The following is the second installment of a two-part series. The first can be found here.
Kinship with and Gratitude for Nature
Many verses can be retrieved to prompt human beings to be thankful for the bounties of nature. For instance: “The One [who] gave you the invaluable air; The One gave you the priceless water; The One [who] gave you fuel of fire” ਜਿਨਿ ਦੀਆ ਤੁਧੁ ਪਵਨੁ ਅਮੋਲਾ ॥ ਜਿਨਿ ਦੀਆ ਤੁਧੁ ਨੀਰੁ ਨਿਰਮੋਲਾ ॥ ਜਿਨਿ ਦੀਆ ਤੁਧੁ ਪਾਵਕੁ ਬਲਨਾ ॥ (SGGS, M.5, 913).
Such examples inspire a soul to be grateful and care for conserving this precious nature in all forms. It instills a feeling of solicitude for the planet. Capitalizing on spiritual guidance can thus protect nature’s bounty, benefiting all living beings who share this earth with humans.
The universe comprises five primary elements- air, water, fire, earth, and sky. Sikh cosmogony proclaims that air and water were created out of the primal void[1] ਪਉਣੁ ਪਾਣੀ ਸੁੰਨੈ ਤੇ ਸਾਜੇ ॥ (SGGS, M.1, Maaru, 1037). Guru Nanak thus proclaims: “From the True Lord came the air, and from the air came water, and from the water came three regions into existence…” (2) ਸਾਚੇ ਤੇ ਪਵਨਾ ਭਇਆ ਪਵਨੈ ਤੇ ਜਲੁ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਜਲ ਤੇ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣੁ ਸਾਜਿਆ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਮੋਇ ॥ (SGGS, M.1, Sri, 19). He further speaks of the creation of the world: “He created water, fire, and air, and then combined them to form the world” (3) ਜਲੁ ਤਰੰਗ ਅਗਨੀ ਪਵਨੈ ਫੁਨਿ ਤ੍ਰੈ ਮਿਲਿ ਜਗਤੁ ਉਪਾਇਆ ॥ (SGGS. M.1, Prabhati, 1345).
The final passage of the morning Sikh prayer Japji Sahib, which regards air as a guru, water as the father, and the earth as the mother, relays the message that nature sustains life on this planet and that we must treat her with the utmost respect[2]. However, the passage merits a thorough interpretation to gauge its significance. Air is the medium through which sound flows and makes the chanting of the mantra accessible to the mind.
The consciousness immersed in the Guru’s mantra leads to gnosis (ਸਬਦੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਧੁਨਿ ਚੇਲਾ ॥) (SGGS, M.1, Raamkali Goshti, 943). Breath, the vehicle for the mantra, has no existence without air. Therefore, air must be treated as sacred. Such reevaluation can motivate followers to consider reducing their carbon footprint.
The appellation Mother Earth is universal. It has been frequently used in SGGS. For example, “The womb of Mother Earth births everything”[3] ਉਦਰ ਸੰਜੋਗੀ ਧਰਤੀ ਮਾਤਾ ॥ (SGGS, M.1, Maaru, 1021). Chahal has also explored ecofeminist strands in the scripture along these lines. [4] [5] Similarly, water deserves the status of a father as it is another vital life force on the earth. The Japji passage continues: “The entire world plays in the lap of the nurses called day and night” ਦਿਵਸੁ ਰਾਤਿ ਦੁਇ ਦਾਈ ਦਾਇਆ ਖੇਲੈ ਸਗਲ ਜਗਤੁ ॥ (SGGS, Jap, M.1, 8). Here, day and night bear the connotation of solar energy (There can be no life without sunlight). They represent yang and yin, respectively.
