The Bishnois of the Thar desert region of Rhajasthan have a strong love – almost worship – of animals, trees and plants, a principle which was laid down by the founder of the set, Guru Jambheswar in the 15th century. He predicted that, unless humanity controlled their use of natural resources, there would be total environmental collapse, and laid down 29 principles, predominantly covering personal hygiene, diet and social relations, which the Bishnois still adhere to strictly. The name ‘Bishnoi’ means ‘twenty nine’, after these 29 principles.
In accordance with those 29 principles, the Bishnois live a very simple life, and have a vegetarian diet. Women are seen as the source of life and wear bright clothes of red or orange and very attractive silver jewelry. Men wear white, as a symbol of devotion to their faith, and wearing blue cloth is forbidden as blue dye is made from large quantities of shrubs. In Bishnoi homes – round huts with thatched roofs - mud floors are scrubbed, then covered with cow dung to keep vermin away and the interiors are always clean. Cooking is done in mud ovens, fired by flakes of dried cattle dung.
Often viewed as the first environmentalists, the Bishnois have always protected animals and trees ferociously, and although they abhor killing in any form, they will violently attack hunters and even sacrifice their own lives if necessary. In the 18th century, one Bishnoi woman, Amrita Devi, confronted a party of men sent to the village of Kherjarli by the ruler of Jodphur to cut down Khejri (lime) trees for the construction of a new palace. When they refused to stop, she and her three daughters sacrificed themselves under the woodcutters’ axes. Bishnois from 84 villages gathered and agreed that one Bishnoi volunteer would sacrifice their life for each tree cut down. 363 Bishnois of all ages gave their lives before the horrified Maharaja of Jodhpur ordered the felling to stop and issued a royal decree ordering that all tree felling and animal hunting would be forbidden within the boundaries of Bishnoi villages.
This love of nature pervades all aspects of Bishnoi society. Although Hindu, in order not to fell trees, they bury their dead (not in caskets) rather than cremate them. Although they use wood, they wait for trees to fall down during storms or to die. Bishnois go hungry to provide food for animals, and women will suckle orphaned deer. And, although this is a harsh region where water is scarce, each Bishnois family puts a water tank on their land for wild animals. Even as recently as 1996, a Bishnoi sacrificed his life to protect wild animals, and they have successfully prosecuted high profile hunters operating even outside their land, and have recently conducted a campaign against a Bollywood film, because a horse died – allegedly from overwork – during the filming.
As a result of centuries of conservation, trees and wild animals thrive in the arid landscape, which is the greenest desert in the world. Herds of animals such as blackbuck and chinkara roam the landscape, and the Bishnois have been crucial to their survival, even allowing them to eat their crops freely.