Interdependence Origination- Reimagining Spaces, Species and societies In The Himalayas

 I became aware of how closely people are related to other creatures and the natural world after learning about multispecies studies from both Buddhist and indigenous viewpoints. I thought it was fascinating that Buddhist beliefs and practices have long recognized multispecies interactions, even though the idea is frequently ascribed as a Western academic concept. The concept of La Dham or Ri-Dham, for instance, where specific regions are off-limits because of the presence of deities or spiritual energy, demonstrates a profound regard for sacred landscapes and non-human life. These prohibitions and limitations are measures to preserve peace between people and the environment, not merely religious precepts. The fact that animals like tigers are today exploited for financial gain after once being revered as spiritual beings struck me as profound. This demonstrates how capitalism has changed our perception of other animals, turning them from revered companions to consumer commodities.

I became more conscious of how, despite their best intentions, contemporary conservation initiatives can occasionally hurt indigenous populations by disregarding their local knowledge as a result of this thinking. High-altitude pastoralism, for instance, has been curtailed by the state's environmental regulations in the Himalayas, despite the fact that it was a sustainable practice based on years of firsthand knowledge. It is disheartening to observe that, in the name of "progress," we frequently destroy these connections and cut off people from the land they have revered and shared with for generations. I now think that indigenous wisdom and a multispecies viewpoint are essential to any genuine attempt to address environmental issues because they provide a more morally and equitably balanced way of life on Earth.