Women Tie Rakhis to Sal Trees in Chakulia, Pledge to Protect the Forest

Raksha Bandhan in Chakulia took on a unique environmental meaning this year as hundreds of tribal women gathered in the Sunsunia forest to tie rakhis to sal trees and pledge to protect them from illegal felling.

While the festival is traditionally associated with the bond between brothers and sisters, the women used the occasion to highlight their close relationship with nature. Dressed in traditional attire, they reached the forest and treated the trees as members of their extended family.

The programme was organised under the leadership of Padma Shri awardee Jamuna Tudu, who has been associated with forest protection efforts for years. The event began with the women offering prayers and performing an aarti for the trees. They then tied rakhis around the sal trees and took a collective pledge to protect the forest and its natural resources.

Chakulia police station in-charge Rajesh Kumar also attended the programme and tied a rakhi to a tree, joining the women in conveying a message of environmental conservation. The participants pledged to protect not only the forest but also the wildlife that depends on it.

The forest echoed with the beats of traditional mandar drums during the celebration, as the women performed a collective dance and raised awareness about the importance of protecting forests. The traditional festivities added a cultural dimension to the environmental campaign.

Jamuna Tudu said the trees are not merely a part of the natural environment for the local community but are regarded as members of the family. She said she has been celebrating Raksha Bandhan by considering trees as brothers for many years.

She pointed out that forests are under increasing pressure and environmental challenges are growing. In such circumstances, she said, protecting trees and forests cannot be left to individuals or forest departments alone and must become a shared responsibility of the entire community.

The Raksha Bandhan celebration at Sunsunia thus turned a familiar festival tradition into a powerful message of conservation — reminding people that protecting nature is also a way of protecting the future generations who depend on it.
 

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