Singh highlights the kinship among all beings through the following verse of Guru Ram Das: [6] “There is only one breath (air), all are made of the same clay, and the light within is the same” ਏਕੋ ਪਵਣੁ ਮਾਟੀ ਸਭ ਏਕਾ ਸਭ ਏਕਾ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਬਾਈਆ ॥(SGGS, M.4, Maajh, 96). An essay’s alternative expression of this interconnectedness reads, “We are the rock and the stars, the leaves, and the trees…we are the eyes through which the universe looks at itself. We are the minds through which the universe contemplates itself.”[7]
Hence, we must heal the planet by healing ourselves. This discussion of cosmic unity entails the reciprocal relationship between different entities of existence, and many other verses in SGGS articulate this interrelationship. SGGS declares, “What pervades the cosmos dwells in the body; whoever seeks finds it.” ਜੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੰਡੇ ਸੋਈ ਪਿੰਡੇ ਜੋ ਖੋਜੈ ਸੋ ਪਾਵੈ ॥ (SGGS, Peepaa, Dhanaasari, 695). Such verses unite panentheism, ecocentrism, and deep ecology themes. Virk remarks that the revelation that we all are born of the same matrix breaks the sense of hierarchical order of existence. It instills feelings of justice and compassion.[8] The crux of the argument is that tampering with these elements will bring harm to us eventually because we live in an interconnected web of life.
Sustainable Living
Capitalism and neoliberalism are held responsible for the current environmental crisis. This is why activists believe that eco-justice should be viewed within the broader context of social justice and human development. The present situation has presented the challenge of ensuring continuing development at this rate without compromising the needs of future generations. Sahota[9] et al. reckon that sustainability requires a shift from anthropocentrism, which implies acknowledging the reciprocity of human beings’ relationship with nature.
Drawing a parallel between Sikh gurus’ teachings and Saint Francis’ philosophy, the authors offer a unity-in-diversity approach to developing a sustainable management model. This model assumes embracing diversity in all its complexity and developing a practical kinship through shared interests. Such a model accounts for equality and justice and leads to the value of selfless service in Sikhi.[10]
Sikhi believes in balancing Seva (service) and Simran (contemplating the name of God). The phrase Sarbat da Bhalaa (welfare of all) from ardaas (the Sikh petitionary prayer) is unequivocally invoked in the context of socioeconomic justice. However, this ideal must be viewed as intertwined with environmental concerns to extend the act of service to planetary well-being.[11]
The guidance for this reevaluation should be sought in the historical examples where Gurus and their Sikhs protected adversaries, and their altruism included nonhumans. A story has already been discussed in this review before. This is directly related to Hukam, which is not seen separately from Naam (the name of God, also the energy of creation). In this regard, the Sikh ideal of communal wellbeing –Sarbat da Bhalaa— is comparable to the African ubuntu philosophy or the Latin American buein vivir.
The three pillars of Sikhi are Naam Japnaa (Contemplating the name of God), Kirt Karnaa (living by the sweat of brow), and Vand Chhaknaa (sharing resources). Sikhi does not approve of asceticism or renunciation.[12] This one verse by Guru Nanak says it all: “One who eats by earning one’s livelihood by the sweat of their brow and shares one’s fortune with others, finds the path [of righteousness], says Nanak” ਘਾਲਿ ਖਾਇ ਕਿਛੁ ਹਥਹੁ ਦੇਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਰਾਹੁ ਪਛਾਣਹਿ ਸੇਇ ॥(SGGS, M.1, 1245).
Therefore, some have also stressed the belief in earning an honest living by hard work. Singh draws attention to the fact that a Sikh must actively engage with the world’s affairs by highlighting the blend of Miri (the temporal) and Piri (the spiritual) advocated and practiced by the Sikh gurus.[13] This is the driving force for all activism, which can be harnessed to adopt a holistic approach to solving environmental issues.
However, the interconnectedness of the three ideals needs to be appreciated more. For instance, those willing to ascend the levels of Naam must do seva. Furthermore, if haumai (ego) persists, sevacannot be called selfless. This implies that one’s spiritual journey is incomplete without actively involving worldly concerns and extending unqualified compassion to all creation. The faith leaders and activists can draw on this understanding to encourage environmental sensitivity and action among the devotees.
Many activists emphasize the role of frugality in saving the environment. It is also a pre-condition for inner happiness and one of the founding principles of eco-philosophy.[14] This is because choices made in one place have an impact and repercussions for the rest of the world when all are interdependent and interconnected.[15] A frugal lifestyle and sharing of resources promise sustainable living. Saryal and Saryal[16] note that water was meant to be a shared resource in the gurdwaras, with large pools built by Sikh gurus.
