Rajasthan : Khejarli

THE SYMBOL OF THE PROTECTOR -MEMORIAL AT KHEJARLI
INSIDE THE MEMORIAL : 2 MINUTE SILENCE FOR THE BRAVE LADY
THE INSPIRATION FOR THE CHIPKO MOVEMENT IS HERE
STARE AT THIS PICTURE AND YOU CANT MOVE YOUR EYES OFF IT

No wonder the history of Rajasthan is written in red in blood in courage in honour in dignity. You keep on exploring the place and you find something that will amaze you. If you have not heard this story before you will not believe me. because like you i also didnt.

It is a place called KHEJARLI.

On a Tuesday in 1730 A.D., Amrita Devi, a Bishnoi woman was at her home with her three daughters (Asu, Ratni and Bhagu bai) when she came to know that a number of people had descended on their otherwise sleepy village of Khejarli. The name Khejarli was derived from "Khejri", since these trees were found in abundance in the village.The people were a party of men sent by Maharaja Abhay Singh, the ruler of the kingdom of Jodhpur in the Marwar region, who wanted to fell green Khejri trees to burn lime for the construction of the Maharaja's new palace. Since there was a lot of greenery in the Bishnoi villages even in the middle of the Thar Desert, the king ordered his men to get the wood by cutting the Khejri trees.Amrita Devi protested against the Maharaja's men who were attempting to cut green trees as it was prohibited according to Bishnoi principles. The malevolent feudal party told her that if she wanted the trees to be spared, she would have to give them money as bribe. She refused to acknowledge this demand and told them that she would consider it as an act of insult to her religious faith and would rather give away her life to save the green trees. It is at that stage she spoke these words:

Sar santey rookh rahe to bhi sasto jaan (If a tree is saved even at the cost of one's head, it's worth it)
Saying these words, she offered her head. The axes, which were brought to cut the trees, severed her head. The three young girls Asu, Ratni and Bhagu were not daunted, and offered their heads too.

The news spread like wildfire. The Bishnois of Khejrali gathered and sent summons to their counterparts in eighty-three Bishnoi villages in the vicinity to come and decide on the next course of action. Since the supreme sacrifice by Amrita Devi and her daughters had not satisfied the royal party, and the felling of green trees was continued, it was decided that for every green tree to be cut One Bishnoi, volunteer would sacrifice his/ her life. In the beginning, old people voluntarily started holding the trees to be cut in an embrace as in the 20th Century Chipko Movement.

Despite many valiant old persons, giving away their lives, the Hakim (the royal party's leader) , Girdhar Das Bhandari, taunted the Bishnois that they were offering unwanted old persons. Soon, young men, women (including recently married ones) and children were sacrificing themselves in a similar manner.

There was intense pandemonium. The tree-felling party was badly shakhen. They left forJodhpur with their mission unfulfilled and told the Maharaja about what had happened. Soon as he learnt about it, he ordered the felling of trees to be stopped.
By that time, three hundred and sixty three (363) Bishnois, young and old, men and women, married and unmarried, rich and poor, had already become martyrs.

The place has been afforested by the Forest Department and a memorial has been placed -the epitome of supreme sacrifice that we can only dream and not see or hear nowadays. While coming to the same memorial we could see chitals roam around the villages along with domestic cattle -an unseen picture of co existence . The wild animals treat these bishnoi villages as their own home. and why wont they?