What kind of dinosaurs roamed Rajasthan? This is a matter of great curiosity. The facts literally remained buried for a long time until 1985, when Sh. U.B. Mathur blew the lid off the subject by discovering and identifying two fossilized dinosaur bones near the Baba Bharati temple, which is about 2 km away from Jaisalmer.
In January 2014, a seminar was organized at the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur and this was the 9th International Jurassic Congress. In the aftermath of the seminar, several participants headed to Jaisalmer for a field visit. Once there, Jan Schlogl of Comenius University in Slovakia, and Grzegorz Pienkowski, a professor from Warsaw University in Poland, found some undiscovered footprints. The location of the footprints is 16 kms east of Jaisalmer and 16 kms away from the Jaisalmer-Jodhpur Highway near a village called ‘Thaiat’ (GPS: N26°55’50.1″, E71°03’54.2″). Interestingly the two footprints belonged to two different dinosaurs. These footprints were made on what was once sedimentary land, which gradually turned to stone. On the basis of these footprints, two species of dinosaurs were also identified, and these were purportedly Eubrontes cf. giganteus and Grallator tenuis . The giganteus species (Eubrontes cf. giganteus) of the genus Eubrontes reportedly had a footprint of 35 cm, while the size of the Grallator tenuis was found to be 5.5 cm, which was much smaller.
A representative sketch of the Grallator species(Photo: Gobind Rai, 2021)
A computer generated image of the Eubrontes species (Photo: Parihar, 2021)
Both these footprints were made in the sediment or silt of the seashore of that era, which later became permanently stone-like. At that time Rajasthan formed a part of the seashore to the Tethys ocean.
A- Eubrontes cf glenrosensis theropod dinosaur foot prints in concave epirelief preservation on top of pinkish yellow silty to fine grained ferruginous sandstone. B- Eubrontes cf glenrosensis theropod diansaur footprint with an outline. C- Sketch of Euphrontes cf glenrosensis theropod dinosaur footprint (Photo: Parihar et al. 2016)
These two discoveries also inspired local scientists to push the envelope in this direction, and soon Dr. Virendra Singh Parihar, a scientist from Jodhpur, along with his colleagues, discovered the footprints of another new species of dinosaur here. The species was purportedly identified as Eubrontes glenrosensis. In addition, Dr. Parihar also found a new footprint purportedly belonging to Grallator tenuis. Dr. Parihar is an emerging paleontologist who wants to explore these findings further.
A sketched map showing the locations of the Kachchh and Jaisalmer basins on the outline of a map of India along with Jurassic outcrops in the Jaisalmer Basin. (Photo: Pienkowski et al. 2014)
Location of the Thaiat ridge in relation to where dinosaur footprints were recorded by Pienkowski’s team in 2014 (Photo: Pienkowski et al. 2014).
These three dinosaur species are considered to be of the theropod type, whose distinguishing feature was that their bones were hollow, and there were three digits present in the feet. All three were carnivorous.The species Eubrontes could have been 12 to 15 meters long, and it could have weighed between 500-700 kg.The height of the species Grallator could have been 2 meters (almost as much as a human), while the length has been estimated up to 3 meters.
Field photographs and drawings showing ichnological details of the two dinosaur footprints determined to belong to Eubrontes cf. giganteus and Grallator tenuis. Digits are marked as II, III, IV (digit II was closest to the trackway axis) (Photo: Pienkowski et al. 2014).
They believe that these footprints are 150 million years old i.e. 150 million years ago dinosaurs roamed Rajasthan. Dr. Parihar is planning on revealing more discoveries to the world in due time. The possibility of finding more evidence of dinosaurs in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer and Barmer districts is very strong.
Dr. V.S. Parihar searching for evidence of dinosaurs in the Jaisalmer area.
All the research papers published on this topic are available on the internet or you can send mail to the following email- dharmkhandal@gmail.com
The following are three research papers relevant to Rajasthan:
MATHUR U.B., PANT S.C., MEHARA S. MATHUR A.K., 1985 — Discovery of dinosaurian remains in Middle Jurassic of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, Western India. Bulletin of the Indian Geologists’ Association, 18(2), 59–65
Grzegorz PIEŃKOWSKI, Paweł BRAŃSKI, Dhirendra K. PANDEY, Ján SCHLÖGL, Matthias ALBERTI, Franz T. FÜRSICH (2014) Dinosaur footprints from the Thaiat ridge and their palaeoenvironmental background, Jaisalmer Basin, Rajasthan, India. Volumina Jurassica, 2015, XIII (1): X–X DOI:
Parihar V.S., Nama S.L., Gaur V., and S.C. Mathur (2016) New report of Theropod (Eubrontes glenrosensis) dinosaur footprint from the Thaiat Member of Lathi Formation of Jaisalmer Basin, Western Rajasthan, India, Ichnia.
