Amrita Devi | |
---|---|
Born | Khejarli, Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, India |
Died | 1730 Khejarli, Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, India |
Nationality | Indian |
Occupation(s) | Environmentalist, Martyr |
Known for | Khejarli massacre, Environmental conservation |
Children | Asu, Ratni, Bhagu (daughters) |
Awards | Amrita Devi Bishnoi National Award(posthumously named after her) |
Amrita Devi Beniwal [1] [2] was an environmentalist and martyr from the Bishnoi community of Khejarli, Jodhpur district, Rajasthan, India. She is known for her role in the conservation of the Khejri trees (Prosopis cineraria), which are considered sacred by the Bishnoi community. She was killed, along with her three daughters, in the Khejarli massacre, after protesting the felling of trees by Maharaja Abhay Singh of Marwar. [3] [4] [5]
In 1730, the then Maharaja of Jodhpur, Abhay Singh, ordered the felling of Khejri trees to burn lime for the construction of his new palace. Amrita Devi opposed the cutting of the trees, which were vital to the Bishnoi faith. She famously stated that she would give away her life to save the trees. According to legend, Devi put her arms around the trunk of a tree to prevent it from being felled; in response, the king's men decapitated her. [6] In the subsequent Khejarli massacre, Devi's three daughters, Asu, Ratni and Bhagu, and 363 other Bishnois were killed while protecting the trees. [3] [7] [8]
Her act of bravery is commemorated by the Bishnoi community every year, and inspired the Chipko movement in the 1970s. [8]
The Government of India instituted the Amrita Devi Bishnoi National Award for individuals or communities from rural areas that have shown extraordinary courage and dedication in protecting wildlife. [9] [10]
In 2023, the Rajasthan Animal Welfare Board adopted a new name in reference to Amrita Devi. [11]
Jodhpur is the second-largest city of the north-western Indian state of Rajasthan after its capital Jaipur. As of 2011, the city has a population of 1.03 million. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Jodhpur district and Jodhpur division. It is historic capital of the Kingdom of Marwar, founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha, a Rajput chief of the Rathore clan. On 11 Aug, 1947 four days prior to the Indian independence, Maharaja Hanwant Singh, the last ruler of Jodhpur state signed the Instrument of Accession and merged his state in Union of India. On March 30, 1949, it became part of the newly formed state of Rajasthan, which was created after merging the states of the erstwhile Rajputana Agency.
Mehrangarh is a historic fort located in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. It stands on a hilltop, rising about 122 m (400 ft) above the surrounding plains, and the complex spans 1,200 acres. It was initially built around 1459 by the Rajput ruler of Rathore clan Rao Jodha, though most of the existing structure is from the 17th century built by his successors. The fort has seven gates, which includes main entrance Jai Pol, built by Maharaja Man Singh to commemorate his victories over the Jaipur and Bikaner armies in 1806. The Fattehpol, commemorates victory of Maharaja Ajit Singh over the Mughals.
Nagaur is a city and municipal council in Nagaur district of the state of Rajasthan in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Nagaur District. The Nagaur city lies about midway between Jodhpur and Bikaner.
Nathuram Mirdha was an Indian politician, freedom fighter, social reformer and popular farmer leader from Marwar region in Rajasthan. He was elected as member of Lok Sabha for six terms between 1971 to 1997 from Nagaur. He served as member of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. He was a popular face of Jat Politics in Rajasthan. He is also Known as Gandhi of Rajasthan. He served in the Union Council of Ministers in 1979-80 and 1989–90. He was Chairman of Maharaja Suraj Mal Institute, New Delhi for ten years.
Marwar is a region of western Rajasthan state in North Western India. It lies partly in the Thar Desert. The word 'maru' is Sanskrit for desert. In Rajasthani languages, "wad" means a protected area. English translation of the word 'marwar' is the region protected by desert.
The Bishnoi Panth, also spelled as Vishnoi Panth, is a Hindu Vaishnava Sampradaya or Panth found in the Western Thar Desert and northern states of India. It has a set of 29 Niyamas (principles/commandments) given by Guru Jambheshwar (1451–1536). As of 2010, there are an estimated 600,000 followers of Bishnoi Panth residing in north and central India. Shree Guru Jambheshwar founded the sect at Samrathal Dhora in 1485 and his teachings, comprising 120 shabads, are known as Shabadwani. He preached for the next 51 years, travelling across India. The preaching of Guru Jambhoji inspires his followers as well as environmental protectors. The Bishnoi sect admitted members from a variety of communities including Jats, Banias, Charans, Rajputs, and Brahmins.
