Bengal, Past and Present UGC Care Group I Journal

ISSN:
0005-8807

Vol. 117, Issue: (IV) October – December 2021 41

Bengal, Past and Present UGC Care Group I Journal
ISSN:
0005-8807

Bonbibi Myth: Environmental Concerns in Amitav Ghosh's Narrative

Shahaji Mastud
Assistant Professor, D.A.B. Naik College, Chikhali, Shivaji University, Kolhapur Maharashtra,
India.

Abstract
Amitav Ghosh is a mesmerizing fiction writer who explores with the ecologically
precarious aspect of Indian Territory. He tells the story of modern India through the lens of Eco -
criticism. His fictional world based on real-life events and characters from Indian eco-critical
philosophy. He attempts to re-create a modern India based on environmental ideology. He has
been transformed the Indian Territory into a new fictional world, and the ancient legend has been
retold in a postcolonial atmosphere of India. In this research, I intend to concentrate on an
ecological concept that reinterprets the legend in order to restructure the fresh reality. The second
major goal of this article is to foster a modern sensibility about the great legends and to define
the value of environment. This research will contribute to build a new rational concept based on
changed environmental ideologies. The manuscript has been divided into three sections: the first
introduces the concept of eco-critical thinking, the second examines the Bonbibi legend, and the
third presents the findings of the research.

Keywords: Ecology, Bonbibi, Legend, Environment, Eco-criticism.

Amitav Ghosh is a well-known writer in postcolonial Indian English writing. He is one of
the most sincere academics currently writing about environmental problems. He is widely
regarded as the best practitioner of fiction in English. He has consistently produced excellent
fictional and non-fiction writing which has received widespread acclaim throughout the world.
Because of his growing international fame, he has been the subject of numerous critical works.
That‟s why, his extraordinary virtuosity as a faithful chronicler of the contemporary world has
been recognized by researchers. He has improved our understanding of buried histories and
established himself as a powerful witness to recent historical events. His keen interest in natural
phenomena is particularly noteworthy, as it defines the realities of the Sundarban biosphere. The
human being has put the spices and their natural habitat in jeopardy. His attempt to raise
awareness about the dangers postured by the blind pursuit of progress is insufficient without
long-term environmental development.
In this regard, there are numerous environmental protection and preservation movements
in India. Amrita Devi started a movement to save the tree in Khejarali village in 1930, and 363
people died as a result of the movement. Sundar Lal Bahuguna and Chandi Prasad Bhatt were
also involved in the Chipoko Movement. This social movement raises a lot of awareness in
India's social sphere. Pandurang Hegade's involvement in the Appiko Movement in 1983 was
notable for his efforts to protect tropical forests in the Western Ghats. The Silent Valley
Movement and the Jharkhand Movement both contributed to environmental protection.

