The Indian Myth and Environmental Consciousness, What has it to do with sustainable ecologies?

A talk by Prof. Dr. Molly Kaushal
(Director, Centre for Heritage Management, Ahmedabad University)

The talk will explore the integral vision of Nature lying at the base of India’s mythopoeic consciousness and articulated through a range of myths and ecological narratives available in textual and oral sources spread across diverse communities of India. Some of these myths and narratives are more common and well-known. They have percolated down generations permeating the Indian psyche and orienting our experiencing of nature at a very personal and intimate level. Apart from well known myths of Ganga Avataran, Kaliya Daman, Govardhan Leela, the tribal communities have a range of myths that may have a limited geographic spread but have played a crucial role in the formation of ecological consciousness and preservation of environmental resources. After discussing several narratives from diverse sources and different communities the talk shifts focus to specific initiatives in the field of ecological regeneration using the power of the myth.

Date: 13 October, 2023 (Friday)
Time: 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm (Tea will be served at 5:30 pm)

Venue: Lecture Hall, L D Museum

For Ages: 18 and above

For registration, please contact:

Call: 079-26306883 | WhatsApp: +91-9408536883

About the Speaker

Molly Kaushal is former Professor and Head, Janapada Sampada Division at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi (IGNCA). She is a folklorist by training and obtained her PhD from Moscow State University, Moscow, in Russian and Indian Folklore. Before joining Ahmedabad University, she was the Mission Director for the National Mission on Cultural Mapping, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, housed at the IGNCA.

Professor Kaushal has a rich and varied experience in the field of research, documentation, and safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage of diverse communities of India. During her career span of more than 30 years, she initiated several research initiatives, conceptualised, and supervised many field studies, surveys, and research projects at the IGNCA and was the Principal Investigator and Project Head, Living Traditions of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, an area where she has made significant contribution, building up a massive audio-visual archive, bringing out translations and publications, and creating a platform for a dialogue between the artists and scholars.

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