Padma Shri Jamuna Tudu Leads Unique Forest-Protection Ritual in Sunsunia
Key Points:
- Hundreds of tribal women tie rakhis on Sal trees in Chakulia forest
- Padma Shri Jamuna Tudu leads the unusual conservation ritual
- Chakulia police officer joins pledge to protect wildlife and trees
CHAKULIA – Hundreds of tribal women gathered in the Sunsunia forest near Chakulia on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan to send out a message of nature conservation.
Dressed in traditional attire, the women walked into the forest and tied rakhis around the trunks of Sal trees. They pledged to protect the trees, treating them as their brothers. The event was led by Padma Shri awardee Jamuna Tudu, who is popularly known as “Lady Tarzan” for her long-running forest-protection efforts.
The program opened with the women performing puja and aarti of the trees. They then tied the sacred thread around the trunks, symbolically making the trees their brothers for the festival. Chakulia police station in-charge Rajesh Kumar attended the event as chief guest. He also tied a rakhi on a tree and, in doing so, added his voice to the appeal for environmental protection.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere inside the forest turned festive as the celebrations continued. Women performed a collective dance to the beats of the mandar and dhamsa, traditional percussion instruments. Through the dance, they expressed their reverence for nature.
Besides the rituals, those present at the event took a pledge to protect forests and wildlife. They also resolved to stop illegal tree felling and to play an active role in conserving the environment going forward.
Jamuna Tudu said she considers trees to be her brothers and has celebrated Raksha Bandhan in the forest with this belief for years. “Every person has a duty to come forward and protect the trees and forests,” she said, pointing to the rapid shrinking of forest cover and the mounting environmental challenges facing the region. She appealed to people to plant more trees and to contribute to the conservation of forest wealth.
The district falls under East Singhbhum, of which Jamshedpur is the headquarters, and the Chakulia forest belt has for years been a focal point of Tudu’s grassroots conservation work. Her efforts have earlier drawn comparisons with other community initiatives in the district, including the recent wildlife conservation pledge taken at a city zoological park.
Chakulia, which lies close to the Odisha border, is also known for other community gatherings, including the annual Chakulia football tournament that draws large crowds. Tribal cultural traditions in the wider district have also been in focus recently, with a workshop on the region’s vanishing folk arts held in Jamshedpur.
However, the Chakulia event was distinct in tying the Raksha Bandhan festival directly to environmental activism rather than purely cultural celebration. Similar Sawan-season gatherings of women have also been held elsewhere in the district this month, including a women’s festival in Sakchi and a Sawan Mahotsav at Baridih park.
Moreover, women’s groups across the district organized a series of Sawan-related events this year, including a women’s gathering that drew over 250 participants. Organizers of the Chakulia event said the Raksha Bandhan ritual has, over the years, become an annual fixture aimed at renewing public commitment to protecting the region’s forests and wildlife.
