Nature is found throughout the literature but literature takes the upper hand leaving ecology unnoticed. - Patrick D Murphy
Authors, more than expressing themselves through their works, try to make the readers aware of the political, social, cultural, economic and ecological changes that happen in society. Recklessness and ignorance of mankind have caused a lot to the earth already. Authors and poets are some of the very few souls who express concern and nudge us to notice the subtle changes that happen in the environment. Thus, it becomes quintessential for us to distinguish between literature that beautifies nature and that concerns environmental problems. By doing so, the readers gain ecological literacy thus becoming more eco-conscious and less ego-conscious.
Being home to numerous flora and fauna, various landforms and biodiversity, India is rich not only in its ecology but also in its ecocritical writings. From prehistoric philosophies, India is known for treating nature as a mother. The Sangam Age of olden Tamilnadu was classified based on the landforms - Mullai (forests), Marutham (farmlands), Neithal (ocean), Paalai (deserts) and Kurinji (mountains). Each of these landforms had literature like Purananuru, Aganaanuru, Ettuthogai, Pathupattu and so on which were heavily influenced by ecology. Each region had its respective animals, birds, food, and musical instruments which played a key role in the literature produced.
Even contemporary Indian writings in English have works that intertwine ecology and novels. Authors like Kamala Markandaya, Arunthati Roy, Ruskin Bond and many others in their respective books have spoken of ecocriticism connecting it to different themes and spreading awareness of ecological concerns by having novels as the medium.
To begin, Amitav Ghosh's The Hungry Tide is set in Sunderbans which is prone to storms, famine and floods. The interconnections between animals, environment and humans that antagonistically affect each other are represented - the surviving victims of the Marichjhapi Massacre who escaped to Sunderbans are open to attacks from wild animals or they are killed under the name of ecological protection.
On the other hand, technological progression subtly bringing about changes in humans' lives is weaved in The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. For example, Baby Kochamma giving up her favourite hobby of gardening to watch television while the weeds in her garden are suppressing the once well-grown plants. Roy has delivered the guilt of exploiting nature beyond its regenerative capacity in true essence.
To point out that ecological problems affect humans as adversely as it affects animals, Kamala Markandaya's Nectar In A Sieve is a good example. It is about how starvation is a result of not only nature's punishment but also the unjust choice of society. The establishment of industry and the laws of ownership of lands predominantly leading to farmers' death and starvation is the thought of the protagonist Rukmini, which already is the concern of a larger population in reality.
While on a positive note, Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's novel Pather Panchali is about the story of a poor priest's suffering yet narrates how his children never starved because of the nurturing and generous qualities of nature. But its sequel Aparajito - The Unvanquished brings in the notion of how his son lost himself to urban culture leaving behind nature and his mother who nourished him. This novel points out the significant role culture plays in conserving nature.
While a whole lot of people wonder that saving nature or the planet is all words and no action, Meera Subramanian proves it wrong with her work A River Runs Again. Subramanian's discovery of people who are determined to revive nature by resurrecting a dry river or growing organic food or other efforts is announced to the world through this novel.
Bengaluru had a long history behind its metropolitan present and for this development to happen, nature has played an active role which is researched and published through Nature In The City by Harini Nagendra.
More than anyone, the tribes live in one with nature. However, not many pay heed to them in this fast-paced world. To bring them to our attention, there is Amita Baviskar's novel In The Belly Of The River that enlightens us about the struggle of tribes during the Narmada Valley development. Villagers, though not as much as tribals, are not taken into consideration largely. However, they have done impactful actions and one of them is Chipko Movement which is elaborated in The Unquiet Woods by Ramachandra Guha.
Amish Tripathi's "Oath of Vayuputras", the third book of the Shiva Trilogy series, deals with ecological concerns like the depletion of rivers, disposal of waste, plague and physical deformities. The protagonist Shiva declares war against those who consume the healing drink, Soma. Because the excretion of humans who consumed Soma is let out in water bodies that act as primary water reservoirs for people living in Panchavati. Consuming the polluted water has resulted in physical deformities and the death of infants. Preparation of Soma demanded tons of water so River Saraswati was exploited as well. All these let Shiva conclude destroying Soma for the sake of the descendants and the world. When a mythical yet powerful character Shiva is shown to be emphasizing the welfare of nature, it sure strikes the readers about its importance.
Novels, just like songs and movies, are just another medium of communication for one to express. As stated above, various authors across periods have captured ecology in its different faces to fit into their narratives. Ecology or its components, in any narrative, play a positive or negative role or as a part of settings or sometimes even as a character that takes the plot forward. Be it a vibrant rainbow or a catastrophic tsunami, the dialogues associated with it are presented with aesthetics. This inclusivity of ecology in literature has led to Ecocriticism, which has evolved positing its significance across disciplines. It is human qualities like negligence and dominance that have created environmental problems while again it is human qualities like creativity and concern that led to the advent of Ecocriticism, Ecomysticism, Ecofeminism and subsequent divisions.
References
Choudhary, Deepti. “Environmental Issues in Indian English Fiction.” Environmental Issues in Indian English Fiction - Ignited Minds Journals, May 2019, www.ignited.in/I/a/221719.
Garg, Aayushee. “An Ecocritical Study of Select Stories by Ruskin Bond.” International Journal of English Language, Literature in Humanities, 23 Sept. 2021, www.academia.edu/53258759/An_Ecocritical_Study_of_Select_Stories_by_Ruskin_Bond.
Mishra, Dr. Sandip. “Ecocriticism in Indian Writing.” Academia.edu, 6 Feb. 2016, www.academia.edu/21625425/Ecocriticism_in_Indian_Writing.
Murphy, Patrick D. “INTRODUCTION.” Hispanic Journal, vol. 19, no. 2, 1998, pp. 203–208. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/44284563.
Subramaniam , Meera. “A River Runs Again.” PublicAffairs, PublicAffairs, 25 Oct. 2022, www.publicaffairsbooks.com/titles/meera-subramanian/a-river-runs-again/9781610395311/#:~:text=In%20this%20lyrical%20exploration%20of,dry%3B%20cook%20stove%20designers%20persist.