Indian Mythology and Ecocriticism

Abstract

According to Indian philosophy, human body is said to be formed of five elements – Panchtattva, namely earth (prithvi), water (apas), fire (agni), air (vayu) and aether (akasha). From the birth of an individual till his death, the Indian way of life is closely connected to nature. From home hearths to the funeral pyres, wood and fire are predominantly present. A newborn is consecrated with the holy waters of Ganges and the ashes of the dead are immersed in the same holy water. Indians have long had an intense connection with nature. This connection is clearly reflected in the Indian mythology. The two major Indian epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, present nature in its various manifestations presenting it sometimes as a saviour, sometimes a protector and many times as a pioneer. The connection between Indian mythology and nature becomes conspicuous when we come across characters like Bhumija Sita, Suryaputra Karna, Vayuputra Hanumana and Shakuntala (the nature’s child) who is born and brought up in the lap of nature and whose beauty and innocence are as pure as nature itself. These writings and characters have deeply impacted the Indian psyche through ages. This paper will study such connection between Indian mythology and environment in detail and analyse how Indian mythology has contributed in preserving the nature keeping in mind the concept of eco-criticism.