Every ancient Hindu Dharmic practice aligns itself with nature and taking care of the environment has been central to Hindu beliefs since times immemorial. As we celebrate World Environment Day today, here are some practices that we can adopt today to lead a meaningful life while ensuring we pass on an earth that isn’t devoid of the natural beauty and resources endowed to it.
Planting trees
Trees are the lungs of the earth and in their absence the earth would become barren. As urbanization rises, we are seeing that trees are being cut down to make way for concrete jungles. In ancient Bharat, the kings planted trees along side the roads so that travelers may benefit from its shade. They didn’t randomly plant any tree like our municipalities do today. The practice was to plant native fruit bearing trees that would help travelers. Not just the rulers but even Acharyas/Gurus and the commoners planted trees (medicinal, fruit bearing, and other native ones) that was beneficial to not just humans but all living beings and the environment as well.
This is a practice each of us can easily adopt in our lives. If we plant even one tree a year, we can make a huge difference. In this we should make use of the wisdom of our ancestors. The practice of planting Triveni (planting banyan, peepal, and neem together in a triangle) is part of our traditions and associated with our faith. Additionally, they emit a lot of oxygen into the environment thereby benefiting the environment. It would be beneficial if we can plant native species like mango, gulmohar, fig, tulsi, jamun, bamboo, ashoka, amla, palash, shisam and others in addition to Triveni.
Reviving ancient water management practices
Water is an important resource that sustains life and its conservation is necessary. In this regard, ancient irrigation and techniques and practices is helping Bharatiyas overcome water scarcity thereby improving agricultural productivity. Traditional water conservation practices are being revived to meet modern challenges. As climate change plays havoc with the water cycle, people are returning to ancient techniques of water storage such as baolis, kunds, and step wells among others. Construction of Johads, earthen dams, in rural Rajasthan have enabled once dry rivers to flow again by rejuvenating underground water.
Reviving ancient water conservation techniques offers multiple ecological, agricultural, and socio-cultural benefits. Traditional systems like the Ahar-Pyne in Bihar, Khadin in Rajasthan, bamboo drip irrigation in the Northeast, and pot irrigation in Karnataka are examples of region-specific, climate-adapted methods that optimize water use. Structures like stepwells, Johads, and kuhls not only support irrigation and drinking needs but also significantly improve groundwater recharge and ecosystem restoration.
These methods enhance water conservation by minimizing wastage and efficiently managing rainwater, making them ideal for arid and semi-arid regions. They support sustainable agriculture by reducing dependency on groundwater, improving soil health, and enabling low-cost irrigation. Additionally, they contribute to climate resilience, helping communities cope with droughts and floods. Many of these practices are community-driven, encouraging local participation and stewardship, while also contributing to the preservation of indigenous knowledge and cultural traditions related to water management.
Go natural
Being harmonious with nature has been one of the defining features of our ancestors. The practice of eating by hands on a pattal dona (plate or cup) is one such tradition. The pattal dona is made of dried leaves, particularly Sal leaves and widely used during festive feasts. Therefore, it is both interesting and sad to see many in the West to claim this as some kind of innovation by simply calling it ‘eco-friendly plate.’ Of course, my suggestion is not to eat in pattals everyday but try and incorporate as many such ancient practice as we can. If we can reduce plastic usage and replace plastic bags with cloth ones then it’ll benefit the environment.
Be a minimalist
This is one practice we need to implement with a sense of urgency. As purchasing power increases, there is a tendency to hoard. Ancient wisdom says we should accumulate as little things as we need. We often find that we buy more than we use, be it clothes or any other item. Many times we don’t even use what we have bought. However, each of our purchase comes at a cost for the environment. We must never forget that manufacturing leaves behind a carbon footprint and impacts the environment in several ways.
Therefore, as responsible earthians we must try to leave as little carbon footprint as we can. Most may ask – is it enough if I do? Well, every drop makes the ocean and we can only control our purchases. Hence, if each of us make our contribution, we might inspire those around us and our action may have a ripple effect.
Practice mindful use of resources
This follows from the practice of being a minimalist. Human desires are unlimited but the resources are limited which necessitates using them mindfully.
If we lead a minimalist life then we would not waste earth’s resources. We can begin by small practices such as turning off light and fan when not in use thereby saving electricity, switching to renewable sources of energy, not using animal based products obtained by hunting down rare animals, and such other practices.
As Swami Vigyananand says in his The Hindu Manifesto, in Hindu thought reverence for nature was deeply intertwined with spiritual beliefs and practices. Hindu Dharma takes a holistic worldview where humans and the environment and all living beings are interconnected. This perspective promotes sustainable living, fosters respect and care for nature, and emphasizes the importance of harmony between humans and the natural world. In keeping with this Hindu Dharmic thought, we must take up sustainable practices that will ensure a better earth and future for all its beings.
