with snake worship the role of women in the ceremonies is predominant.

While the tiger, elephant and snake have earned their veneration thanks to the awe they inspired, the monkey god Hanuman probably gained prominence with the increasing popularity of the epic Ramayana. In the Ramayana, Hanuman is portrayed as the loyal companion of Rama, the incarnation of Vishnu (the Preserver), who he accompanied on a mission to Lanka to rescue Rama’s wife, Sita. The Ramayana depicts him as a protector of the innocent and talks much about the might of Hanuman who once flew up to grasp the sun, thinking it was an apple, and also moved mountains. Such is the love for Hanuman that hunting monkeys has become a taboo throughout Asia and the langur, named after him, is worshiped and protected. You will find hoards of these monkeys being fed on the roadside, especially on a Tuesday, the day devoted to this monkey god. In some cities these monkeys have created havoc but are tolerated for religious reasons alone.


¤ Rats - Considers Sacre

Protection under religion is offered to the all including the ‘lesser’ animals. Even our little mouse is under the benevolence of a mighty god. The mouse is the mount for Ganesha, the elephant-headed god, and how this elephant god manages to ride the mouse only they both know! Mounts are a popular way of associating gods and animals. Shiva’s mount is the Nandi, the bull, while Vishnu rides the eagle, Garuda. and both Nandi and Garuda have been graded as gods because of this. Garuda has been depicted as a kind soul eager to help fight evil but his greatest gift to mankind is soma (the nectar of immortality) that he stole from the gods. The peacock serves not one but two gods, it is the vehicle for both Kartikeya (war god) and Saraswati (the goddess of knowledge).

Creatures like fish, boar and tortoise might sound irrelevant to many but according to the Vedas they are divine. Vishnu has been credited with as many as ten incarnations that he assumed to assist man in his struggle against evil. of these ten incarnations the first three were that of Matsya (the fish), Kurma (the tortoise) and Varaha (the boar) respectively.


¤ According To Hindu Mythology

Gods and legendary men had pets, or animals they just happened to have patted once, but that was enough to make Hindus respect them. Yudhisthira, one of the main characters in the great epic Mahabharata, is said to have been accompanied to heaven by his dog.

In Hinduism there is only one heaven that shelters both humans and animals. In a story found mostly in children’s books, a squirrel was trying to help, in its little way, to build a great bridge over the mighty sea in order to allow Rama (Lord Vishnu’s incarnation) to cross over to Lanka to fight his enemy. A member of Rama’s army saw the squirrel and laughed at the little creature. The poor squirrel was so upset that it began crying, and it was then that Rama picked it up and stroked it gently admiring its effort. The strip found on a squirrels back are said to be the impressions of Rama’s fingers.

A number of beliefs and rituals were framed emphasising conservation, but often the science or logic behind conserving certain plants or animals was not well conveyed leading to these being termed as ‘superstitions’. Killing of certain animals is said to bring misfortune to the killer. In most parts of India it is believed that a snake is sure to avenge the killing of its mate. In some communities it is believed that if you kill a spider, an ugly mark would appear on your face and that surely would discourage any beauty conscious person from killing a spider!


¤ Common Belief Persisting

Besides the links provided to us by religion, we have others that are an outcome of centuries of interaction. Throughout India various animals are seen as biological indicators of natural phenomenon. The arrival of the Pie Crested Cuckoo is supposed to bring the monsoon within 24 hours. The Drongo hovering over rice fields indicates the presence of caseworm pest while crabs indicate the presence of underground water. Such presumption may or may not be backed by scientific research, but their role in creating a feeling of dependency and a bond with animals is undeniable.


¤ The Influence of Religion and Philosophy Over The Wildlife Conservation

One is often tempted to question the actual influence all these conservation lessons offered by religion and philosophy. But the influence is there and very visible in case of certain village communities who share a special relation with certain birds or animals, especially with migratory birds. This remarkable co-existences of man with the wild encourages wildlife viewing in their natural habitat.

One such village is Jayanagar in West Bengal, which welcomes thousands of storks every autumn, and then there is the Kheechan village in Rajasthan that protects and feeds the migratory cranes that visit them every year. The villagers gain nothing from the birds except for a little bit of guano that might be used as fertilisers. As a matter of fact they seem to be spending a substantial amount of their earning into feeding these birds, plus the added discomfort of the noise and the smell. But they do not complain; they believe the birds bring them luck and they are prepared to go to any length to make sure the birds are back next year.

The Bishnoi community deserves a special mention here. A Bishnoi will not burn wood until it is free of all insect life. They have a unique relationship of love with the black buck and have often risked their own lives to save the black bucks from poachers. The Jain community perhaps has the most stringent rules when it comes to conservation. Jainism, like Buddhism, forbids the killing of any living creature, big or small.
Wildlife has survived in India thanks to the religions and philosophies that have guided Indians over all these centuries. But times are changing and so are attitudes. The new generation is not as influenced by traditional religion and philosophy and this has affected their attitude towards wildlife and conservation. Wildlife is not as safe in India as it used to be. We can only hope that traditional knowledge if at all replaced is replaced by scientific knowledge that will advocate conservation.