BOOKS OF THE WEEK

India’s Forests: Revisiting Nature and History | Environmental History of India, Ecology, Colonial Impact and Forest Communities by Arupjyoti Saikia and Mahesh Rangarajan

ABOUT THE BOOK

India’s Forests brings together essays by some of the country’s leading scholars with a fresh view of nature and history. These reappraisals of Indian forests and their many lives in past and present matter more than ever today.

Born of years of sustained reflection, the essays here view forests not as passive unchanging backdrops to the past but as living, contested spaces.

Forests were shaped and in turn deeply influenced by power, culture and society. They could mean very different things to different people who often were in contest over meaning as much as control of the space or the resource.

The volume spans from prehistory through ancient and early modern India into the present. It is also alive to the impact of the colonial era while tracing the changing fortunes of tribal and hill peoples.

They are ecological lifelines and sites of legend, memory, and scientific knowledge. Material remains and life cycles of animals and plants matter, so too do social and literary imaginations.

Forests have been continually redefined through conflict, negotiation, and care. Attentive to the changing meanings across time and place, the book asks us fundamental and unsettling questions: what are forests for?

India’s Forests will inform as well as stimulate thought for all who are concerned with the fate of forests now as much as about the country’s past.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Arupjyoti Saikia is a professor of history at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati. He held the Agrarian Studies Programme Fellowship at Yale University, and visiting fellow positions a Cambridge University and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. His research spans across the economic, political and ecological histories of Assam. His published works include Forests and Ecological History of Assam, 1826 to 2000 AD (2011), The Unquiet River: A Biography of the Brahmaputra (2019) and The Quest for Modern Assam: A History, 1942–2000 (2023).

Mahesh Rangarajan is professor of history and environmental studies and chair of the HDFC Archives of Contemporary India at Ashoka University in Haryana. Previously, he has taught at Cornell University, University of Delhi, Krea University and the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru. His notable works include Fencing the Forest (1996) and Nature and Nation (2015). He has edited the Oxford Anthology of Indian Wildlife (1999) and Environmental Issues in India (2007). His co-edited works include Shifting Ground (2014) and At Nature’s Edge (2018).

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River Weaves: Brocades of Banaras

Brewing Knowledge Friday

Discussing the challenges and revival of Banaras Handloom Brocades with Chandra Jain, an author and textile revivalist.

Key Takeaways

• Handloom as Indian Identity: Handloom is the “essence of Indian identity,” embodying self-reliance (swadeshi) and a zero-carbon, eco-friendly production process.

• Endangered Banaras Brocade: The Banaras brocade tradition is endangered by a lack of market demand, which devalues the craft and forces skilled artisans to take on other work (e.g., rickshaw pulling).

• Revival Strategy: Revival efforts focus on reintroducing natural dyes to combat pollution and health risks, and on educating consumers to create a market for high-quality, sustainable handlooms.

• Consumer Action: Consumers must shift from fast fashion to valuing handlooms as art, creating demand that enables artisans to earn a dignified livelihood and pass on their skills.

Topics

The Crisis of Banaras Brocade

• The Banaras brocade tradition is endangered due to a lack of market demand, which devalues the craft and forces skilled artisans to take on other work (e.g., rickshaw pulling).

• Why Banaras? The city is unique because it has the entire ecosystem of specialised artisans (designers, dyers, twisters, weavers) needed for brocade production.

• Brocade Technique: An evolved embroidery technique where extra weft threads are woven into the fabric, creating an embossed, opulent effect.

Revival Efforts: Natural Dyes & Consumer Education

• Problem: Synthetic dyes introduced in the 19th century are polluting the Ganga, contaminating land, and causing severe health issues for dyers.

• Solution: Reintroducing natural dyes. An initial project with three weavers produced over 100 saris, demonstrating the viability of a sustainable, eco-friendly process.

• Consumer Role: The future of handloom depends on consumer awareness and patronage.

