Bishnois

Bishnoi

Full name	Bishnoi
Region	Rajasthan, India
Main interests	Monotheism, Environment and Animal Protection Against Idol Worship Against Caste System

The Bishnois are known as the conservationists to whom the preservation of animal and vegetable life is a religion and has been so from the early 15th century. Their spiritual mentor, Guru Jambheshwar was an ecologist. He formulated Bis (twenty) + noi (nine) = Bisnoi tenets from which the community derives its name. Almost 90 per cent of the farmers of Desert region gladly accepted the 29 tenets he laid down. The tenets were tailored to conserve bio-diversity of the area but also ensured a healthy Eco-friendly social life for the community. Out of the 29 tenets, 10 are directed towards personal hygiene and maintaining good basic health, seven for healthy social behavior, and five tenets to worship God. Eight tenets have been prescribed to preserve bio-diversity and encourage good animal husbandry. These include a ban on killing animals and felling green trees, and providing protection to all life forms. The community is also directed to see that the firewood they use is devoid of small insects. Wearing blue cloths is prohibited because the dye for coloring them is obtained by cutting a large quantity of shrubs.

History

Various census of India Bishnoi are found in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, MP and UP. Bishnois were founded by a Rajput of Bikaner, who was born in 1541 A.D, and was therefore a contemporary of Baba Nanak, the originator of Sikhism, and is buried in Talwa/Mukam in Bikaner. His spiritual name was Jambhaji. He left his followers a scripture in the Nagri character called Shabdwani. The adherents of the sect are the descendants of immigrants from Bikaner and are almost exclusive Jats and Rajputs by caste, though they often abandon the caste name and describe themselves simple as Bisnois. They marry only among themselves, are good cultivators, and keep camels in large numbers. They have a ceremony of initiations, somewhat similar and known by the name as that of Sikhs. Beside this there were followers from many other castes like vaishyas like agarwals and guptas which are found mainly in UP and there main occupation is business.

Pilgrimage places

The most prominent pilgrimage place of the Bishnois is situated at village called Mukam in Nokha Tehsil, Bikaner District, Rajasthan. Other important pilgrimage places belonging to the Bishnois are Samrathal Dhora situated 3 km from Mukam, Pipasar, Jangloo, Lohawat, Lodipur, bhur tiba and prachin vishnoi mandir Kanth DIST. moradabad,Sameliya, Rotu, Lalasar and Jambolav.

Protection of flora and fauna

Khejri, Prosopis cineraria tree.

Bishnois are strong lovers of wild animals. It is because of their protection that in Bishnoi-dominated areas, deer and antelope (such as blue bulls, black bucks, chinkaras and chowsinghas) are seen grazing in their fields despite the fact that the State of Rajasthan where the Bishnois mainly live, faces severe water shortages.

In recent years, the Bishnoi community has launched strong protests against the killing of black bucks by Salman Khan, a Bollywood film star and Mansur Ali Khan of Pataudi, a former Indian cricketer.

Cenotaph of Bishnoi martyrs at Khejarli, who laid down their lives in 1730 CE protecting trees

The Khejarli Massacre

The Bisnois narrate the story of Amrita Devi, a Bishnoi woman who, along with more than 366 other Bishnois, died saving the Khejarli trees. Nearly 2 centuries back, Maharajah Abhay Singh of Jodhpur required some woods for the construction of his new palace. So the king sent his soldiers to cut trees in the nearby region of Khejarli, where the village is filled with the large number of trees. But when Amrita Devi and local villagers come to know about it, they opposed the king's men. The malevolent feudal party told her that if she wanted the trees to be spared, she would have to give them money as bribe. She refused to acknowledge this demand and told them that she would consider it as an act of insult to her religious faith and would rather give away her life to save the green trees. This is still remembered as the great Khejarli sacrifice. Some Bishnois who were killed protecting the trees were buried in Khejerli village near Jodhpur, where a simple grave with four pillars had been erected. Every year,in September, the Bishnois assemble there to commemorate the extreme sacrifice made by their people to preserve their faith and religion.

The Lifestyle of Bishnois

The Bishnois are presently spread over the western parts of Rajasthan ,Haryana,Punjab,Madhya Pradesh. They are teetotalers and normally they wear white shirt, dhoti and turban. This dress pattern is ideal for the hot dry desert climate. They pay special attention to cleanliness in their houses. Only one crop of pearl millet (bajra) is grown during the monsoon season. The bushes, which grow in the fields, protect the loose sand from wind erosion and provide the much-needed fodder for animals during a famine. Bisnois often live in little hamlets called `Dhannis', with just a few round huts with intricate thatched roofs. The mud floors are plastered with cow dung to keep vermin away. The interiors are airy and clean. There is a granary to guard their rations and a sump for stored water.Bishnois in Haryana and Punjab are much wealthier then other castes.

Notable Bishnois

• Bishnoi Ratan Late Ch. Bhajan Lal,Exe MP Hisar,former Chief Minister of Haryana.
• Jaswant Singh Bishnoi, a member of 14th Lok Sabha, from Jodhpur
• Kuldeep Bishnoi, MLA, from Adampur, Suprimo of Haryana Janhit Congress
• Late Rai Bahadur Raies Ch.Sohanlal Johar,

See also

• Bania
• Jats
• Rajputs
• Yaduvanshi Ahirs

Further reading

• Irène Frain, La forêt des vingt-neuf Michel Lafon, 2011 455 pages ISBN 9988965054
• Article on Bishnoi published in GEO magazine (French edition) in March 2009
• Report in the Times of India dated June 18, 2005: "Bishnois put trees, animals before self."
• "Sect in India guards desert Wildlife," New York Times, February 2, 1993, p. B7

External links

• The Bishnoi Faith
• The Bishnoi Organisation
• The Bishnoi Blog