अमर शहीद शैतानाराम भादु को सत् सत् नमन

अमर शहीद शैतानाराम भादु को सत् सत् नमन...!

जीव दया नित राख
अरु मान गुरु फरमाणो।
वन’जीव तांही तजी
काया, पंथ लाजो शैतानो॥.

"अमर शहीद स्व. शैतानाराम भादु गौरव गाथा"

विश्व में पर्यावरण संरक्षक के रूप में सर्वदा; सर्वोपरी एक मात्र समुदाय
का नाम आता है, बिश्नोई समाज! बिश्नोई समाज के परवर्तक श्री गुरु जांभोजी
ने सामाजिक क्षेत्र में अपने अनुयायियों के जीवन में धर्म को आधार बना
पर्यावरण रक्षण की नींव रखी। उन्होंने अपने अनुयायियों को 29 धर्म नियम
रूपी आधार स्तंभ प्रदान किये जो समूची मानव जाति ही नहीं अपितु प्रकृति व
जीव-जगत के कल्याण से ओत-प्रोत है, जिनमें "जीव दया पालणी, रूंख लीलो नी
घावे" रूपी अनेक परंपराएं प्रदान की जो न केवल बिश्नोई अपितु संपूर्ण
मानव समाज को प्रकृति रक्षा को प्रेरित करती हैं। बिश्नोई जन इन परंपराओं
के प्रति आज भी उतने ही सजल श्रद्धा रखते हैं जितनी की पंथ स्थापना के
समय से। बिश्नोई समाज में ऐसे अनेक वीर-वीरांगनाएं हुए जिन्होंने धर्म
सिद्धांतों पर चलते हुए आत्मपहिष्कार और लोककल्याण को प्रमुखता देते हुए
वन व वन्यजीवों की रक्षा हेतु अहिंसात्मक रूप से आत्मोसर्ग किया।
समूचे विश्व में प्रकृति रक्षा का संचार करते बिश्नोईयों के धर्म नियमों
के प्रति प्रगाढ़ आस्था का एक अदम्य साहसिक उदाहरण हाल ही में घटित हुआ जो
बिश्नोईज्म के इतिहास में एक और स्वर्णिम पन्ना जोड़ गया।
सहादत की यह शौर्य गाथा है स्व. शैतानाराम भादु की जिन्होंने
कर्तव्यपरायणता और समाजनिष्ठा को अपनाते हुए घर, परिवार की परवाह किये
बिना अपने असाध्य देव द्वारा प्रदत्त धर्म नियमों के प्रति संघन श्रद्धा
दिखाते हुए हरिण रक्षार्थ आत्मबलिदान दिया।
शहीद स्व. शैतानाराम का जन्म सालासर ननैऊ गांव के श्री अर्जुनराम जी भादु
के यहां हुआ। धन्य है माता बीरादेवी जिसकी कोख से ऐसे समाजश्रेष्ठी वीर
का जन्म हुआ। सहादत सहयोगी भाई मांगीलाल के साहस को नमन। धर्मपत्नी
पुष्पादेवी व पुत्र पीयुष और पुत्री ज्योति को भी शहीद की सहादत का गौरव
प्राप्त हुआ।
बिश्नोई समाज में वन्यजीवों की रक्षा के लिए 19 वें बलिदानी स्व.
शैतानाराम है जिन्हें प्रत्येक बिश्नोई व प्रकृति प्रेमी हृदय की
गहराईयों है कोटि-कोटि साधुवाद करते हैं। करते हैं शदियां बदलती है तो
मनुष्य अपनी प्रथा-परंपराओं में आमचूल परिवर्तन करते हैं पर बिश्नोई
समुदाय की वन व वन्य जीव रक्षा की परंपरा बदलते दौर में भी ज्यादा मजबूती
के साथ विश्व के सामने आ रही है और प्रकृति संरक्षण को प्रेरित कर रही
है।
जहां कहीं भी वन व वन्यजीवों के लिए बलिदान की बात आए वहां वर्षाकाल की
हरीतिमा की भाँति बिश्नोई समुदाय का नाम अवश्य ही उभर के सामने आता है।
आये भी क्यों नहीं बिश्नोईयों ने वन व वन्य जीवों के रक्षण हेतु
लोककल्याण की भावना से त्याग जो किये है॥ ऐसे ही त्याग का दर्शय गत दिनों
जोधपुर जिले के फलोदी क्षेत्र के ननैऊ गांव के वीर शैतानाराम के रूप में
साकार हुआ। ननैऊ गांव बिश्नोईयों के पवित्र तीर्थस्थल जाम्भोलाव धाम के
