The government of Punjab is hellbent on destroying the Mattewara Forest on the banks of the river Sutlej, near Ludhiana. Despite protests by the poor inhabitants, residing in the area for decades and spirited protestations by environmentalists and activists, the land acquisition arm of the Punjab government -PUDA -Punjab Urban Development Authority is bulldozing dissent, protest, flourishing fields, forests and home and hearth of the poor inhabitants to pass on the land to big business houses and industrialists. Author-mentor Harpreet Kaur Ahluwalia delves deep into Gurbani to demonstrate that life has to be a holistic whole with Nature and human beings have no choice but to live with all creations of the Creator.

GURU NANAK’S SIKHI IS A WAY OF LIFE. It encompasses eternal truth revealed to Guru Sahib by the God Almighty and thus includes all aspects of living. It is no wonder that Sikh activists are up in arms against the destruction of the Mattewara forests, on whose banks, Guru Sahibs created a bio-diverse ecology to themselves demonstrate the significance of living in tune with Nature.

The seventh Master -Guru Har Rai Sahib developed Kiratpur Sahib as a town of parks and gardens with a tributary of Sutlej flowing alongside it. He planted flowers and fruit-bearing trees and created biodiversity and ecological abundance in the area.

The founders of the Sikh faith -the Gurus were pioneers of incorporating the call for environmental protection by mentioning it in Guru Granth Sahib. The Gurus emphasized the importance of trees and their usefulness like the bohar, karir, jand, pipli, reru, tahle, imli, amb, nimm, ritha, ber, phalahi, etc. Some of these trees even find importance in Sikh shrines like the Ber at Harmandir Sahib and Sultanpur Lodhi, Reru Sahib named after Reru tree.

From the word go -from the verses in the first Bani -Jap Nissan itself, Guru Nanak Sahib sets the ball rolling by emphasizing that Nature is a wholesome creation of God. He says,

ਕਵਣਿ ਸਿ ਰੁਤੀ ਮਾਹੁ ਕਵਣੁ ਜਿਤੁ ਹੋਆ ਆਕਾਰੁ ॥
ਵੇਲ ਨ ਪਾਈਆ ਪੰਡਤੀ ਜਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਲੇਖੁ ਪੁਰਾਣੁ ॥
ਵਖਤੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਓ ਕਾਦੀਆ ਜਿ ਲਿਖਨਿ ਲੇਖੁ ਕੁਰਾਣੁ ॥
ਥਿਤਿ ਵਾਰੁ ਨਾ ਜੋਗੀ ਜਾਣੈ ਰੁਤਿ ਮਾਹੁ ਨਾ ਕੋਈ ॥
ਜਾ ਕਰਤਾ ਸਿਰਠੀ ਕਉ ਸਾਜੇ ਆਪੇ ਜਾਣੈ ਸੋਈ ॥
ਜਪੁ, ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ : ਅੰਗ ੪

What was that season, and what was that month, when the Universe was created?
The Pandits, the religious scholars, cannot find that time, even if it is written in the Puranas.
That time is not known to the Qazis, who study the Koran.
The day and the date are not known to the Yogis, nor is the month or the season.
The Creator who created this creation-only He Himself knows.
Guru Granth Sahib, Jap, Ang 4,

To those inquisitive to know how and when it happened, Guru Sahib elaborated,

ਖਾਕ ਨੂਰ ਕਰਦੰ ਆਲਮ ਦੁਨੀਆਇ ॥
ਅਸਮਾਨ ਜਿਮੀ ਦਰਖਤ ਆਬ ਪੈਦਾਇਸਿ ਖੁਦਾਇ ॥੧॥
ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ : ਅੰਗ ੭੨੩

The Lord infused His Light into the dust, and created the world, the universe.
The sky, the earth, the trees, and the water – all are the Creation of the Lord. ||1|| Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 723

Sikhism talks about the oneness of humanity and creation. Humans are supposed to be custodians of the creator’s creations and one of the purposes of human life is to protect the environment and understand that we as individuals are responsible for our actions.

On page 4, Guru Granth Sahib reiterates that ‘as you sow so shall you reap.’ If we consciously or unconsciously damage the ecological balance we are sowing seeds of our own destruction. Guru Nanak says,

ਸਾਚੇ ਤੇ ਪਵਨਾ ਭਇਆ ਪਵਨੈ ਤੇ ਜਲੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਜਲ ਤੇ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣੁ ਸਾਜਿਆ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਮੋਇ ॥
ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ ਮਃ ੧, ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ, ਅੰਗ ੧੯

From the True Lord came the air, and from the air came water.
From the water, He created the three worlds; in each and every heart He has infused His Light.
Sri Raag Mohalla 1, Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 19

On page 19, Guru Granth Sahib says that air originated from the true Lord, the water from the air and in turn, the water originated the entire universe and in each being the Lord’s light is enthused. Further, on page 8, it emphasizes, ‘air is the Guru, water is the father, and earth is the great mother of all. Day and night are the two nurses, in whose lap all the world is at play.’ So, if we harm any of these, we harm the Lord and thereby myself.’