Authors:
Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L) has worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
Mr. Ishan Dhar (R) is a researcher of political science in a think tank. He has been associated with Tiger Watch’s conservation interventions in his capacity as a member of the board of directors.
Rajasthan is the largest state in India, where every year, thousands of people are killed by snakebite. An added complication is that there is a lot of ignorance about snakes, and much misinformation spread by dubious individuals with vested interests in the fear of innocent people.
One day I received a call from a knowledgeable villager from a nearby village, who informed me of a snake biting a person in the hand. I concluded that the victim must be a woman, for women do most of the work with their hands in these areas. Had the victim been bitten in the leg, then the probability of the victim being a man is much higher, for they are far more likely to be roaming from one location to another. The man confirmed that the victim was indeed a woman, and that they had brought her to the shrine of a local deity, but that she was still in distress, and that I should do something to help. I responded that she should be taken to a doctor. He then lamented that it would be difficult, as the community would not agree. The local custom is that the people bring snakebite victims to shrines of various deities in the hope of being cured. This is unfortunately a common practice prevalent in all districts of Rajasthan. A few days later, the woman passed away, leaving behind an infant child who was yet to be weaned off her breast milk.
Saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus): It is locally known as Fursa, Fopsia, or Bandi. Releases toxins that affect the circulatory system. It produces sound by rubbing the scales on the body. (Photo: Dr. Dharmendra Khandal)
There are scores of folk deities associated with the cure of venomous snakebites in Rajasthan such as Gogaji, Delwarji, Harbuji, Ramdevji, Tejaji and Karishdevji etc. and local people have unwavering faith in these deities. Faith in these deities, also gives people the necessary mental fortitude in the event of a snakebite. If we pause to take a look at the history of these deities, many were warriors, who attained martyrdom fighting wars of ‘local’ relevance. Even the music played at their shrines, along with its instrumentation, is reminiscent of military processions and war songs. When snakebite victims find themselves in such a stimulating environment, they find relief to some extent as a result of a placebo effect. Here, the placebo effect means to have the mental fortitude to withstand pain without any medication and treatment, or to simply be able to ignore it. The unique atmosphere of a shrine where several people simultaneously act in solidarity with the victim’s suffering, all the while singing and dancing to emotionally stirring music enables such a placebo effect. The victim thus tragically gets false hope of survival by being taken to such places. However, let there be no mistake, snakebite victims simply must get proper treatment.
Indian cobra (Naja naja): This snake is portrayed as the most venomous creature of Indian myths, which has been given the exalted status of adorning the neck of the gods. This highly venomous but equally shy reptile often tries to keep its enemy away by spreading the skin around its head into a hood and hissing. Its venom has both hemo and neurotoxic properties.(Photo: Dr. Dharmendra Khandal)
In fact, medical treatment for snakebites began only half a century ago. The creation and use of antivenom does not have a very long history, which is why traditional remedies are still the norm rather than the exception in India’s rural and illiterate populations. For thousands of years, victims of snake bites have been taken to the shrines of local deities where all they have gotten is mental fortitude.
Russell’s viper (Daboia russelii): A very beautiful yet extremely aggressive snake, known as Chitti, is the cause of the highest number of deaths in India. Its venomous fangs are very long and strong, which release venom to a great depth and the amount is also high due to the large size of it’s head. (Photo: Dr. Dharmendra Khandal)
There are many reasons for snakebite victims often surviving at the shrines of local deities, none of which have to do with the shrine itself- sometimes a venomous snake releases a small amount of venom, sometimes a venomous snake does not release venom at all and such an event is called a ‘dry bite’, sometimes the victim has not been bitten at all, but went into a panic after the snake hissed, sometimes the victims have actually been bitten by non-venomous snakes, after all, 35 out of the 40 snake species found in Rajasthan are non-venomous. Thus, in such cases where the victim does fortunately survive, it further perpetuates the belief that shrines to local deities are the solution to snakebites. The result is that people remain engaged in practices that do not save the hapless snakebite victim, and the caretakers of local shrines continue to mislead people, all the while ensuring that the victims do not receive the treatment they need.