समीप ही स्थित है।
इस गांव में सदियों से बिश्नोई जन निवासित है। जिनमें से एक अर्जुनराम जी
भादु इन्हीं के यहां वीर शैतानाराम का जन्म हुआ। गांव व आसपास के क्षेत्र
में बड़ी संख्या में शिकारी प्रवृत्ति के दैत्यक लोग भी रहते है। जो यहां
स्वच्छंद विचरण करते मूक प्राणियों को सताने की कुचेष्टा करते है।आए दिन
घटित होने वाली ऐसी घटनाओं को स्वाभिमानी बिश्नोई लोग नाकाम करते हैं,
कभी-कभी इन से मुठभेड़ भी हो जाती है। इन सब के उपरांत भी बिश्नोई लोग
मृत्यु से बैखोफ इन मूक प्राणियों को ऐसे दो पग वाले हिंसक जानवरों से
बचाने को हमेशा तत्पर रहते है। पिछले दिनों कुछ शिकारियोँ ने ऐसी नापाक
हरकत की जिसे स्व. शैतानाराम ने अपने प्राणो की आहुति देकर नाकाम कर "जीव
दया पालणी" को प्रत्यक्ष रूप से साकार कर दिखाया॥
यह घटना है 28 जनवरी, 2014 की मध्य रात्रि की जब शैतानाराम अपने घर पर सो
रहा था । रात के तकरीबन 12 बजे उन्हें बंदूक चलने की आवाज सुनाई दी। आवाज
सुन उन्हें शिकार गतिविधि का आभास हुआ तो वह अपने भाई माँगीलाल को साथ
लेकर आवाज की दिशा में गाड़ी लेकर त्वरित गति से चल दिये। वहां पहुँचकर
देखा की दो शिकारी हाथ में बंदूक लिए भागे जा रहे थे। शैतानाराम ने भी
गाड़ी उनके पीछे दौङाई। शिकारी भयाकुल होकर भागते हुए रेत के धोरे पर चढ़
खड़े हुए। जीव प्रेमी शैतानाराम ने गाड़ी से उतरते ही उन्हें ललकारा, सहसा
बिश्नोई को पास देख शिकारी भयभीत हो कांपने लगे। इतने में हुंकार भरता
वीर बिश्नोई निहत्था ही उन शिकारियोँ से जा भीङा। बिश्नोई शेर के साहस के
आगे भय की व्याकुलता में कायरतापुर्वक एक शिकारी ने बंदूक चला दी। गोली
सामने खड़े शैतानाराम के जबङे पर जा लगी, जिससे समाजश्रेष्ठी वीर
शैतानाराम भगवान श्री द्वारा प्रदत्त धर्म नियमों और अपने पूर्वजों के
चरणचिन्होँ का अनुसरण करते हुए, हरिण की जान बचाते हुए, मानव समाज के
प्रति जीव रक्षा का आदर्श पेशकर, अपनों की चिंता छोड़ परमसत्ता को प्राप्त
हुए।
उनकी यह सहादत समय के अंत तक समूचे मानव समाज को "जीव दया पालणी" को
प्रेरित करती प्रेरणा स्त्रोत बनी रहेगी॥

Sacrifice for conservation

In the desert, the philosophy of protection of flora and fauna became popular. People started patronising the wildlife as Black Buck (Antelope cervicapra), and Indian Gazelle (Gazella gazella) roamed all around their villages. They started feeding bajra (millet) to them daily. Khejri (Prosopis cineraria) was, as it is even now, common vegetation of the arid zone, producing the most nutritive food for people as well as cattle. Hence, its protection became the cardinal principle of Bishnois. These people objected to such green trees being felled. They would catch those found cutting trees around their villages. It did generate conflicts. These people would not mind having fights which often led to ‘human sacrifice’ to defend trees!