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Bengal, Past and Present UGC Care Group I Journal
ISSN:
0005-8807
Furthermore, the Narmada Bachao Andolan draws public attention to the conservation of the
Narmada River with the active participation of socialists Baba Amate and Arundhati Roy, this
movement gains lot of attention. About these movements, the renowned historian Ramchandra
Guha said that, “several prominent environmentalists post-independence were inspired by
Gandhi. For example, the Chipko Movement of the 1970s, about which I wrote a book, was a
non-violent protest against deforestation and its leaders called themselves Gandhians. The
„Narmada Bachao Andolan‟ led by Medha Patkar in the 80s was another such movement.” 1 It is
clear that environment concern was not new phenomena but it was started with M. K. Gandhi
before independence period.
There are some pioneers in India advocated for environmental concerns. It was founded
by Ramon Magsaysay awardee Chandi Prasad Bhatt, who worked for social ecology and
established a foundation for environmental protection with the help of local villagers. He was
influenced by Ghandhian ideology, so he led the Chipko Movement. He has contributed with his
writing in Subaltern Social Ecology and the Central Himalayan Ecosystem. Secondly,
Ramchandra Guha, an Indian historian and environmentalist, established Ghandhi as the
country's first environmentalist. His, Indian Environmentalism's Ideological Trends become the
pioneering manifesto of environmental study in India. Furthermore, Vandana Shiva's
contribution is more radical. She has opposed to the green revolution because it destroys
ecosystem and reduces soil fertility. She coined the term "Biopiracy" to describe corporations
focused on farming and patenting agricultural products. She co-wrote Ecofeminism (1993) with
German radical feminist Maria Mies, and she made a strong connection between women and
ecology. Additionally, Arundhati Roy also opposed to the green revolution because of the
chemicals and pesticides that disrupted the ecological balance. She rebuked the World Bank for
lending money to build dams that wreaked havoc on the environment. She wrote two
groundbreaking environmental books, The Greater Common Good (1999) and Walking with the
Comrades (2011). Besides, Amitav Ghosh takes more initiatives in this series, and both fiction
and non-fiction continue to highlight environmental concerns.
Ghosh‟s Countdown (2010) examines the blind race among the world countries, such as
India and Pakistan, to run their economies and growth in the mad rush to become nuclear
powers. Theirs efforts are groundless because they don‟t realizing the self-destructive nature of
their work. The Great Derangements (2016) as the title suggest, refers to so called progress,
development, and growth as a derangement rather than arrangement. In today‟s world, where
environmental depletion has been pushed to the back burner and the progress narrative have
blinded the world. Further, Jangal Nama (2021) also commemorates Bonbibi legend, the forest
Goddess who seeks the wellbeing of humans. The mythological figure in Sundarban‟s
highlighting the mediaeval life of coexistence of animal, man and visitation world. How, we
have created a logo-centric world in the name of modernism, in which human exploiting the
remaining two. In this sense Sudeep Sen comments that, “His environmental concern is at the
heart of everything. Ghosh is mostly interested in presenting forgotten and untold stories though
colonialism, religion, and identity crisis are major issues in his fictional universe, the discontent
of knowledge and scientific rationality also an important aspect of his fictional work. He
narrates the stories of passed people and bygone times to offer the opportunity to evaluate
historical reality.”2 (p. 10)

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Bengal, Past and Present UGC Care Group I Journal
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Ghosh's narration is associated with exotic stance; many fiction and nonfiction are
infused with the long unforgotten things in colonialism. His keen interest in humans is not
limited, but it extends far beyond the history of human civilization. He is revered in the buried
stories of humans and other universes, including animals and species on Earth. It could be the
scientific history of The Calcutta Chromosome (1995) or the Bonbibi legend from The Hungry
Tides (2004). Ghosh attempts to trace modern man's ancient civilizations in order to educate
people about the primitive culture of coexistence. The intention is not only to shock the reader,
but also to make them aware of the importance of such values and to encourage them to
participate with their minds and bodies in order to preserve them. His attempt is to steer society
in the right direction for the universe's long-term survival. Thus the fictional world of Ghosh
depicts the environmental concerns regarding the problems of ecology.
Bonbibi stories can be found in several texts known as the 'Banbibir Keramati' or the
'Banbibir Jahuranama.' Later, it was written by a Muslim author named Munshi Mohammed
Khater of Govindapur and was published at the end of the nineteenth century. Khater reveals in
his introduction that the legend is not his creation and he merely set it to verses at the request of
the people. It is written in Dobhashi Bangla, a language used in Muslim religious literature that
includes Urdu and Arabic elements. The Sundarban is a large mangrove forest in Bangladesh and
West Bengal. In this area, there are insinuations of the legend of 'Bonbibi.' In Ghosh's narrative,
a large-eyed female figure in a sari is referred as the 'Bonbibi' or 'Bandevi.' He converts into
literature "lady of the forest" as a Sundarbans forest guardian spirit, similar to African Yoruba
culture. Bengal is a densely populated region with Hindus and Muslims, as well as a large
number of spices survives in the forests. Interestingly, their coexistence has been symbolized by
the Goddess Bonbibi, who is revered by both communities in the dense Sundarbans forest.
Additionally, the title 'bibi' is commonly used as a surname by Muslim women; it is a unique
name for a Bengali goddess. Here, Ghosh seeks to illuminate, “how displaced communities must
deal with hostile forces of natural environment and insensitive governments that ignore human
attempts of survival in the name of protecting broader ecological concerns of the planet. Through
the representation of the Sundarbans as an eco-sensitive region, he brings forth the idea that it is
difficult to address the ecological concerns of the planet without a close appraisal of the human
and cultural issues entwined with natural ecosystems.” 3 Amitav Ghosh's narrative provides his
reader with a rare glimpse of strange and exotic as a symbol of peaceful coexistence of all
species on Earth.
Aren't we a part of the environment? We are organic beings composed of the same
molecules as everything else on our planet. We are all part of one interconnected eco-system that
keeps us all alive. But we believe we are unique, special, and superior. Why do we feel so
disconnected from the environment? These are some of the burning questions emerged in the
contemporary society and need to find out some concert solutions. In this regard, Ghosh firmly
says that, “our political, economic, and financial institutions are impotent. They don‟t have the
moral depth or the practical forms to do much. But religions transcend nations and generations,
and they have a moral and spiritual depth that can critique and redirect economistic ways of
being.” 4 Ghosh has suggested solution for environmental crisis in religious narratives. They are
the best option for environmental concerns. The increasing involvement of religious authorities
in the climate fight will undoubtedly aid in the restoration of the environment. Religion teaches
people how to accept limits, and these limits will govern human ambition. Further, Ghosh argues
that, “We don‟t have time to create new activist communities that will be effective. But religious