Let us assume that if a venomous snake has bitten someone, there is no other cure besides antivenom. You will find many examples where a snakebite victim has been taken to a local shrine, only to die there soon after, and then have the presiding priest blame the victims and their families for ‘carelessness’,all the while taking absolutely no responsibility for this folly.
Common krait (Bungarus caeruleus) : A completely nocturnal snake, but is extremely venomous. Its bite does not cause pain on account of its small fangs, but that only adds to the danger for its neurotoxic venom commonly becomes the cause of death of a sleeping person. Another snake of a species similar to this snake is found in the desert areas of Rajasthan, which is also known as Pivana. Due to the effect on the nervous system, the venom of this snake plunges a sleeping victim into a deeper state of unconsciousness. (Photo: Dr. Dharmendra Khandal)
Interestingly, the idea behind the ‘correct’ treatment of snakebites took birth in the Indian subcontinent. In the year 1870, Surgeon-Major Edward Nicholson published an article in the Madras Medical Journal where he wrote about how a Burmese snake catcher protected himself from future snakebites by having his snake bite him momentarily, thus inoculating himself. Similar stories are also to be found in India. These early observations formed the basis of research that led to the creation of the first antivenom for monocled cobra bites by the French scientist Albert Camette. He created this antivenom after many people trapped in the flood-prone areas of Vietnam were killed by a snakebite.
This treatment, which was developed over a century ago, did not initially receive much attention until 1950, when it was generally accepted, and its availability has increased in the last few decades. However, there is still an acute shortage of antivenom in the country.
In many snake fairs held in the country, snakes are displayed illegally and instead of promoting scientific thinking towards snakes, superstition is perpetuated.(Photo: Dr. Dharmendra Khandal)
How many people are affected by snakebites in Rajasthan?
According to the World Health Organization (W.H.O), 81,000-130,000 people die from snakebites worldwide every year and three times as many people become permanently disabled in the limbs.
The Million Death Study (MDS) was a study conducted by the Government of India, in which data was collected regarding causes of death at a young age. This unique study was conducted between the years 1998-2014. According to the same study, in the 14 years between 2001 and 2014, approximately 808,000 people died of snakebite in India. That is 58000 people a year. Of which 94% were in rural areas and 77% of them never made it to a hospital.
Going by the number of snakebite fatalities, Rajasthan ranks fifth from the top as compared to other states of India, which is a matter of grave concern. According to this study, 52,100 people died in Rajasthan in 14 years, with an average of 3722 deaths per year.
Snakes are harassed in various ways in these fairs, and some dubious people misrepresent their snake-catching skills as a form of divine power.(Photo: Dharmendra Khandal)
According to an article published by Surawera et al. (2020) titled ”Trends in snakebite deaths in India from 2000 to 2019 in a nationally representative mortality study ” – (https://elifesciences.org/articles/54076), 43% of snakebites were caused by Russell’s viper (Daboia russelii), 18% were caused by krait (Bungarus species), 12% were caused by cobra (Naja species) and 21% by other snakes, multiple species caused the death of 6% of the population.
Chiranji Lal’s son remembers his dead father while holding up a portrait of him and reveals how his father was killed by snakebite, while he also used to treat snakebites.It is a strange twist of fate that the one who used to cure snakebite, lost his life to a snake bite. (Photo: Dr. Dharmendra Khandal)
Rescue & First Aid:
There is much confusion regarding first aid that must be administered in the event of a snakebite. You might remember people casually proposing measures such as making X-shaped incisions on the site followed by blood-letting. You might even find such measures proposed in first aid booklets. However, such actions can be fatal, for the victim can lose their life due to excessive blood loss. In many Bollywood films, you might have watched the protagonist save a snakebite victim’s life by making an incision on the bite with a knife and personally sucking the venom out by the mouth! This too is an incorrect method.