Every part of nature -trees, flora and fauna, birds, water, et al are all equally necessary for composite living. Guru Nanak Sahib took this to a new height by equating each part of nature with God -the Creator.

ਪਵਣੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਪਾਣੀ ਪਿਤਾ ਮਾਤਾ ਧਰਤਿ ਮਹਤੁ ॥
ਦਿਵਸੁ ਰਾਤਿ ਦੁਇ ਦਾਈ ਦਾਇਆ ਖੇਲੈ ਸਗਲ ਜਗਤੁ ॥
ਚੰਗਿਆਈਆ ਬੁਰਿਆਈਆ ਵਾਚੈ ਧਰਮੁ ਹਦੂਰਿ ॥
ਕਰਮੀ ਆਪੋ ਆਪਣੀ ਕੇ ਨੇੜੈ ਕੇ ਦੂਰਿ ॥
ਜਿਨੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਗਏ ਮਸਕਤਿ ਘਾਲਿ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਤੇ ਮੁਖ ਉਜਲੇ ਕੇਤੀ ਛੁਟੀ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥
ਜਪੁ, ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ, ਅੰਗ ੮

Air is the Guru, Water is the Father, and Earth is the Great Mother of all.
Day and night are the two nurses, in whose lap all the world is at play.
Good deeds and the bad deeds-the record is read out in the Presence of the Lord of Dharma.
According to their own actions, some are drawn closer, and some are driven farther away.
Those who have meditated on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and departed after having worked
by the sweat of their brows
O Nanak, their faces are radiant in the Court of the Lord, and many are saved along with them! ||1||
Jap, Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 8

Guru Nanak saw no difference between the creator and the creation. Who is who in life, has been classically explained,

ਆਪੇ ਭਵਰੁ ਫੁਲੁ ਫਲੁ ਤਰਵਰੁ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਜਲੁ ਥਲੁ ਸਾਗਰੁ ਸਰਵਰੁ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਮਛੁ ਕਛੁ ਕਰਣੀਕਰੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਰੂਪੁ ਨ ਲਖਣਾ ਜਾਈ ਹੇ ॥੬॥

ਮਾਰੂ ਸੋਲਹੇ, ਮਃ ੧, ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ, ਅੰਗ ੧੦੨੦

You Yourself are the bumble bee, the flower, the fruit and the tree.
You Yourself are the water, the desert, the ocean and the pool.
You Yourself are the great fish, the tortoise, the Cause of causes; Your form cannot be known. ||6||
Raag Maaroo Mohalla 1, Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 1020

On page 13, in the Aarti, Guru Granth Sahib poetically describes the relationship between nature and God. It talks about the greatness of nature, the stars, moon, sun and the air.

ਗਗਨ ਮੈ ਥਾਲੁ ਰਵਿ ਚੰਦੁ ਦੀਪਕ ਬਨੇ ਤਾਰਿਕਾ ਮੰਡਲ ਜਨਕ ਮੋਤੀ
ਧੂਪੁ ਮਲਆਨਲੋ ਪਵਣੁ ਚਵਰੋ ਕਰੇ ਸਗਲ ਬਨਰਾਇ ਫੂਲੰਤ ਜੋਤੀ ॥੧॥
ਕੈਸੀ ਆਰਤੀ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਭਵ ਖੰਡਨਾ ਤੇਰੀ ਆਰਤੀ ॥
ਅਨਹਤਾ ਸਬਦ ਵਾਜੰਤ ਭੇਰੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਸਹਸ ਤਵ ਨੈਨ ਨਨ ਨੈਨ ਹਹਿ ਤੋਹਿ ਕਉ ਸਹਸ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਨਨਾ ਏਕ ਤਦ਼ਹੀ ॥
ਸਹਸ ਪਦ ਬਿਮਲ ਨਨ ਏਕ ਪਦ ਗੰਧ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਹਸ ਤਵ ਗੰਧ ਇਵ ਚਲਤ ਮੋਹੀ ॥੨॥
ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਹੈ ਸੋਇ ॥
ਤਿਸ ਦੈ ਚਾਨਣਿ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਸਾਖੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਪਰਗਟੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਜੋ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੁ ਆਰਤੀ ਹੋਇ ॥੩॥

