ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS IN ANCIENT INDIA BEFORE PRE-POLITICAL PERIOD

Abstract

From 7000-600 BCE various environment related trends of thought are observed in ancient India. During Mehergarh Civilization (7000-5000 BCE) there was no industry in ancient India, consequently there appears no possibility of environmental pollution. Alongside, peoples emphasized on natural resources preservation, as their subsistence was intimately related to natural resources. With the commencement of civic life during the Harappa civilization, life style got complicated and consequently, the base of pollution was developed. The Harappans proved their health consciousness by their drainage system, street design and the Great Bath etc. Vedas were the most prolific resources to study ancient Vedic civilization. Various parts, articles and sub-articles of Veda, emphasized the preservation of natural resources, invocation of natural powers, conservation of animals and inferiors. Through this, the maintenance of ecological balance becomes evident. Yet till the rise of the Magadha Empire, the matter concerning the prevention of nature had no state care. In the Mauryan age, Koutilya who first advocated that, state must be enterprising to utilize and protect the natural resources. So before 600 BCE the fact of environmental awareness in ancient India was only the concern of individual ascetics and sages as well as associations beyond the bindings of the empire, which proves the line of thinking was cordial and responsible because this thought-line found a place in individual level outside the compulsion of the state. However it is not that man was indifferent to the matter leading to the pollution in the pre-political times in ancient India despite their environmental awareness. During the Mehergarh civilization the defeated clan in order to extricate themselves from the victorious clan, kept burning the natural resources, the extensive cutting of trees by the Harappans for burning bricks brought about draught during this civilisation and later during Vedic age offering of innumerable animal sacrifices for rites damages the ecological balance. Despite this, it may be concluded that the beginning of so called extensive environmental movement that has been started in the modern times was evident in different incidents and in sayings of the saints and sages in the pre-political period of ancient India.