  • Action: Shift from fast fashion to valuing handlooms as art, creating demand that enables artisans to earn a dignified livelihood and pass on their skills.

  • Resource: The book River Weaves, Brocades of Banaras, was created to educate the next generation on this heritage.

Q&A: Art, Culture & Modernity

• Art vs. Fast Pace: Art requires time and patience. The internet should be an aid, not a substitute for the physical, meditative process of creation.

• Democratising Culture: A “colonised education” has created a disconnect from Indian heritage.

  • Goal: Rebuild pride in Indian identity by adding global influences, not replacing local traditions.

  • Example: The dhoti is thriving in South India, proving that traditional attire can be modern and comfortable.

Next Steps

• Consumers: Seek out and purchase handloom products to support artisans and preserve the tradition.

• Educators: Raise awareness among the younger generation about the value and importance of Indian handlooms.

FATHOM AI-generated notes, read with due care. 

The Power of Education

Read And Lead Brinda Ghosh reads from the book Every Last Girl by Safeena Husain and analyses the chapter on barriers to girls’ education. Key Takeaways Education is the key to empowerment. The story of Vibha, who completed 12th grade through bridge courses and KGBV after being out of school at age 9, proves that targeted interventions can transform lives. Her father, Dinesh, now advocates for education, stating, “The world today is built for the educated.” Girls’ education is blocked by three “margins”: Physical (remote villages, long walks, impassable rivers), Economic (poverty forcing families to prioritise boys’ education), and Social (caste/religion-based exclusion). Gender is the multiplier of disadvantage. It amplifies all other barriers, as revealed by the shocking prevalence of negative names given to girls (e.g., 1,516 named “Dapu” or “fed up”), which reflect a mindset viewing girls as a liability. Topics The Power of Education: Vibha’s Story Context: A 2023 visit to Vibha, 15 years after she was enrolled in school at age 9. Intervention: Vibha completed 10th grade via a residential bridge course and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV), a government program for girls from marginalised backgrounds. Outcome: Vibha finished 12th grade, and her father, Dinesh, became a strong advocate for education, stating, “The uneducated will have no place in this world.” Barriers to Education: The Three Margins 1. Physical Margins: Distance: Schools are often 1.5 hours’ walk from remote hamlets. Geography: Impassable rivers during monsoon (3 months/year) cut off entire villages from schools. Safety: Long walks involve risks, such as passing liquor stores or groups of men. 2. Economic Margins: Poverty: ~370 million people in India live below the poverty line (income < ₹150/day). Prioritisation: Poverty forces families to choose, and boys are almost always prioritised for education as future income earners. Consequence: Girls are kept home for work (household chores, farm labour) or sent to work outside the home. 3. Social Margins: Caste & Religion: Caste (OBC, ST, SC) and religion (e.g., Muslims) are key determinants of marginalisation. Data: In 2007, 95% of out-of-school girls in Pali were from OBC, ST, or SC families. Exclusion: Nomadic communities like the Gadulia-Lohar are often missed by welfare schemes, including education. Gender as a Multiplier of Disadvantage Gender Parity Gap: Primary Education: Achieved in only 49% of countries. Lower Secondary: Achieved in only 42% of countries. Upper Secondary: Achieved in only 24% of countries. Negative Naming Conventions: Significance: Names are carefully chosen in India, making negative names a direct reflection of a family’s mindset. Data from Educate Girls: Mafi (Sorry): 405 girls Naraz (Angry): 566 girls Dapu (Fed up): 1,516 girls Antimbala (Last one): 233 girls Mindset: These names convey a view of girls as burdens, not assets. Historical Context: Pushpita noted similar naming practices were historically common in Bengal, showing this issue is not isolated to Rajasthan. Next Steps All: Reflect on the presented data and stories, particularly the impact of negative naming conventions. All: Prepare for the next session, which will continue reading from the current point. FATHOM AI-generated notes, read with due care.