The Gurus also built towns and cities around gurdwaras, serving as models of social justice and communal living. The fifth Sikh master, Guru Arjan Dev, initiated the practice of dasvandh (the one-tenth share of one’s earnings/resources), which many devout Sikhs follow. The Sikhs do not confine it to the financial resources only. Each Sikh decides, without the mediation of the priests, what and where they want to contribute. Imagine a world where everyone contributed their dasvandh to help the underprivileged!
Moreover, the value of contentment is also critical to realizing these ideals. A lot has been said about this value in SGGS, which can be used as an impetus for sustainability discourses. Suffice it is to quote one line here: “A content mind with compassion for all beings” ਮਨਿ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਸਰਬ ਜੀਅ ਦਇਆ ॥ (SGGS, M.5, Gaudi, 299). Compassion is the reason devout Sikhs adhere to a vegetarian diet. Cruelty to animals is strictly condemned in Sikhi. A categorical directive in this can be read in this quote: “Kabeer states that those mortals who consume marijuana, fish, and wine – no matter what pilgrimages, fasts, and rituals they follow, will all go to hell” ਕਬੀਰ ਭਾਂਗ ਮਾਛੁਲੀ ਸੁਰਾ ਪਾਨਿ ਜੋ ਜੋ ਪ੍ਰਾਨੀ ਖਾਂਹਿ ॥ ਤੀਰਥ ਬਰਤ ਨੇਮ ਕੀਏ ਤੇ ਸਭੈ ਰਸਾਤਲਿ ਜਾਂਹਿ ॥ (SGGS, Bhagat Kabeer, 1377).
Recognizing the inalienable rights of all living beings is crucial to achieving sustainability targets and building a harmonious world society. The foundation of the sovereign commonwealth of Khalsa by the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, in 1699 was a momentous step in this direction. Guru Gobind Singh included people from different castes, regions, and occupations in this new socio-political fold.
The Khalsa was ordained to follow Sikh spiritual discipline and stand up for the rights of the oppressed and disenfranchised. It was thus a radical model of political autonomy and solidarity, wherein all members lived as saint soldiers. Singh[17] writes that the Khalsa army fought the tyrant Mughal rulers in the 17th and 18th centuries and against the atrocities of the British colonists and Indian government subsequently. The ideal was to strive for justice for all.
The Sikh gurus condemned casteism and class distinctions and upheld the intrinsic worth of all beings. The tenth master, Guru Gobind Singh, asked his Sikhs to recognize all human races as the same. The Sikh scripture contains verses from saints affiliated with different spiritual traditions (with a unified philosophy) who were treated as outcastes, like Naamdev, Kabeer, and Ravidas. Guru Nanak started the tradition of langar, serving food to the needy and the visitors, where all classes and castes sat together. It was a revolutionary step toward creating an egalitarian society in those times as caste divisions were rigidly followed. Saryal and Saryal[18] describe this as a spiritual and political practice because it historically allowed the Sikhs to practice food sovereignty. Gurdwaras thus supported local farmers.
Sikh Gurus also accorded high respect to women. Celebrating femininity, all Sikh Gurus depicted human souls, regardless of gender, as brides/females longing for the Beloved Lord in their verses. Guru Nanak reminded us that all great men were born of women. The Sikh historical narratives honor the contribution of women as saints and warriors. The Sikh history offers many examples of what Arturo Escobar calls “politics in the feminine.”[19]
The Khalsa honors Sahib Kaur, the wife of Guru Gobind Singh, as their mother. She played a crucial role in inspiring the Khalsa to blend valor with compassion. She embodied this ideal by adding sugar to the holy water churned by a sword during the first initiation ceremony of the Khalsa. The tradition continues to this day. Therefore, the principles of bio-civilization—diversity, autonomy, solidarity, collective action, simplicity, justice, equity, etc.—as outlined by Kothari are enshrined in Sikh history and scripture.[20]
Historical and Modern Praxis
This section examines how Sikh Gurus embodied the themes of kinship, community, biocentric equality, or reverence for nature and how these memories were historically constructed. It gives examples of reconstructing those memories and traditions in alignment with the ecological themes. These examples include initiatives by the spiritual leaders and organizations in the community. Further, it critiques why and where there are disjuncts when living the ideals laid down by the Gurus and endorsed by the spiritual leaders.