Upon that cosmic plate of the sky, the sun and the moon are the lamps. The stars and their orbs are the studded pearls.
The fragrance of sandalwood in the air is the temple incense, and the wind is the fan. All the plants of the world are the altar flowers in offering to You, O Luminous Lord. ||1||
What a beautiful Aartee, lamp-lit worship service this is! O Destroyer of Fear, this is Your Ceremony of Light.
The Unstruck Sound-current of the Shabad is the vibration of the temple drums. ||1||Pause||
You have thousands of eyes, and yet You have no eyes. You have thousands of forms, and yet You do not have even one.
You have thousands of Lotus Feet, and yet You do not have even one foot. You have no nose, but you have thousands of noses. This Play of Yours entrances me. ||2||
Amongst all is the Light-You are that Light.
By this Illumination, that Light is radiant within all.
Through the Guru’s Teachings, the Light shines forth.
That which is pleasing to Him is the lamp-lit worship service. ||3||
Aarti, Guru Granthi Sahib, Ang 13

The Gurus lived by example and their love and respect for nature were clearly visible. Guru Nanak always sat under a tree and took inspiration from nature. The Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh is legendary as ‘the True Lord one with the falcon.’ He talked about applying moderation to everything in life including the use of earth resources for the benefit of all. Sikhism lives by ‘Sarbat da Bhala -welfare for all.” Welfare for all includes the welfare and wellbeing of all creations of the Creator.

The Sikh Gurus taught people to be completely selfless and consider themselves as custodians of planet earth. Guru Nanak said,

ਪਹਿਲਾ ਪਾਣੀ ਜੀਉ ਹੈ ਜਿਤੁ ਹਰਿਆ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਇ ॥
First, there is life in the water, by which everything else is made green.

There are living beings in water and if the water gets affected, these living beings will die and it will thereby affect the quality of water. According to him, even stones have living insects and God takes care and feeds them as well.

So, what went wrong to create so much ecological damage, global warming, increase in pollution, and concern about having a non-sustainable biosystem. The environmental crisis has been caused by us and our greed, by overexploitation of nature and its resources, destruction of forests and overuse of land for grazing and agricultural use. Clearly, Guru Sahib would not endorse the destruction of the Mattewara forests and their related ecology.

Personally, I feel that the Sikh community, in its wisdom, may add in the ever-evolving Ardas -supplication to God and Guru, a sentence about commitment to saving the environment around oneself and the world at large.

All around us, we see that we have contaminated air, water and soil in the name of modernization and development. All the waste generated is non-biodegradable, non-reusable and is only expediting the extinction of all living species.

The Sikh community has always had an inherent ecological mindset. Seva or service for the community and Hukum has been the driving force always. The Gurupurb of Guru Har Rai Sahib has been recognized as Sikh Environment Day and it encourages Sikhs worldwide to participate in environmental awareness drives.

In 2009, Jathedar Gurbachan Singh -head of Akal Takht Sahib, made a public statement saying that caring for the environment is the ‘moral and religious duty of a Sikh.’ This was a welcome declaration of Going Green.
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Efforts for cleaning Kali Bein (rivulet that runs through Sultanpur) were taken up through Kar Seva under the guidance of Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal. He also created a green belt along the river and mobilized awareness of environmental protection among the masses.

Efforts for cleaning Kali Bein (rivulet that runs through Sultanpur) were taken up through Kar Seva under the guidance of Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal. He also created a green belt along the river and mobilized awareness of environmental protection among the masses.

It is a significant development that Amritsar and Nanded are part of the global green pilgrimage network of pilgrim cities.

But is this enough? There is a crying need to create a plan and a platform for dissemination of environment-related knowledge among the Sikh community in India and abroad and develop environmental activism. We need to encourage all Sikhs to support the environmental awareness program, especially which talks about recycling, working with clean renewable energy supplies and locally grown food resources.

Personally, I feel that the Sikh community, in its wisdom, may add in the ever-evolving Ardas -supplication to God and Guru, a sentence about commitment to saving the environment around oneself and the world at large.

It is a significant development that Amritsar and Nanded are part of the global green pilgrimage network of pilgrim cities.

Along with this on an individual level -we need to plant trees as much as possible to give food and oxygen to the world. We have to boldly say no to chemical fertilizers and pesticides in farming and gardening. Reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible to lessen the burden on landfills and decrease pollution. Grow local and buy local food to reduce the carbon imprint.

It is already too late to create a good water harvesting system for rainwater, garden water and greywater to improve the depleting water table. Convert the wet kitchen waste to fertilizer and help create healthy soil. Provide food and shelter to birds, butterflies, bees -hang bird feeders, birdbaths, plant native flowering plants to help in the pollination process.

Let us unitedly say no to plastic and other non-biodegradable material and say yes to terracotta.

Let us unitedly say no to plastic and other non-biodegradable material and say yes to terracotta. Reversing biodiversity loss is the only way to sustain a healthy planet and the lives it supports. It’s time to recreate our relationship with nature and put nature at the forefront of our decision making.

I have no hesitation in thinking that our Gurus would have done the same as their plans and actions were always in the Now. You and only you can take this call.

As Mattewara forests are on the verge of annihilation, we need to give a call to stand up and introspect, “Are we in tandem with nature?”