This Himalayan Village Is Saving Local Ecology by Modifying Its Funeral Customs
"For household needs and firewood, we simply collect the stems of those trees which have fallen naturally or have rotted over time"
After the United States pulled out of the Paris Accord, more than 180 US cities came together to let the world know that they would still adopt the accord, despite their nation’s departure. They have shown that when it comes to saving our planet, no action is too small or negligible. In similar vein, this small Himalayan village does not burn their dead so as to not damage the mountain ecology.
Dronagiri, a village in Uttarakhand, is entirely comprised of Hindus. However, all the 65 families in the village bury their dead so as to not affect the trees that grow in the area, at 12,000 feet, reports TOI.
They are especially concerned about the Himalayan Birch (Bhojpatra), leaves of which were used as paper for writing.
They also avoid felling trees.
“For household needs and firewood, we simply collect the stems of those trees that have fallen naturally or have rotted over time,” said Deepa Rawat, pradhan of Dronagiri, to TOI.
The village has always been known for being incredibly sensitive to ecological concerns. Incidentally, this village seems to have not forgiven Hanuman and do not worship him, for damaging the mountain on which the mythical herb Sanjivani is thought to have grown.
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Environmentalist Anil Joshi, was all praise for the villagers. He said, “The villagers can teach all of us how to protect the environment. Burial is more eco-friendly than burning because there is no carbon emission.”
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