Sikh spiritual leaders have judiciously reconstructed the story of trees in various environmental campaigns. Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Master, describes the Creator as a grand tree and the creation as its branches (SGGS, M.5, Maajh, 102; M.5, Aasaa, 387). Guru Har Rai, the seventh Master, planted many trees and plants. There are 58 historic Sikh shrines named after 19 species of trees. Each has a saakhi (historical account or anecdote from the life of Gurus) centering on the tree it is named after.[21] One quote from SGGS sums up the status of trees in Sikhi: “ [If ] aspiring to be a dervish, bear the patient endurance like a tree” ਦਰਵੇਸਾਂ ਨੋ ਲੋੜੀਐ ਰੁਖਾਂ ਦੀ ਜੀਰਾਂਦਿ ॥ (SGGS, Fareed, 1381).
Guru Har Rai is often cited for his eco-sensitivity. One of the stories recounts his remorse at breaking a flower from brushing his cloak against it. The young Har Rai expressed remorse for the inadvertent harm to the plant and carefully gathered his clothing around him for the rest of his life. His native place, Keeratpur Sahib, was a town of parks and gardens and was an idyllic place in his lifetime, which attracted many birds and animals to it. Here, he also built a large garden with medicinal plants. It was called Naulakhaa Baagh, meaning a garden with 900,000 trees.
Many agencies have collaborated to research those ancient plants and revive the garden and the indigenous medicine.[22] The Sikh Environment Day, March 14, is dedicated to Guru Har Rai, who ascended to the position of Guru on this day.[23] Similarly, the Tri-cultural Sikh Society, a gurdwara near Pittsburgh, named their arboretum after Guru Har Rai in 2013. The arboretum features plant species native to Pennsylvania.[24]
Sant Seva Singh from Khadoor Sahib, a historic town in Punjab graced by the visit of eight Sikh Gurus, is a much-respected religious figure in the region. Known as The Tree Man, he was appointed the Faith for Earth counselor by the United Nations Environment Programme in 2021. He presented the Sikh Plan on Environment to Ban-ki-Moon at Windsor Castle in 2009. On the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak’s avatar in 2019, he set up a goal of planting 550 small dense forests, called Guru Nanak Memorial Forests, with 50 different varieties of trees.
He has planted 272 so far. He has planted 6.5 million trees all over India.[25] Comparing his environmental venture to langar (the Sikh tradition of serving food to the needy), he believes these initiatives serve the environmentally sick generation.[26] He distributes saplings among devotees as a Prashad (a gift of grace usually offered as food). He has worked tirelessly to reclaim the green zone in Punjab. He has revived many native species of plants and persuaded farmers to prefer orchard farming to less sustainable crops.[27] He runs a charitable organization, Nishan-e-Sikhi, which works for education and social welfare besides environmental causes.
Another excellent example of reconstruction is the Museum of Trees in the capital of Punjab, Chandigarh, which was established in 2020. It was conceived and curated by DS Jaspal on his personal property and promoted by the Chandigarh Nature and Health Society. Inspired by his book ‘Tryst with Trees-Punjab’s Sacred Heritage,’ this storytelling museum recounts customs, traditions, and historical events associated with every tree planted here. As a former high-ranking civil servant with a background in forestry, Jaspal employs both scientific and marketing techniques to conserve genetic clones of 12 sacred trees associated with historical Sikh shrines. Besides, it has a section devoted to medicinal plants. Environmental education for school children and the community is part of this conservation project, particularly on endangered species.[28]
A similar eco-aesthetic endeavor can be found at a place sanctified by the visit of four Sikh Gurus— historical gurdwara (Sikh place of worship), Guru-Sar Sahib, in Patto Hira Singh village in the Moga district of Punjab. It is a botanical garden (baagh) featuring more than 58 species of trees mentioned in SGGS. EcoSikh, a US-based Sikh environmental organization in collaboration with a local non-profit, PETALS, inaugurated it in 2021. Named Guru Granth Sahib Baagh, it has about 6,000 trees and shrubs spread over 5 acres of land.