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communities already exist in international, intergenerational forms. Grounded in an honest
assessment of human limitations and “capable of imagining nonlinear change—catastrophe, in
other words—in ways that are perhaps closed to the forms of reason deployed by contemporary
nation-states,” religious communities may be able “to join hands with popular movements . . . to
move forward on drastically reducing emissions without sacrificing considerations of equity.” 5
The vast ambitions posed a problem for the ecology, which must be managed. The ability of
mythology to spark new conversations and actions among secular and religious
environmentalists is easily communicated for the resurrection of environment.
As a result, Ghosh used the mythology of primitives in his narrative to open up new
avenues for environmental concerns. In Christianity, God's home is among mortals. They will be
his people, and he will live among them. Therefore, God will be present in this universe. Our
main goal isn't to be free of people or places rather we must learn the art of hospitality. It entails
welcoming, nurturing, and releasing others into their full potential so that our presence
contributes to everyone's healing and flourishing. The work is undoubtedly difficult and
challenging. The mythology-related narratives will find their way because our social and
ecological contexts are marked by disease, violence, and injustice. We become suspicious,
cynical, bored, and sick as a result of our environmental distraction. If we do not think about
environmental concerns, we are failing both humanity and the earth. In this respect the myth of
Bonbibi was examined and analyzed to find out better solutions for environmental concerns.
Bonbibi Myth
Myths are occurrences, they are extra ordinary. They can be traced back to prehistoric
and pre-literate times. They are static and dynamic, regional and universal, lavish and holy,
stable and mutable, and fantastic. They are also well-organized, divine yet human, ancient yet
modern. They have survived throughout history and are now an important part of our modern
society. Primitive myths must be demythologized and modernized in order to discover the new
archetypes. The dialectical tension of fidelity to the original is always but the component of
variation is common and accepted in literary studies. The myth has explored to answer the
questions raised by modern society. In other words, interpreting myths initiates a continuous
dialogue between the past and the present, resulting in the formation of a new elemental reality.
New contexts and horizons leads to new interpretations, therefore myths must be reinterpreted
repeatedly in order to express a new truth. Ghosh hopes to find a solution in ancient myths, so
the myth of Bonbibi is very important from the standpoint of environmental concern.
According to legend, Bonbibi is the daughter of Ibrahim, a Mecca-based fakir. Ibrahim
married Golalbibi but his wife Phulbibi was unable to bear a child. However, in order to keep a
promise of his first wife, Ibrahim abandoned the pregnant Golalbibi in a forest. She soon had two
children, whom she named Bonbibi and Shah Jangali. She was unable to raise both children so
the woman abandoned the girl. Fortunately, she grew up after being raised up by a forest deer.
Later, the family was reunited briefly with Bonbibi and her brother travelled to Medina to
consult Fatima a holy woman about their future. After hearing Bonbibi's story, she granted her
the ability to save forest and people whenever they pursued for her assistance. Thus, Bonbibi and
Shah Jangali travelled to India to become lords of the swampland, which was inhabited by a
demon named Dakkhin Rai and his mother, Narayani, who attacked the twins. Bonbibi
summoned Fatima, who rescued her and defeated Dakkhin Rai and Narayani. Bonbibi, on the
other hand, decided to be generous and rule over only half of the land, leaving the rest to the

