The origin of Chipko Andolan in
the hills of Uttrakhand and Garhwal may be traced to the famous movement,
started about 300 years ago in Rajasthan under the dynamic leadership of a
Bishnoi woman named Amrita Devi. A Rajasthan leader decided to cut the 'Khejri'
tree in this state. In a remarkable display of courage and determination, about
300 local village women led by Amrita Devi, embraced and clung to the trees to
prevent the felling of the trees. These women were beaten mercilessly. Later
the rules realized his mistake, and ordered his men to stop cutting the trees.
Uttrakhand is the source of two major rivers in
The story of the 300 women was remembered and revived in the 1970s when sever tree felling was carried out by timber constructor. The local women in the areas of Uttrakhand and Garhwal fully supported by people like Sundarlal Bahergunm, led a people movement to prevent deforestation called 'The Chipko Movement' in memory of the time during which 300 Bishnoi women had hugged and clung to trees and sacrificed
their lives.
The term Chipko is a Hindi expression which means to hug and raise, clinging trees and prevent them from being cut.
Under the leadership of Guara Bai, this mass movement was fully supported and actively participated by the rural women, who embraced and hugged and clung to trees to prevent tree felling.
Today, the Chipko Andolan has grown to more than 4000 groups working to save
