Ecological Advocacy in Indian Literature: From Sangam Poetry to Ruskin Bond

Abstract

Indian literature, from the Sangam period to contemporary fiction, has consistently highlighted the close connection between humans and the natural world. In Sangam poetry, rivers, hills, and forests are portrayed as living companions that guide behaviour, shape moral understanding, and influence human life. This deep ecological awareness continues in modern Indian writing in English, particularly in the works of Ruskin Bond. Through his gentle and simple narrative style, Bond presents the Himalayan hills, orchards, rivers, and small towns not merely as settings but as spaces that nurture memory, identity, and ethical sensibilities. By examining The Room on the Roof (1956), Time Stops at Shamli (1965), and A Long Walk for Bina (2002), this study highlights Bond’s celebration of personal freedom in open landscapes, his reflection on the effects of modernisation, and the ways in which communities draw strength from their local environments. When read alongside Sangam poetry, Bond’s writings demonstrate the continuity of ecological advocacy in Indian literature and emphasise the enduring relevance of India’s environmental and cultural imagination. The study also opens up scope for future research by encouraging comparative ecological readings of other Indian regional literatures alongside Indian English fiction.