1st Sacrifice: The first self-sacrifice occurred in 1604 AD at village Ramsari in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. The two Bishnoi ladies, Karma and Gora chopped off their heads at the village cross-road as a protest against felling of Khejri trees. It is considered as the first ‘saka’ (self immolation) in the Indian history for the sake of a tree. Not many details are available about the culprits who felled trees around this tiny village, Ramsari which survives to this date. But the Bishnoi folk lore has profuse mention of the heroic deeds of Karma and Gora who became the sources of inspiration to other Bishnois.

2nd sacrifice: The second ‘saka’ occurred in 1643 AD at Pilwas near Merta in Nagaur district in Rajasthan. The people had felled trees to propitiate the ‘Holi’ goddess for that Indian festival of colors. A Bishnoi man, Buchoji gave away his life in its protest. Thus was added another name in the history of those sacrificing their lives for protecting green trees.

3rd and a record sacrifice: The year 1730 AD witnessed a sacrifice which stood out as unparallel in the world. It happened at village Khejreli in Jodhpur district. The then Maharaja Abhay Singh of Jodhpur had planned a new fort to be built. Fuel-wood was needed to burn limestone, which was locally available. People of Bishnoi sect objected to felling of green trees. The administrators demanded cash compensation if trees were not to be felled. This was not acceptable to them and they gave a call among ‘some 84 villages all around.’ What happened next? Men, women and children hugged trees as axes fell on their bodies. Andoit, Virco, Vanial, Chaboji, Udhoji, Kanhoji, Kishnoji, Dayarayaji led this self-sacrifice-movement. Dami, Cheema and many women joined in. Maharaja Abhay Singh came to know of it and himself reached on the spot to bring an end to the sacrifice. But by that time, 363 Bishnois had given away their lives.

4th sacrifice: The fourth ‘saka’ took place at Tilwasani village near Jodhpur. To oppose Kripa Bhati’s action to cut Khejri trees, Khivji, Mota and Netu gave away their lives. Poet Vilhoji mentioned it in ‘Tilwasni-sakhi’ – its year of the sacrifice is unknown. The Bishnoi people live mostly in the desert region of Rajasthan and parts of Haryana. They are proud of their heritage and carry out Nature Conservation to this day, which serves as a good lesson to the world. Indian Gazelle (Gazella gazelle), Blackbuck (Antelope cervicapra) and other wildlife survives the best around villages of Bishnois. They feed animals and birds daily and thousands of quintals of ‘bajra’ (millet) is donated by these people annually to let this practice continue. Samrathal Dhora (sand dune) is one such example – a tiny Bishnoi temple created amidst villages and Gazelles roam around – unique site to know about Nature Conservation, as led by the Bishnoi Community.
(By Harsh Vardhan www.birdfair.org & www.ourindiantours.com).

The Sacrifice Place of Khejarli

Khejarli Massacre in 1730 in which 363 men, women and children of Bishnoi community laid down their lives to protect trees from cutting.

Khejarli is a village in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, India 26 km south east of the city of Jodhpur. The name of the town is derived from Khejri (Prosopis Cineraria) trees, which were abundance in the village.

In this 363 Bishnois, with Amrita Devi Bishnoi sacrificed their lives in 1730 AD, while protecting green khejri trees considered sacred by the community, by hugging to them, this incident is then first event of Chipko Movement in the history. Even sunder lal bahuguna agreed to the fact that he had been inspired by bishnoi community sacrifice. It was a party of Giridhar Bhandari, a minister with Maharaja Abhay Singh, ruler of Marwar (Jodhpur) state who wanted to cut the sacred green Khejri trees to burn lime for the construction of his new palace. Since there was a lot of greenery in the Bishnoi villages even in the Thar Desert, the king ordered his men to get the woods from Khejri trees.

