Buddhism & Environmentalism: How North East India’s monastic communities are championing green initiatives

The community has been re-greening parts of the land that had been denuded by illegal logging, planting more than 20,000 saplings gifted by the Forest Department. They have also established a biodiversity park, hosting an assortment of orchids and indigenous trees.

The Buddhist monastic communities in North East India have long been known for their serene tranquillity and spiritual teachings. But recently, these communities have emerged as leaders in environmental stewardship, combining their religious ethos with a profound sense of responsibility towards the natural world. A shining example is the Buddhist community of Chalapathar Shyamgaon, a village in eastern Assam. Prompted by the near extinction of the bhungloti creeper, a native plant traditionally used to give Buddhist monastic robes their iconic saffron hue, this community took the bold step of adopting the nearby forest as the Chala Village Sanctuary.

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