Ethno-biologists of the Vedic Science Research Centre (VSRC) in Berhampur of Odisha have opposed cutting of a number of mature trees every year for construction of three large new chariots for Rath Yatra of Sri Jagannath in Puri.
According to the researchers of Jagannath cult, every year around 15,000 cubic feet of timber is used to construct the chariots. These are mostly made from trees cut in Nayagarh and Puri forest divisions.
According to the VSRC such indiscriminate cutting of trees in the name of religious tradition contradicts ancient Vedic concepts of environmental protection. “Vedas, Upanishads, Manusmriti, Bhagavad Geeta, which are accepted as roots of Hinduism, have always pressed upon conservation of environment and do not allow such indiscriminate cutting of trees in the name of religious tradition,” said senior ethno-biologist Sachidanada Padhi.
In Yajurveda, it is clearly stated that human beings should not have absolute power over nature and let no species encroach upon rights and privileges of other species. Similar thought exists in Ishopanishad, which suggests that one can enjoy the bounties of nature by giving up greed, he added.
According to ethno-biologists of VSRC, cutting of large number of trees for new chariots is nothing but greed. In Manusmriti of post-Vedic age, in chapters I and XI it is declared that plants are conscious and conservation of plants refers to non-spoilage of any plant, plant part or plant product for no good purpose. Cutting of plants, including those in forests, should be followed by penance, says this scripture.
In Bhagavad Geeta also, Lord Krishna identifies himself with ‘Asvattha’ tree, as the plant represents the whole plant diversity, said Mr Padhi.
Santosh K. Dash of the VSRC said the amount of timber used for constructing these chariots suggests the large number of trees being cut down every year for it. Ratnaprava Mohapatra of ethno-biologists’ forum of Berhampur added that most of the trees are mature ones, may be more than two or three decades old.
Mr Dash and Ms Mohapatra felt although it is claimed that every year new trees are being planted to be used as timber for the chariots in future, in reality the loss to the environment can never be recovered.
According to the scientists related to VSRC, it is high time for servitors, management of Sri Jagannath temple of Puri as well as religious leaders and the State government to realise the importance of trees in the context of endangered bio-diversity of present times as well as tenets of environmental protection in ancient scriptures. “Cutting trees gives a wrong message to the common masses. So, some process like reuse of chariots in stead of making new ones should be thought of to save mature old trees from getting cut,” they said.
“Indiscriminate cutting in the name of religion contradicts Vedic concepts of environment protection”