Amrita Devi (Beniwal), A Bishnoi woman, protested against King's men attempting to cut trees as it was prohibited in Bishnoi religion. The malevolent feudal party told her that if she wanted the trees to be spared, she should give them money as bribe. She refused to acknowledge this demand and told them that she would consider it as an act of ignominy and insult to her religious faith. She said that she would rather give away her life to save the green trees. It is at this stage she spoke the words: "Sar santey rukh rahe to bhi sasto jaan", if a tree is saved even at the cost of one's head, its worth it. Saying these words, she offered her head. The axes which were brought to cut the trees, severed her head from the body. Her three daughters Asu, Ratni and Bhagu were not daunted and offered their heads as well and met the same end. Soon old persons, young men, women including newly married ones and children were sacrificing themselves in a similar way. There was intense pandemonium. As soon as Maharaja learnt it, he ordered stopped of felling trees. By that time 363 Bishnois had already become martyrs.

Honoring the courage of the Bishnoi community, Maharaja Abhay Singh, apologised for the mistake committed by his officials and issued a royal decree engraved on copper plate.

Most of the martyrs were the person's who scarified their breathes for religious principle and faith. To remember their greatness, the tree was given a new name after the village’s name and called Khejri. In Marwari Khejri is also called Janty(जांटी) to honour the courage and scarifies of great Bishnoi's who didn’t even care for their lives to save Khejri tree . Janty(जांटी) is considered the most divine and pious tree in Rajasthan which shows locals respect to the great lady. In Rajasthan it is considered a sin to cut a green Janty tree and it is considered a god-tree. In desert or semi desert, most of the lord Balaji temples are built under divine shadow of male Janty tree that is popularly known as जांट. Marwari word जांट refers to greatness and contribution of Jat people in Bisnoi sect. Khejri or Janty is also state tree of Rajasthan.

The anniversary of the massacre is observed each year at village, which has now become an important tourist destination.

Lover of wild animals

Bishnois lived with trees and wild animals in the Thar Desert with complete harmony for centuries and have been fiercely protecting the trees & wild life in their areas to follow the teachings of their Guru Jambheshwar Ji.

This was not an easy task especially in the desert where water was a luxury commodity and trees could fetch same extra revenue but for Bishnois protection of wild life was a Dharma (religion).

Bishnois appealed to rulers/kings to make rules for banning tree cutting and hunting in their areas and fought cases in the courts to ensure the rules are followed by all.

But in the arid desert facing continuous droughts, the trees and wild animals were always temptations of others.

Time to time their faith was tested by rulers, poachers and others but Bishnois always protected the wild life even at the cost of their lives by braving the bullets.

Scores of Bishnois have sacrificed their lives for protecting wild life in Rajasthan.

Bishnois are extremely aggressive about their pacifism. Foremost in the community's pantheon of heroes are men and women who gave up their lives trying to save trees and animals.

On 03.10.1996, Nihal Chand Bishnoi (30 Yr) sacrificed his life while chasing poaches to save life of black bucks.

A film named, "Willing to Sacrifice" was shown in 5th International Festivals of Films, TV & Video Programs ENVIRON 99 held at Bratislava, Slovakia and won the award for Best Environmental Film. ' ALSO SEE -: Article on Bishnoi published in GEO magazine (French edition) in March 2009

TTraits

Amrita Devi BIshnoi Award is given every year by Environment ministry of government of India to a person who contribute towards protection of nature and wildlife.

