The story of the martyrdom of 363 people from Rajasthan’s Bishnoi community laying down their lives to save Khejri trees in 1730 near Jodhpur is considered one of the first environmental protection protests that inspired the Chipko movement later on.Writer and conservationist Martin Goodman, in a session at the Jaipur Literature Festival, said that the community continues to follow the 29 principles set by their founder Guru Jambheshwar, or Jambho Ji, one of which is preservation of trees.“In the 15th century when Jambho ji wrote his 29 rules to live by during a time of extreme drought, it extended and became the mega-drought of Europe. There was drought everywhere,” Goodman said at a session titled “The First Eco-Warriors: The Extraordinary Stories of the Bishnoi”.He added that one of the reasons Rajasthan has managed to cope with extreme weather is because “the Bishnois’ genetic memory goes back to that time”.“I sat under the tree where Jambho ji passed away, this was in 2022. On that day, it was 37 degrees in Rajasthan, in London, it was 40 (degrees) for the first time.“The way Jambho ji was leading the way as a great thinker as well as a great spiritual figure, I think Rajasthan has lessons it can teach us all because desertification is real,” said the writer of “My Head for a Tree: The Extraordinary Story of the Bishnoi, the World’s First Eco-Warriors”.“Millions of people are going to see their lands turn to deserts,” added Goodman.He said Bishnois believe in caring more for the environment in the context of climate change.“They are planting more trees all the time, they are trying to combat this thing. So you find forests are growing, they are digging ponds for wildlife. So you adapt to the way your environment is adapting.”
