The Saffron Miracle: How Kala Baba's Rituals Are Saving Forests in South Rajasthan

Kesar Chhanta is a nature conservation custom that involves the sprinkling of saffron on the name of the God Kesariya ji fondly referred as 'Kala Baba' by the Aadivasis and taking an oath not to cut the forest.

Rajasthan— There exist both virtuous and corrupt ancient practices. However, when beliefs result in positive outcomes and prioritize preservation, the adherence to tradition becomes a source of satisfaction. A charming and time-honored custom of tribal societies is their dedication to preserving forests and trees, even in the contemporary era. One such example is the practice of 'Kesar Chhanta', which involves the sprinkling of saffron water on trees , and is a manifestation of this commitment to conservation. The custom is similar to other movements in India aimed at conserving the environment, such as the Khejadli Movement, the Chipko Movement, and the Appiko Movement, however, the unique ritual is not known to many people outside the region.

The Kesar Chhanta Pratha is an age-old custom practiced in the Udaipur and Dungarpur districts of Southern Rajasthan. It is a nature conservation custom that involves the sprinkling of saffron on the name of the God Kesariya ji fondly referred as 'Kala Baba' by the Aadivasis and taking an oath not to cut the forest. This custom has been practiced since ancient times, and it is still ongoing. "The people of these areas believe that if they cut trees and forest, God will punish them. Thus, they take an oath not to cut the forest and preserve it for the future. The custom has helped to conserve thousands of hectares of forest in the area in the long run" Rajkumar Jain, the Regional Chief Conservator of Forests told The Mooknayak.

Although this custom has been in existence for a significant period, it is slowly fading away and is now less frequently practiced. According to Jain, the Forest Department revived this ancient tradition some years ago as incidents of tree felling began to increase in certain parts of the Udaipur forests. Unfortunately, there are people from within the community who cut down trees, which is prohibited in the area, but due to fear of retaliation, villagers do not reveal the culprits' names, who often escape punishment. Therefore, the most effective way to control tree felling was to revive the Kesar Chhanta tradition. Jain notes that there is no specific time for performing the ritual, and whenever there is an increase in tree felling incidents in a particular area, the Forest Department acts as a catalyst and motivator. Elderly people and members of the village protection committee readily agree to perform the ritual. This warrantees a sort of 'Kulhaadibandi' i.e pledging to protect the trees from axes. It ritual was performed last year too, in selected villages and the positive results are seen in many areas like Jhadol Phalasiya, Kherwara, Salumber etc in Udaipur where there have been decrease in the incidents of illegal tree felling and grazing.

Kala Baba: The God of Trees

The God Kesariyaji is a famous temple of the first Tirthankar of the Jain religion located in Rishabhdev town of Udaipur district. The statue is made of black marble, and saffron is used in huge quantities, so he is also known as Kesariyaji or Kala Baba. Both Jain and Tribal communities believe it to be their own temple, and both communities' priests worship the God together. The tribal people believe that if somebody cuts the trees on which saffron is sprinkled, the God will punish and curse that person. Thus, he is called the 'God of Tree' by the tribal people.

Saffron Sprinkling, an occasion to celebrate

The process of saffron sprinkle involves a unanimous decision to sprinkle saffron on common land, and a day is decided for it. A night awake 'Raati Jagran' is organized on the previous night, and prayers and hymns are sung on the name of Kesariyaji and Magra Baba the local deity of hills. In the next morning, under the guidance of the village head, some representatives go to Kesariyaji temple and pray to him to become a witness to their deeds. These representatives bring saffron of Kesariyaji to the village, and this saffron is placed in front of all villagers, and an oath is taken that they will neither cut trees nor encroach the saffron sprinkled land. Other conditions are also announced in front of all, and the punishment for those who violate the oath is decided. Then, saffron is sprinkled on the trees of the pre-decided land with the beating of drums.

The pastoral is prohibited in this area, and a separate area is decided for this purpose. After a specific time period when all plants of that area grow into trees, pastoral is started in that area, and saffron is sprinkled in the area where pastoral was previously allowed. The area where pastoral is not allowed, people can cut grass, but a single person is not permitted to do so. The whole village does this work together. In some villages, saffron is sprinkled for a specific period (5 or 10 years), and after the completion of the time period, it is sprinkled again.

The Kesar Chhanta Pratha has helped to conserve the forest in the Udaipur and Dungarpur districts of southern Rajasthan state. In May 2011, a research conducted by Dr Devendra Singh Chouhan from the Department of Geography at Mohanlal Sukhadia University revealed that Kesar Mahotsav was organized on a large scale, covering an area of 10 thousand hectares across 107 villages in Salumber, Sarada, Girva, and Kherwada of Udaipur districts. In 2015, when the forest department initiated a mass plantation drive of 80,000 indigenous plants, it sought the participation of the tribal residents in Naya Khola village and encouraged them to perform Kesar Chhanta on 250 hectares of land. This tradition persists, albeit on an occasional basis, whenever the need arises.

"Not only for trees, there have been reports of the rituals been performed to save water bodies too, at some places. When faith and conservation merge, it may give the most unexpected of results" Chauhan told The Mooknayak. Citing examples from his own village Bhopalpura in Salumber where sturdy Sagwaan trees stand tall even though unprotected, Chauhan says that once the tribesmen take plege to protect trees, they rarely break the promise.

Environmental Movements in India

The Khejadli Movement, which began in 1730, was a popular uprising by the Bishnoi community in Rajasthan against the Maharaja of Jodhpur's orders to cut down Khejri trees for the construction of his new palace. The Bishnoi community, known for their deep reverence for nature, refused to let the trees be felled and bravely stood in the way of the woodcutters. Over 363 Bishnoi men, women, and children sacrificed their lives to protect the Khejri trees, inspiring a movement that spread across the country. The Khejadli Movement's legacy lives on today, with the Bishnoi community continuing to protect and preserve the environment and wildlife.

The Chipko movement, which emerged in the 1970s, was a non-violent resistance movement against deforestation in the Himalayan region of India. The movement was initiated by a group of villagers in the state of Uttarakhand who embraced trees and hugged them to prevent loggers from cutting them down. The term 'Chipko' means 'to hug' in Hindi, and the movement quickly gained popularity across the country. The Chipko movement not only helped to save thousands of trees but also led to the creation of new policies and laws to protect the environment and natural resources.

The Appiko Movement was a prominent environmental movement that took place in the southern Indian state of Karnataka in the 1980s. The term "Appiko" means "embrace" in the Kannada language, which was the language spoken by the people who initiated the movement. It was primarily aimed at protecting the forests of the Western Ghats, a mountain range that stretches along the western coast of India. It was started by a group of young environmentalists who were concerned about the large-scale deforestation. The movement was inspired by the Chipko Movement.

Silent Valley Movement: The Silent Valley Movement was a popular environmental movement that took place in the 1970s in Palakkad district of the state of Kerala. The movement was aimed at protecting the Silent Valley National Park from a proposed hydroelectric project that would have destroyed the forest and displaced the tribal people living in the area. The movement was successful in preventing the project, and the Silent Valley National Park is now recognized as a biodiversity hotspot.

Eco-Warriors of Uttarakhand: The state of Uttarakhand in northern India is home to some of the most beautiful forests and wildlife reserves in the country. The Eco-Warriors of Uttarakhand is a group of young environmentalists who are working tirelessly to protect these forests and wildlife from poachers, loggers, and other threats. The group is involved in various activities such as forest cleanups, wildlife surveys, and awareness campaigns to promote eco-tourism and sustainable development.