1. Bishnois are known to be very violent and aggressive in protecting trees and wildlife. It is said that if you are a hunter, then the worst thing that could happen to you is to be caught hunting by a Bishnoi.
2. Unlike most Hindu communities, Bishnois bury their dead instead of cremating them. This is because of the strict prohibition on the felling of trees, the wood of which is required for cremation.
3. In October, 1996, Nihal Chand Bishnoi sacrificed his life for protecting wild animals. A film, Willing to Sacrifice, based on his story won the award for the Best Environment Film at the 5th International Festival of Films, TV and Video Programmes held at Bratislava,Slovakia

Bishnoi's Contribution

There is no doubt that the Bishnoi thought has made one of the greatest contributions to ecoregeneration; and in future, it will be extremely significant for inspiring people to care for their habitat, their bio-diversity. Eco-care and eco-heal are the kernels of Bishnoi dharma. Even those who have cursorily looked at Bishnoi habitations have found them bubbling with vegetation and animal life. Well known to every Bishnoi is the sacrifice of 363 Bishnoi women and men in 1730 A.D. (Samvat 1787) serving the auspicious trees of Khejri (Prosopis).4 Since then there have been several cases of Bishnois giving up their lives for the safety and endurance of deer, peacocks, Khejri, and other living beings, and these cases have been recorded in detail in Jambhadesh and Jambhajyoti, the periodicals of the community of Bishnois published from Jodhpur. The impact of Bishnois is tremendous on other communities. As they happen to constitute a dominant caste in the villages they inhabit, they are always in a position to lead an ideological revolution, to spread the values of vegetarianism, ecological regeneration, benevolence, and sustainable development.5 Gradually, the state is also recognizing the micro-level efforts of Bishnois in ecoregeneration and eco-preservation: it may be inferred from the award that has been instituted in the name

of Bishnois to be given to an individual or institution that has done commendable work in the field of environmental development. The Government of India has also released stamps honouring the tree of Khejri, for which Bishnois have paramount love. Incidentally, in many parts of Rajasthan, Khejri is almost equated with the sacred plant of Tulsi (Basil). Through their practices many religions, sects and cults have indirectly contributed to environmental preservation. The axiom of thrifty living, utilizing only those resources and only to that extent they are imperative for a bare survival is found in many religious systems and this assists in a judicious use of the habitat. But quintessential to Bishnoi thought is that it makes the practices, which would lead to eco-preservation, explicit, and attribute them with religious sanctity. People do not cut green trees because they have been advised against it by their faith. They know that flouting it will be a sacrilegious act, for which they may earn the displeasure of their fellow members and also, fine from their community council, apart from