Each tree carries relative references from the scripture calligraphically inscribed on big round stones. This environmental initiative aims to highlight the message of the Sikh Gurus to connect with nature. Dedicated to the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak’s avatar, it aims to offer a platform for environmental education.[29]
Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal is another saintly figure in the Sikh community who has lived the ideals of Sikh ecosophy. He was named one of Time magazine’s ‘Heroes of the Environment’ 2008 for his monumental river-cleaning project in 2000. He spearheaded the community enterprise of cleaning the 170-kilometer-long river Kali Bein, a tributary of the longer river Beas in Punjab. He took the initiative by entering the river and manually removing the water hyacinth.
This river holds a deep significance in Sikh history because Guru Nanak took a dip here, disappeared for three days, and reappeared after being enlightened. The river, however, had become polluted over time with an overgrowth of water hyacinth, industrial effluents, and agricultural run-off. Its successful cleaning by the local community, without any help from the government, is an excellent example of ecosystem conservation. The project has now been extended to other rivers in Punjab.[30] So, Sant Seechewal, known as the Eco-baba, exemplified Gurbani’s ideals to restore rivers. He addressed the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009 and spoke of how Sikhi is an ecological religion that teaches holding natural elements in deep reverence.
No Sikh environmentalism discourse is complete without reckoning the far-sighted activism of Bhagat Puran Singh ji, the bearded Mother Teresa of Punjab. Bhagat ji, who practiced the discipline of Naam, believed in transforming the face of the earth through work on both mind and matter. The prefix Bhagat (an imbued devotee) was assigned to him because of his exalted spiritual state. He was the epitome of the Sikh ideals who carried the legacy of eco-philosophy forward. He spoke about the denudation of the Himalayas as early as 1928.
Making people aware of the impending ecological hazards was his spiritual mission. He published extensively and raised red flags about the environmental crisis.[31] Bhagat ji published his pamphlets on recycled paper and distributed them free of cost. He also organized many tree plantations and environmental awareness campaigns.[32]
Bahgat Ji founded a charity home called Pingalwara, which means home for the destitute. He died in 1995, but the Pingalwara Society carries his legacy forward. Pingalwara is running a zero-budget farm and collaborating with farmers on organic farming. It has planted 90,000 trees in India.[33] The Kheti Virasat Mission (meaning Agricultural Heritage Mission), a civil society group dedicated to organic farming and founded in 2005, is another organization that has invoked the Sarbat da Bhalaa ideal and established a holistic model of advocacy working with various stakeholders to promote agroecology in Punjab.
Their work extends beyond farming to women empowerment, forests, ecology, and resource management. Their focus is sustainability within the socio-cultural framework of Punjab.EcoSikh, which came into existence in 2009 in response to an initiative of the United Nations Development Program and the Alliance of Religions and Conservation, works globally and has built an impressive network of environmental programs. It provides guidelines for environment-friendly religious processions and biodegradable plates for customary food distribution. Besides working with the Green Pilgrimage Network (GPN), a global collaboration of 28 pilgrimage sites worldwide to promote environmental care by reclaiming the sense of place, it is also active in interfaith environmental initiatives.
Disjuncts and Gaps
Punjab is primarily an agrarian economy. According to the official statistics of the Punjab Government’s Department of Forests and Wildlife Preservation, the state’s forest coverage is 6%. Expansion of agricultural land and developmental projects are responsible for this dismal proportion. Environmental organizations are, therefore, working earnestly to restore the green zone. However, many other severe environmental challenges need urgent attention.
One of the most pressing issues facing Punjab, the breadbasket of India, is the depletion of groundwater and unsustainable farming practices resulting from the Green Revolution of the 1970s. According to Saryal and Saryal, state farmers were misled by subsidies and federal food procurement policies to rely heavily on water-intensive wheat and paddy farming.[34] This overuse of groundwater, fertilizers, and pesticides has resulted in soil and water contamination, as well as a water crisis, high cancer rates, and an alarming number of farmers’ suicides. Prill also points out the incongruity of social practices like lavish weddings, materialistic lifestyles, and the growth of motor vehicle usage among Sikhs.[35] She adds that expensive tractors and combine harvesters contribute to high fossil fuel combustion.