Guru Jambheshwar, also known as Guru Jambhoji, (1451–1536) was the founder of the Bishnoi Panth, a Hindu subsect of Vaishnavism.
Khejarli or Khejadli is a village in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, India, 26 kilometres (16 mi) south-east of the city of Jodhpur. The name of the town is derived from the khejri trees that were once abundant in the village.
Parasram Maderna was an Indian politician who was a nine-time Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Rajasthan between 1957 and 2003. He was the Speaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2004 and a three-time Leader of the Opposition in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. A senior Jat leader, he served as a Cabinet Minister in the Rajasthan government for several portfolios. He also served as the President of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee from 1989 to 1994. He was an MLA from the Bhopalgarh constituency six times, which included four consecutive terms from 1967 to 1985. He also served as MLA twice from the Osian constituency and once from the Gudamalani constituency.
Jodhpur District is a district in the State of Rajasthan in western India. The city of Jodhpur is the administrative headquarters of the district.
Although India is a parliamentary democracy, the country's politics has become dynastic or with high level of nepotism, possibly due to the absence of party organizations, independent civil-society associations which mobilize support for a party, or centralized financing of elections. The dynastic phenomenon is present at the national, state, regional, and district level. The Nehru–Gandhi family has produced three Indian prime ministers, and family members have largely led the Congress party since 1978. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also has several dynastic leaders. In addition to the major national parties, other national and regional parties such as Shiromani Akali Dal, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Janata Dal Secular, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Kerala Congress, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, Indian Union Muslim League, AIMIM, and the Nationalist Congress Party are all dominated by families, mostly those of the party founders.
This is the alphabetical categorised list of statewide, regional and local political families involved in the politics and various elections of Rajasthan state of India at state and National level.
Kingdom of Marwar, also known as the Jodhpur State under the British, was a kingdom in the Marwar region from 1243 to 1818 and a princely state under British rule from 1818 to 1947. It was established in Pali by Rao Siha, possibly a migrant Gahadavala noble, in 1243. His successors continued to struggle against regional powers for domination and 9 out of 15 rulers till 1438 died in combat. In 1395, its capital was changed to Mandore by Rao Chunda of Mandore and to Jodhpur in 1459 by Rao Jodha.
Rajasthani people or Rajasthanis are a group of Indo-Aryan peoples native to Rajasthan, a state in Northern India. Their language, Rajasthani, is a part of the western group of Indo-Aryan languages.
KavirajaBankidas Ashiya (1771–1833) was a Rajasthani poet, warrior and scholar. He was born in a Charan family of Ashiya lineage in what is now the Indian state of Rajasthan.
Prosopis cineraria, also known as ghaf, is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae. It is native to arid portions of Western Asia and the Indian Subcontinent, including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, India, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Its leaves are bipinnate. It can survive extreme drought. It is an established introduced species in parts of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia.
Bhanwari Devi was a 36-year-old auxiliary nurse midwife.
Abhai Singh Rathore was an 18th-century Indian Raja of the Kingdom of Marwar (Jodhpur).
The Khejarli massacre occurred in September 1730 in Northern India, when 363 Bishnois were killed while trying to peacefully protect a grove of Khejri trees. The soldiers were sent by the Maharaja of Marwar, Abhai Singh to cut the trees in the village of Khejarli to provide wood for a new palace. The killings were carried out on the orders of his minister Giridhar Bhandari. The effort had a long term impact on environmental advocacy, and the massacre later became known as a precursor to the 20th century Chipko movement. Due to the sacrifice of the protesters, the ruler took back his earlier order of felling trees.
The Amrita Devi Bishnoi Wildlife Protection Award is a national award instituted by the government of India for wildlife conservation. The award is in the remembrance of Amrita Devi Beniwal, who was killed in the 1730 Khejarli massacre while trying to protect a grove of Khejri trees in Khejarli, Rajasthan.