accumulating the demerits (pap) of their acts for which they would be treated punitively in this and the subsequent births. Similarly, they completely abstain from non-vegetarian food, which is one of their principles as we saw previously. All the twentynine Bishnoi principles enjoy an equal measure of sacrosanctity. For being a true Bishnoi, one must adhere to them as punctiliously as possible, even when the conditions may be adverse to the actual practice of a principle. For instance, when one is traveling long distance, it may be difficult for him to subscribe to the practice of bathing everyday, but the point is that one must endeavour one’s best to follow the dharma as conscientiously as possible. In normal times, one should not be lax about compliance with the twentynine principles. It is the positive mental attitude towards these principles that counts more than any other thing. Thus, when you are in an alien land, first of all, explore the possibility of cooking your own meal; if it is not feasible, look for an eatingplace run and managed by a Bishnoi. If such a place is not available, then visit a vegetarian restaurant (shudh shakahari bhojnalaya) run by any other vegetarian caste; and if none of the above possibilities work out, subsist on raw foods, fruits and vegetables, or even remain empty-stomach. What one has to avoid is eating vegetarian food at a non vegetarian restaurant. In my fieldwork in Rajasthan, I have met Bishnois who prefer hunger to any compromise with forbidden food, or a place where such food is prepared. If you are a Bishnoi, you cannot even look at non-vegetarian food or the shops that sell meat and fish. None of the twenty-nine principles states that one should stop others from cutting green trees or eating non-vegetarian food. What they essentially do is to advise the individual to live truthfully according to the principles that are divinely ordained. The emphasis is on the purification of the individual. If the individual is purified, he will be in a position to purify others, his or her community. In this way would result a ‘community of pure people’, who stick to a set of principles, correct and infallible. Bishnoi religion recognizes the value of the individual, who internalizes the twenty-nine principles and passes them on to posterity. However, Bishnoi dharma does not say anything about what one should do when others fell trees or kill animals for food or fun. Bishnois are least bothered if others remain hygienically in a sullied state or their women distance themselves from birth or menstrual pollution. The Bishnoi response to these people would be of complete avoidance. Similarly with people who tell lies or nurse addictions, Bishnoi will rarely have any dealings. They would consciously refrain from their company in order to maintain their individual purity and also, of their community. But when it is a matter of trees being axed in their area or animals slaughtered and hunted, they would not leave a stone unturned in saving the lives of trees and animals, whether or not an explicit principle exists to that effect. At this moment, we shall recall the most famous Bishnoi sacrifice of the eighteenth century alluded to earlier. When the axe-men working for the Prince of Jodhpur arrived in Jalnadi (now known as Khejarla), a village in the district of Jodhpur, to cut trees for wood to be used in building the imperial palace, a Bishnoi woman tried to stop them by submitting that for the members of her faith trees were extremely dear, almost like their children. She argued that as her faith prohibited the axing of green trees, she would save them from being chopped off even if it meant laying her own life. Her earnest pleas fell on the deaf ears of the chief axe-man, known as Bhandari, who ordered his labour force to begin cutting trees notwithstanding the robust resistance. At that point, the Bishnoi woman hugged the Khejri, as if she was trying to protect her own children from predators, challenging the axe-men to behead her first before slashing any trees. The imperial order paid no heed to the Bishnoi faith as well as the submission of the woman. Before the trees could be razed to the ground, the axe-men mercilessly slaughtered 363 people who hugged the trees with intent to guard them against the cutters. The human slaughter eventually halted when the news of heartless killings reached the Prince who immediately called Bhandari and his men back, forsaking the mission forever. For many environmentalists, this is the first case of ‘saving trees by hugging them’. Many regard the Bishnoi sacrifice as a precursor to the famous Himalayan movement for saving the environment known as Chipko Andolan This famous Bishnoi sacrifice offers a paradigm for environmental protection. First, one should See Weber (1989) for a balanced treatment of various opinions on it. cultivate in oneself affection for all living beings, religiously abstaining from cutting green trees or slaying animals for food. Second, if some miscreant attempts to harm the living objects, one should stop him from doing that. If the villain of life is powerful, one should unhesitatingly sacrifice one’s life for the life of plants and animals, the mute bearers of human violence. It seems to us that while practicing the twenty-nine principles, Bishnois chanced upon the idea of martyrdom (shahid hona) for the wellbeing of others. This would also explain several cases of martyrdom that Bishnoi history has recorded since the eighteenth century. Furthermore, martyrdom reinforces the Bishnoi commitment to their principles and the conviction they arouse in people. Thus, in our opinion, although sacrificing one’s life for the sake of plants and animals may not be an explicitly formulated Bishnoi principle, the actual practice of the principles of non-harming, compassion for others, vegetarianism, and love for green trees, and the others that support them directly or indirectly, has inculcated in them the spirit of self-sacrifice. It is not only their duty to subscribe to the principle of non-cutting of green trees and observing prohibition from meat eating, but also to save the environment and keep alive its sustainability by protecting the life of plants and animals. Bishnoi dharma knows that imbalance is created when floral and/or faunal life is depleted. It is, therefore, necessary that all beings have an equal chance to survive in a synergistic relationship. Sustainable development will result from a harmonious relationship between different species and it is the foremost duty of human beings to guarantee the survival of all. Why human beings are the most important partner in this relationship because being at the apex of technological development, they can rocket a reign of dread, killing the bio-diversity, and at the same time, they can direct their technology to the healthy development of the other species. In addition to martyrdom, Bishnois also think in terms of political agendas for environmental conservation and development. This explains their protest against the ‘selling of fish openly in the market’.7 A strict compliance with the twenty-nine principles, the concept of martyrdom, and political agendas and vigils for environmental works, make Bishnois an ecologically aware and committed community of India. They constitute a community whose‘value preferences’, to borrow Madan’s words (2001: 24), should be studied in greater detail, for their religion sets an ideal example of the ways in which the tasks of eco-protection may be carried out.