The rise of plastic pollution results from a mindless consumption culture, which is opposed to the ideas of restraint and contentment. While the tradition of washing dishes manually is intact in Punjab’s gurdwaras, plastic plates, cups, cutlery, and mineral water bottles are comparatively more prevalent in events outside gurdwara and among diaspora Sikhs. The devotees quote numerous verses extolling nature but inadvertently overlook the impact of their plastic use on land, air, water, and other earth species.
Prill observes that Sarbat da Bhalaa has often been quoted in socio-economic justice but not explicitly in the ecological context.[36] This vast gap needs to be filled with the help of religious leaders by emphasizing the direct relation between our consumption habits and the environmental state. An environmental activist from Punjab confided in the author how challenging it was to fight the plastic demon compared to organizing tree plantation campaigns. Her NGO, Action Group Against Plastic Pollution (AGAPP), submitted a letter of appeal to the Akal Takht Jathedar—the supreme Sikh authority, like the archbishop— and Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee—the organization managing gurdwaras in Punjab—in this regard in November 2023. The AGAPP, invoking the Sikh ideal of Sarbat da Bhalaa, has requested these authorities to lead the Sikh community in refraining from using single-use plastic.
Sri Harmandir Sahib (known as the Golden Temple) is the pre-eminent Sikh spiritual site in Amritsar— one of the prominent sites in the GPN. It holds the same place in the Sikh community as the Vatican does for the Catholics or Mecca for the Muslims. The fireworks display in its arena conflicts with the interests of the GPN since it causes air and noise pollution, besides eroding its gold plate and marble.
Although the number of occasions and fireworks has downscaled over the last decade, the idea of fireworks is still questionable and has implications for the community. The supreme religious authority figure in Sikhi is Jathedar of Akaal Takht, the Sikh spiritual and temporal center located in the precincts of Sri Harmandir Sahib. If he issues a proclamation to abandon the fireworks display in Sri Harmandir Sahib and urges the Sikh community to refrain from crackers, it will serve as a great example of upholding Sikh environmental ethos. Both Sikh and Hindu communities cause obnoxious air pollution in Punjab on the night of Divali/ Bandi Chhod Divas by exploding firecrackers, which can be curbed by sending a practical, positive message of cracker-free holiday from the holy shrine.
Future Directions
The sense of mystique and beauty associated with the creation has been superseded by the modern, reductionist view of the capitalist culture today.[37] Many spiritual traditions, however, use wonder and enchantment as ways of knowing. Therefore, they can play a significant role in reviving the full appreciation of nature. This appreciation, or eco-aesthetics, must extend beyond the sensual experience. The sense of wonder and awe (Vismaad)in Sikh scripture holds epistemological value.
Nature symbolism has been profusely employed to induce Vismaad in Sikh scriptures. It is important to emphasize this interconnection between all manifestations of nature and Vismaad. A rift implies serious environmental repercussions. For example, Prill describes Guru Nanak’s composition Barah Maha (poetry on the theme of months) as an impressive portrait of the pre-modern Punjab ecosystem.[38] Each passage, corresponding to a month, vividly paints the ambiance, flora, and fauna: “We hear of the blossoms and the bumblebees of springtime and the greenery, snakes, and mosquitoes of the monsoon season; in the summer, the blazing sun scorches the ground.”[39] However, the difference between this imagery and the current Punjab climate is noticeable. This distorted state of nature reflects the erosion of the human mind.
The law of reciprocity and symbiosis sustaining the complex web of life has not yet been deconstructed fully and explicitly by Sikh religious leaders. As pointed out in an earlier section, Sikh theology can be understood around Hukam and haumai. Prill[40] observes that haumai, or egocentrism, is the root cause of environmental destruction, but this aspect has not been fully integrated into the Sikh environmental rhetoric.
Shiva remarks that separation is the key feature of capitalist values.[41] It not only alienates humans from nature but also humans from each other on the lines of race, gender, ethnicity, etc. This alienation causes all violence in mind and actions. The leaders and educators engaging with Sikh environmentalism must place haumai, or the idea of separation, in the center stage of capitalism and consumerism.
