Sacred Banni lends Amaritya a new lease of life

Over the past four-odd decades, the dense forests that once surrounded the Amaritya village gradually disappeared. The hills became barren and the groundwater table significantly dropped due to excessive water extraction. Even 800 ft-deep tube wells began to dry up. 

Irrigation was reduced from four to just two cycles per season as most of the rainfall occurring between July and September was lost to flash floods. 

With agriculture and livestock rearing being the primary sources of livelihood, the struggles of the villagers were further compounded due to deforestation, water scarcity, severe soil erosion and overgrazing. 

The small village of Amaritya, located 60 km southwest of Bhilwara in Rajasthan, with a modest population of 592 people, was on the brink of breaking down. The lush greenery of dense forests got resigned to the far corner of collective memory. 

Sacred groves: The Banni of Amaritya

Banni, a sacred grove in Amaritya, named after the local folk deity Bhagwan Devnarayan, emerged as the beacon of hope in this bleak scenario. The temple of the deity is located within Banni and has been a revered place of worship for more than a century. Spanning approximately 20 hectares, the sacred grove draws people from the 12 neighbouring villages.  

Legend has it that the deity, like Lord Krishna, was a protector of cows. He is said to have owned a vast herd of 98,000 cattle and led an army of cowherds to protect the livestock. He passed on a message to his followers – the importance of protecting cows and the land they depend on. 

This spiritual belief kept Banni protected. The community upheld the practice of preserving its natural beauty and resources. It is rich with species like Dhokra, Babul, and Neem. No cutting or lopping of the trees is allowed and only dry wood is used for the temple rituals and cremation purposes.

It all started with the belief in preserving this sacred space and the idea soon grew. If Banni could be protected, why not the village’s common land? 

Today, Banni’s story stands out as a symbol of community-driven conservation, merging spiritual devotion with ecological preservation.

Building an enabling environment: The role of Devnarayan Jalgrahan Vikas Samiti

In 1999, the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) began discussions to address the degradation of the common land and falling incomes in the village. This led to the formation of the Devnarayan Jalgrahan Vikas Samiti in 2002, rooted in traditional and spiritual wisdom. 

It was tasked with managing the village’s common resources. The management committee, comprised of 17 representatives from all castes and both genders, took responsibility for governance and ecological restoration efforts. 

A significant challenge faced by the Samiti was to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the panchayat for the use of 50 hectares of village grazing land. Despite the proximity to Ladpura, the political centre of the panchayat, the villagers negotiated successfully and began holding regular meetings on every new moon day.

To protect the pastureland, villagers fenced the area and developed bylaws for resource management. Digging of borewells was strictly prohibited in the boundary of the village. 

62-year-old Dalit woman Sarju Bai Meena showed exemplary courage when a local Thakur attempted to dig a borewell in a hydrologically sensitive area. Along with other women from the village, Sarjubai physically blocked the heavy machinery from entering the village. 

Their collective resistance stopped the Thakur’s borewell project and sent out a powerful message – water was sacred and they would defend it at any cost. 

Villagers, especially the farmers, were sensitised about water management through games and discussions. Slowly, farmers shifted to chickpea cultivation instead of wheat as it required less water and fetched higher rates. 

After setting up the stage, intervention plans were developed using Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA). Social and resource maps were created. The intervention plan was crafted in collaboration with the village community to address land and water resource management. 

A purchase committee was established and community members were trained to oversee the implementation of the treatment activities. 

Once the groundwork was laid, work was initiated, ensuring community involvement and ownership throughout the process. 

The transformation 

The primary focus of the restoration efforts was ecologically restoring the drainage lines transversing the village. Stone walls were constructed around the pasture land. Apart from 72 check dams, scores of stone bunds, water harvesting structures, and anicuts were made. A 15000 meter-long water arresting trench was made with a capacity to recharge 15 crore litres of water each monsoon. 

Villagers also modified an old earthen structure to prevent loss of crops due to flooding during heavy rains. These interventions regulated runoff during the rainy season and provided water for agriculture and livestock for up to six months. The water level in village wells also increased by seven meters, providing sufficient water for irrigation even during the dry season.

Because of these efforts, in the last five years, more than two dozen farmers were able to switch from single to double cropping patterns. The availability of water even allowed some to grow three crops in a year.

Apart from 2,500 trees, grass was grown extensively to prevent soil erosion and support livestock grazing. It led to an increase in the livestock population and institutions such as dairy cooperatives and self-help groups to manage livestock, milk production and distribution. It led to an overall increment in the income of households.

Sarjubai’s once-barren land now yields three crops a year and the village forests provide ample fodder for her stock of five cows and two bulls. 

The story of sacred Banni is indeed one that reflects how community resolve can move mountains.

The lead image at the top shows the massive transformation Amaritya has undergone in two decades, thanks to watershed treatment. (The 2001 photo is by Shantanu Sinha Roy; The 2020 photo is by Sunil Kumar)

Author bio: Harshal Mankar worked as a Project Manager at the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) in Rajasthan. He is now associated with L&T Technology Services’ CSR arm in Pune.