Vedic ecology is generating a lot of excitement at the ongoing Conference of Parties (CoP-11) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. A group of activists is popularising the concept among delegates, many of whom were seen collecting details about Vedic ecology, which is being projected as a natural science revolving around the five elements of nature and ancient yagna and puja rituals.
Dr B. Lakshmi, who is leading the Vedic ecology promotion group, said that though the concept is not new to India, it is becoming popular of late. “It is the ancient doctrine of protecting nature through a set of principles espoused in the Vedas. Ecology is interconnected to several disciplines of biology as it has a profound relation with human life and environment. Similarly, Vedic ecology evinces an intimate relationship to a mode of life and religion,” Dr Lakshmi said. She added that eminent Austrian scientist Erwin Schrödinger had shown that the continual work of pumping out disorder was necessary if one wished to maintain internal order. This is the concept that was followed by people thousands of years ago by performing yagnas.
“Our belief in the existence of Asthadikpalakas is based on Vedic ecology. Asthadikpalakas are the eight deities ruling the eight quarters of the universe, whose attributes and actions can be correlated with the bio-geo-chemical cycles. After the puja, people immerse the idol along with the leaves and flowers in a lake. The fungi developed on plants are useful in the recycling of minerals, especially phosphate. The phosphates play a major role in life energy cycle,” she said. “The leafy matter, which falls in the water during idol immersions, plays a key role in enriching the water with nutrients and eutrophication. Plant leaves create nutrients in water and help develop the positive nature of water. Our ancestors knew this and, thus, they began the tradition of putting leaves into water during festivals,” Dr Lakshmi noted.