Ecological catastrophes are born of short-sightedness. McMichael contrasts the short-term ‘economic time’ with ‘geochemical-biological time controlled by the rhythms of nature’ by showing how shrimp aquaculture destroys coastal mangroves. [42] He concludes that the seed of the past is always buried in the present. Gurbani echoes this insight: “Do not indulge in the wrongdoing at all; use thy foresight to see [the consequences].” ਮੰਦਾ ਮੂਲਿ ਨ ਕੀਚਈ ਦੇ ਲੰਮੀ ਨਦਰਿ ਨਿਹਾਲੀਐ ॥ (SGGS, M.1, Aaasaa, 474).
It will, therefore, be a great initiative to have emerging Sikh scholars and leaders in seminaries study basic environmental science, political discourses on the environment, policies, and different eco-philosophical traditions. They can then explicitly address the environmental crisis by presenting Sikh environmental ethics more eloquently and persuasively. Their social and political clout in the community will make a huge difference in saving the planet.
Educators in Sikh schools in Punjab and beyond and those engaged in non-formal sectors can also use faith-based approaches in their critical pedagogies. They can use ecocriticism from the lens of Sikh philosophy. Singh and Kaur define ecocriticism as a theory that makes people aware of their contribution to environmental devastation.[43] It examines literature from an ecological perspective.
The authors clarify that ecocriticism is not confined to how a lion, a tree, or a flower is depicted in literature. Instead, it focuses on the overall representation of nature in cultures and communities. They conducted an ecocritical study on William Wordsworth (1770-1850) and Bhai Veer Singh (1872-1957) – The giants of English and Punjabi poetry, respectively. Though they lived apart in time and space, their poetry is a lighthouse for all nature lovers and those who seek ecological awareness in literature. William Wordsworth profusely registered his protest against distance from nature in the wake of industrialization in ‘The Excursion’:
When on the darker side
Of this great change, I look, and there
Behold such outrage done to nature as compels
The indignant power to justify herself;
Yea, to avenge her violated rights,
For England bane (412).
In Bhai Veer Singh’s poetry, one cannot help but notice his deep fascination with nature.
In the vein of Saint Francis of Assisi, he addresses Mashobra— a hilly paradise in the Himalayas—as a brother. In another poem, Brichh (the tree), he gives voice to a tree to criticize deforestation:
O selfish owners of the land,
Why do you fight us?
We don’t grow out
We grow tall and straight.
Our rings and breadth
Extend only in space;
We take but a palm of land,
Even then, you grudge us?” (415)
Bhai Veer Singh is deeply revered in Sikh circles. He was a soul imbued in divine love. His poetry can inspire the masses to protect nature. More scholars need to look in this direction, as the interdisciplinary nature of ecocriticism can be a creative mode of environmental education.
Conclusion
Although a gap between theory and practice has existed in all ages and civilizations, it cannot be a ground for rejecting ideals and values advocated by different faith systems worldwide. The fact that people have not always lived up to these ideals cannot and should not negate the significance and implications of these lofty ideas.[44] The fact that a large section of society still draws their inspiration from religion has significant implications for solving the challenges of the 21st century.
Therefore, Sikh religious leaders, scholars, and teachers must respond proactively and creatively in working with activists, scientists, lawyers, politicians, and educationists to mobilize resources and motivate people for environmental action. This requires a systematic collaboration among all stakeholders to rewrite and propagate Sikh environmental ethics in the new age language for the action to gain momentum.
Sikhi encompasses more than individual liberation and does not promote denial of the world around us. Its rich traditions and history reflect the belief that true transcendence can only be achieved by embracing the realities of our world and actively participating in its evolution. This is why religious fervor has often been present in social and political movements from Punjab, such as the massive 2020 farmers’ protest. There is a tremendous opportunity for Sikh leaders and scholars to tap into this faith-based approach and leverage spiritual resources to benefit our environment. They can make a meaningful and lasting impact by inspiring new ways of thinking, being, and acting rooted in the care of our shared planet.
Guru Nanak called the earth a place to practice righteousness (dharma). In many Indic languages, the word ‘dharma’ is used to denote both religion and righteousness. It serves as a reminder that many Eastern spiritual traditions, including Sikhi, believe that the essence of a religion lies in the practice of its vision of cosmic unity. Guru Nanak emphasized the importance of dharma in human life and did not simply refer to the Earth as a metaphor. It is his reminder to all of us to recognize the presence of the spirit in every life form, from the smallest unit (cell) to the most complex ecosystem, and to re-establish our connection with the Earth.
