Sometimes am a proud Indian. Chandi Prasad Bhatt is the reason. Ruchi Shrivastava and Sumit Khanna have made a documentary on Chipko Bhatt: The Man Who Dwarfed the Mountains and The Indian Express has put a short note today. Unsure watching the docu as no Mumbai theatre will screen it; no blames as there will not be a Thalaiva rush; cannot expect a youtube release as the film-makers will go broke. The 60 minute film has won the award for the Best Environment Film including Agriculture (non-feature) at the 63rd National Film Awards this year, says IE. The citation makes no sense; what has agriculture to do with the film? Chipko Bhatt makes sense when hacking trees and chipkoing cars are trending. Chandi Prasad Bhatt was reluctant; the film-makers got round and made six trips to Gopeswhar, Uttarakhand, home of the 82-year old gentleman, to do the film. Ramachandra Guha has chronicled Chipko in The Ramachandra Omnibus. 1970 floods in the Alakananda valley got the villagers to link logically erosion, floods, downing of trees and was born Dashauli Gram Swarajya Sangh (DGSS), a co-operative in Chamoli district. On October 22, 1971, the DGSS set up a protest in Gopeshwar, Chamoli distict. 'The demonstrators called for an end to liquor sale and to untouchability, and for giving priority to the local use of forests....Led by Sarvodaya workers, such as Gandhi's English disciple Sarla Devi (who had set up an Ashram in Almora districct in the 1940s) and the leading local activist Chandi Prasad Bhatt, the procession was of a size never before seen in Chamoli district,' says Guha. And then the story is best written by Guha: 'In early 1973, the DGSS had asked for an allotment of ash trees in order to make agricultural implements. The forest department refused to accomodate their request. Instead, they asked the DGSS to use chir trees, totally unsuitable for the purpose. However, the Symonds Co., was allotted ash trees in the forest of Mandal, barely several miles from Gopeshwar. This blatant injustice inspired the DGSS to organise several meetings in Mandal and Gopeshwar to discuss possible action. Two alternatives presented themselves: 1) to lie down in front of the timber trucks; 2) to burn resin and timber depots as was done in the Quit India movement. When Sarvodaya workers found both methods unsatisfactory, Chandi Prasad Bhatt suddenly thought of embracing the trees. Thus 'Chipko' (to hug) was born. Led by their headman, Alam Singh Bist, the villagers of Mandal resolved to hug the trees even if axes split open their stomachs. Young men cemented the oath with signatures of blood.' Today, in Tirunvannamalai, a 14 km forest path, Girivalam, is set to go away. Age old trees will not be; Animals will flee; a Highway will be. For ages, pilgrims have trudged, walked and rested Girivalam in silent prayer with trees and animals as witness. Girivalam is 14 km round a hill. Will Himalayas and Ganges be in 2050?
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Chandi Prasad Bhatt
Sometimes am a proud Indian. Chandi Prasad Bhatt is the reason. Ruchi Shrivastava and Sumit Khanna have made a documentary on Chipko Bhatt: The Man Who Dwarfed the Mountains and The Indian Express has put a short note today. Unsure watching the docu as no Mumbai theatre will screen it; no blames as there will not be a Thalaiva rush; cannot expect a youtube release as the film-makers will go broke. The 60 minute film has won the award for the Best Environment Film including Agriculture (non-feature) at the 63rd National Film Awards this year, says IE. The citation makes no sense; what has agriculture to do with the film? Chipko Bhatt makes sense when hacking trees and chipkoing cars are trending. Chandi Prasad Bhatt was reluctant; the film-makers got round and made six trips to Gopeswhar, Uttarakhand, home of the 82-year old gentleman, to do the film. Ramachandra Guha has chronicled Chipko in The Ramachandra Omnibus. 1970 floods in the Alakananda valley got the villagers to link logically erosion, floods, downing of trees and was born Dashauli Gram Swarajya Sangh (DGSS), a co-operative in Chamoli district. On October 22, 1971, the DGSS set up a protest in Gopeshwar, Chamoli distict. 'The demonstrators called for an end to liquor sale and to untouchability, and for giving priority to the local use of forests....Led by Sarvodaya workers, such as Gandhi's English disciple Sarla Devi (who had set up an Ashram in Almora districct in the 1940s) and the leading local activist Chandi Prasad Bhatt, the procession was of a size never before seen in Chamoli district,' says Guha. And then the story is best written by Guha: 'In early 1973, the DGSS had asked for an allotment of ash trees in order to make agricultural implements. The forest department refused to accomodate their request. Instead, they asked the DGSS to use chir trees, totally unsuitable for the purpose. However, the Symonds Co., was allotted ash trees in the forest of Mandal, barely several miles from Gopeshwar. This blatant injustice inspired the DGSS to organise several meetings in Mandal and Gopeshwar to discuss possible action. Two alternatives presented themselves: 1) to lie down in front of the timber trucks; 2) to burn resin and timber depots as was done in the Quit India movement. When Sarvodaya workers found both methods unsatisfactory, Chandi Prasad Bhatt suddenly thought of embracing the trees. Thus 'Chipko' (to hug) was born. Led by their headman, Alam Singh Bist, the villagers of Mandal resolved to hug the trees even if axes split open their stomachs. Young men cemented the oath with signatures of blood.' Today, in Tirunvannamalai, a 14 km forest path, Girivalam, is set to go away. Age old trees will not be; Animals will flee; a Highway will be. For ages, pilgrims have trudged, walked and rested Girivalam in silent prayer with trees and animals as witness. Girivalam is 14 km round a hill. Will Himalayas and Ganges be in 2050?
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