The Chipko movement , a grassroots environmental movement that originated in the Indian Himalayas in the 1970s, holds a profound historical significance. This article delves into the origins and explores the deeper meaning behind this iconic movement that embraced tree-hugging as a form of protest against deforestation and the exploitation of natural resources. — Five decades ago, women from the Himalayan villages of Reni and Mandal in India used their bodies to shield trees from loggers in ... Beginning in Uttar Pradesh's Chamoli region (currently Uttarakhand) in 1973, the uprising against the felling of trees and maintaining the natural balance quickly spread to other states in north India. Opposed to commercial logging and the government's policies on deforestation, protesters in the 1970s engaged in tree hugging, wrapping their arms around trees so that they could not be felled. [1] Today, beyond its eco-socialist reputation, the movement is seen increasingly as an ecofeminist one. Biography The Chipko Movement is a non-violent resistance movement aiming to protect India’s forests. When government-controlled exploitation of natural resources started to threaten the livelihoods of Indian villagers, the movement sought to stop the destruction using Mahatma Gandhi’s method of Satyagraha or non-violent resistance. The movement , which got its name from protesters hugging trees (the Hindi word “ chipko ” means “to hug”), has had a tremendous impact on India’s ...