Harpreet Kaur is a Business and Human Rights Specialist at the UNDP’s Regional Bureau of Asia and the Pacific, where she oversees a regional project aiming at promoting responsible business practices through partnerships in Asia. She provides technical and advisory support to governments and businesses on how to mitigate and address human rights risks and impacts in operations and supply chains in Asia.
[1] Singh 2021a, 1-2
[2] Singh 2021a, 10; Prill 2015, 227; Singh 2010, 2.
[3] Chahal 2015, 4.
[4] Chahal 2015.
[5] Ibid, 11.
[6] Singh 2021a, 8.
[7] Skolimowski, Henry. 1997. “The World Is a Sanctuary.” The UNESCO Courier, March 1997, 48.
[8] Virk 2014.
[9] Sahota, Parminder Singh, Maurizio Sajeva, Mark Lemon, and Mehar Brar. 2016. Philosophy of Management 15: 21-34.
[10] Ibid, 31-32.
[11] Prill 2015, 234-235
[12] Prill 2015, 235
[13] Singh 2001.
[14] Skolimowski 1997, 48
[15] Singh 2010, 7
[16] Saryal, Sutapa, and Rajnish Saryal. “Environmental Crisis and Religion: An Analysis of Textual Source and Practices of Sikhism.” 2023. Research Review International Journal of Multidisciplinary 8, no. 12 (December): 50–59.
[17] Singh 2010, 15.
[18] Saryal and Saryal 2020, 55.
[19] Escobar, Arturo. 2020. “Thinking about the Pot/Pandemia- Notes from Latin America.” Global Tapestry of Alternatives, October 2, 2020. https://globaltapestryofalternatives.org/newsletters:02:arturo.
[20] Kothari, Ashish, Ariel Salleh, Arturo Escobar, Frederico Demaria, and Alberto Ecosta. Introduction. 2019. In Pluriverse: A Post-Development Dictionary, xxi–xl. New Delhi, India: Tulika Books and Authorsupfront Publishing Services Pvt. Ltd.
[21] Singh 2021b, 23.
[22] Prill 2015, 231.
[23] Ibid, 238.
[24] Ibid, 234.
[25] “Environment Conservation Project.” Nishan-e-Sikhi, 2023. http://environment.nishan-e-sikhi.org/archives/1919.
[26] “Baba Sewa Singh– The Tree Turbanator.” Punjabis4BetterWorld (blog), March 15, 2017. https://punjabis4betterworld.wordpress.com/2017/03/15/baba-sewa-singh-the-tree-turbanotor/.
[27] Prill 2015, 237.
[28] Singh 2021b, 23; Prill 2015, 232-233.
[29] “Guru Granth Sahib Bagh.” EcoSikh, 2021. https://ecosikh.org/guru-granth-sahib-bagh/.
[30] Prill 2015, 236-237.
[31] Pirta 2013, 149.
[32] Singh 2021b, 22; Prill 2015, 236.
[33] Prill 2015, 236.
[34] Saryal and Saryal 2023, 53.
[35] Prill 2015, 225.
[36] Ibid, 235.
[37] Tucker and Grim 2017, 4.
[38] Prill 2015, 230.
[39] Ibid.
[40] Ibid.
[41] Shiva, Vandana. 2019. “Development– for the 1 per cent.” Essay. In Pluriverse: A Post-Development Dictionary, edited by Ashish Kothari, Ariel Salleh, Arturo Escobar, Frederico Demaria, and Alberto Ecosta. 6–8. New Delhi, India: Tulika Books and Authorsupfront Publishing Services Pvt. Ltd.
[42] McMichael, Philip. 2019. “The Development Project.” Essay. In Pluriverse: A Post-Development Dictionary, edited by Ashish Kothari, Ariel Salleh, Arturo Escobar, Frederico Demaria, and Alberto Ecosta.12–14. New Delhi, India: Tulika Books and Authorsupfront Publishing Services Pvt. Ltd.
[43] Singh and Kaur 2017, 411.
[44] Ikeke 2020, 88.