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demon. Following this, Bonbibi began moving from village to village in order to establish her
rule and save the people and forest.
In Sundarbans death is unpredictable. As a result, Hindus and Muslims alike have
commemorated Bonbibi form ancient times in order to protect themselves from the forest's
dangers. Honey collectors and woodcutters usually summon her before entering the forest to
protect them from tiger attacks. Even today, they come with sweets in an attempt to gain her
protection from tigers and other forest dangers. This is because it is widely assumed that the
demon king Dakkhin Rai appears in the form of a tiger and attacks human. Despite this, it is
important to note that Bonbibi is in danger for a variety of reasons. Many Hindu priests now
refer to and worship the goddess as „Bondebi' rather than „Bonbibi.' Furthermore, Muslims used
to worship the deity because they went into the forest, but many of them are no longer in such
professions. As a result, they no longer visit the temple, as was the case previously. The Bonbibi
is in danger, myth connect all the people to the primitive beliefs. These beliefs are important in
the period of destructive ideology to protect the environment.
The modern urban lifestyle has muffled people's imagination, limiting personal affirmation and
achievement. Humans will never be able to keep their irrational desires under control. They are
lagging behind the arid growth and destroying robust environment. They had lost their empathy
and respect for the environment. Furthermore, society suffers from a lack of accurate knowledge
regarding environmental issues. People simply lack the ability to respond to what is going on
around them due to a lack of imagination, sympathy, and evaluative capacity. The entire
continents and races of people were brutalized to safe commodities and profits. It is capitalism's
immoral effect in terms of urbanization. The urbanization has terrorized lands and peoples under
the label of modern progress. They are hastily scavenging whatever wealth is available and
marginalizing vast population in the process. The vision of the world has imprisoned the modern
man. They lack the capacity to deal with long-term systematic judgments. They are responsible
for the dislocation and suffering of creatures. In this respect, Amitav Ghosh gives warning
“Quite possibly, then, this era, which so congratulates itself on its self-awareness, will come to
be known as the time of the Great Derangement.”6 On the other hand famous environmental
critic Cheryll Glotfelty also makes aware about environmental crisis in her eassy and says that,
“We have reached the age of environmental limits, a time when the consequences of human
actions are damaging the planet‟s basic life support systems. We are there. Either we change our
ways or we face global catastrophe, destroying much beauty and exterminating countless fellow
species in our headlong race to apocalypse.”7 (p.20) As a result, many environmental issues such
as natural disasters, catastrophes, and pandemics have arisen. They are wreaking havoc on
people's lives. Compensation and fund raising will not solve the problems caused by natural
disasters; the only and best medicine is to conserve and protect the environment in a respectful
manner.

Conclusion
The modern worldview is based on economics. It is insane and destructive because it
does not contribute to the environment. There is the urgent need to place a greater emphasis on
value system rather than mere economic development. No doubt, economic development is
necessary, but it must be based on long-term sustainability of environment. The destruction of
environment means the demolition of human civilization. The currency has destroyed both
ecology and communities. Rather than destroying vegetation and disrupting environmental

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balance, a constructive ideology is required to sensitize the people for the preservation of
lifecycle on earth. Furthermore, modern people have freedom, and they have used that freedom
to snatch everything from the earth for their prosperity. Even, modern sensitivity has vanished
from serious and sympathetic environmental consideration. As a result, the individuals must
search his personal legitimacy and self-discovery in relation to environmental concerns. The
government and society must work together to preserve and protect the environment.
Government must define excellent policies and implement them in collaboration with institutes
and peoples. In this regard, human being must rediscover their maternal cord connection with
environment. It is not an easy task for government so we have to work all together to make this
earth as a regained paradise and no doubt paradise is full of natural life.

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2. Sen, Sudeep. “Songs of the Sundarbans.” Open Magazine,
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Ecology. University of Georgia Press, 1996.
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