Bishnois – The Conservationists Of Rajasthan !!!

... Nomads     ... Trader

The Origin of Bishnois !!!
The Bishnois are known as the conservationists to whom the preservation of animal and vegetable life is a religion and has been so from the early 15th century. Their spiritual mentor, Jambeshwarji was a wise ecologist. He formulated Bis (twenty) + noi (nine) = Bisnoi tenets from which the community derives its name. Almost 90 per cent of the farmers of Desert region gladly accepted the 29 tenets he laid down. The tenets were tailored to conserve bio-diversity of the area but also ensured a healthy Eco-friendly social life for the community. Out of the 29 tenets, 10 are directed towards personal hygiene and maintaining good basic health, seven for healthy social behavior, and five tenets to worship God. Eight tenets have been prescribed to preserve bio-diversity and encourage good animal husbandry. These include a ban on killing animals and felling green trees, and providing protection to all life forms. The community is also directed to see that the firewood they use is devoid of small insects. Wearing blue cloths is prohibited because the dye for coloring them is obtained by cutting a large quantity of shrubs.

The Martyrdom Of Amrita Devi and Khejarli Massacre !!!
The Bisnois narrate the story of Amrita Devi, a Bishnoi woman who, along with more than 366 other Bishnois, died saving the Khejarli trees. Nearly 2 centuries back, Maharajah Abhay Singh of Jodhpur required some woods for the construction of his new palace. So the king sent his soldiers to cut trees in the nearby region of Khejarli, where the village is filled with the large number of trees. But when Amrita Devi and local villagers come to know about it, they opposed the kings men. The malevolent feudal party told her that if she wanted the trees to be spared, she would have to give them money as bribe. She refused to acknowledge this demand and told them that she would consider it as an act of insult to her religious faith and would rather give away her life to save the green trees. This is still remembered as the great Khejarli sacrifice. Some Bishnois who were killed protecting the trees were buried in Khejerli village near Jodhpur, where a simple grave with four pillars had been erected. Every year,in September, the Bishnois assemble there to commemorate the extreme sacrifice made by their people to preserve their faith and religion.

The Lifestyle of Bishnois !!!
The Bishnois are presently spread over the western parts of Rajasthan. They are more prosperous than the other communities living in the Thar Desert, probably because of their Eco-friendly lifestyle. The Bishnois are not only leading Eco-friendly life but also they are leading to Eco-friendly even in the death rites. They are teetotalers and normally they wear white shirt, dhoti and turban. This dress pattern is ideal for the hot dry desert climate. They pay special attention to cleanliness in their houses. Only one crop of bajra is grown during the monsoon season. The bushes, which grow in the fields, protect the loose sand from wind erosion and provide the much-needed fodder for animals during a famine. Bisnois often live in little hamlets called `Dhannis', with just a few round huts with intricate thatched roofs. They scrub the floors of the huts and the common courtyards which are always clean, and cook in earthen ovens. The mud floors are plastered with cow dung to keep vermin away. The interiors are airy and clean. Men, women and children exude robust good health. There is a granary to guard their rations and a sump for stored water. There is an easy paced dignity to life here.

Lover of Wild Animals !!!
Their villages are easily distinguishable with plenty of trees and other vegetation, and herds of antelopes roaming freely near their homes. The fields are ploughed with simple ploughs using bullocks or camels and this causes minimal damage to the fragile desert eco-system. The Bishnois keep only cows and buffaloes as rearing of sheep and goats, which devour desert vegetation, is taboo. They do not sell dairy products, and do not raise sheep or goats for slaughter. The Bishnoi do not allow their dogs to kill the wild animals, especially the black bucks. Cats are well taken care of and the Bishnoi appreciate that they kill snakes and rats who eat their grain. They feed the cats yogurt and milk. The Bisnois maintain groves, locally known as orans, for the animals to graze and birds to feed. Orans serve as important recharger of rain water in the aquifers in the desert, where every single drop of water is precious. In most orans, particularly in western Rajasthan.




A Visual Appearance of Bishnoi Mans and Womens !!!
The rainwater is stored in underground tanks called 'tankaras' which is being used for only drinking purpose. The chemical fertilizer usage in their agricultural fields is very low and they are using natural manure (cow and buffaloes dung). They use only cow-dung flakes for their cooking. The Bishnoi women with their attractive attire, silver trimmings and some of the most gorgeous jewellery - heavy nose rings, earrings, bangles and anklets and solid, chunky necklaces - are an attractive sight. "Women are the symbol of creation. Which is why asked them to wear vibrant colors such as red and orange,". "Men wear white because it is symbolic of cleanliness and austerity."

A trip to the Bishnoi villages around Rohet , Luni and Sardarsamand near Jodhpur can be an unforgettable experience