Bitten by Russell’s viper, the family took him to the shrine of a deity, but after the first shrine refused, they took him to a second shrine, and wasted valuable time. Due to the delay made by them, it took a few months for his wounds to heal.(Photo: Dr. Dharmendra Khandal)
Firstly, no incisions are ever to be made on the bite site- there are two types of snake venom, neurotoxic and hemotoxic. Both viper species have hemotoxic venom and when bitten, the victim’s circulatory system or vasculature is badly affected and as a result there is bleeding in the nose, mouth, urethra and the bite site itself. In the event of a viper bite, any kind of incision or attempt to drain blood will only exaggerate blood loss, and will be near impossible to stop without a medical intervention. To put it bluntly, the victim will die of excessive blood loss even before the venom does it’s work. So remember once again, never make an incision.
Local people getting a woman suffering from snakebite to run at a high speed around the place of deity, it increases the blood pressure, which is harmful. (Photo: Dr. Dharmendra Khandal)
People keep shouting, sometimes thumping and shaking to wake the victim woman from unconsciousness. (Photo: Dr. Dharmendra Khandal)
Another popular first aid method is to tie a tourniquet above the bite site. This too may be found in old first aid manuals and booklets, but can prove fatal to the victim. Because the venom accumulates in only one part of the body, and it can be very dangerous for that specific part. Complete cessation of blood flow can damage that part of the body anyway.
After a saw-scaled viper bit the child while he was sleeping, he was taken to the shrine of a deity. After being in tremendous pain for several days, although the child gradually got better, no one knows which parts of his body will suffer the long-term effects of the venom.(Phot: Dr. Dharmendra Khandal)
According to current data, both of these popular first aid methods are extremely counterproductive and harmful. So what should be done instead?
Experts recommend two strategies–prevention and proper treatment.
Prevention-
The most important step is to be able to avoid snakebites entirely. Maintaining hygiene in and around your home will minimize snakes frequenting it. Snakes are often attracted to human dwellings by prey animals like rats. Keeping your home and its immediate environs clean, and tidy will go a long way in prevention.
If planning to move about at night, make provisions to ensure you have a source of light. Owning a good flashlight is a solution here.
Learn to recognize snake species so that you can understand their behavior.
Always maintain a safe distance from snakes and take precautions, many times due to negligence, even trained snake catchers become victims of snakebite.
First Aid & Treatment:
As stated earlier, do not make any incisions, nor tie any tourniquets above the bite. Wrap a clean cloth around the bite site. This is to be bound with very little pressure and never with force.
Keep the victim calm, and maintain constant encouragement through the first aid and treatment process.
Use a vehicle to transport the victim to a hospital, they should not be made to run. If a vehicle is not available, use a scooter or motorcycle, and make the victim sit between two people.
If you know anyone working at the hospital, inform them before your arrival so that they can arrange life-saving resources without wasting any time.
People living in areas abundant with snakes should familiarize themselves with the closest hospitals.
An antivenom can only be administered by a trained doctor, so do not store it unnecessarily and never administer it yourself.
The antivenom used for snakebites in India is polyvalent, which is effective against the venom of the 4 major venomous snakes of India. Nevertheless, if the species can be identified, then treatment is far easier.
Many times doctors also do not have the experience to treat a snakebite. By consulting a nearby snake expert, you can get access to an experienced doctor.
While private hospitals do treat snakebites, treatment is completely free of charge in the main government hospital of a district. Since antivenom is categorized as a life-saving drug, it is mandatory for the hospital to maintain a stock of it.
Priests and Managers collecting offerings to the snake god’s temple (Photo: Dr. Dharmendra Khandal)
Thus, in the vast tracts of Rajasthan, where most of the population lives in rural areas, the risk of snakebite is high. There is a need to avail of proper treatment in the event of a snakebite. However, snakes are also an important part of our ecosystem and it is necessary to conserve them. With just a little care, you can avoid snakebites altogether. Remember, the snake is not your enemy, the rat is! Nevertheless, carelessness can be fatal. By steering clear of superstition, making decisions based on scientific information, you can save not only your life and the lives of your friends, but also save the lives of snakes.
राजस्थान में किस प्रकार के डायनासोर मिलते थे, यह विषय हर किसी के लिए अत्यंत जिज्ञासा का विषय है। इस पर लम्बे समय तक पर्दा ही पड़ा रहा, परन्तु वर्ष 1985 में श्री यू बी माथुर ने जैसलमेर से २ किलोमीटर दूर बाबा भारती मंदिर के पास से डायनासोर की दो हड्डियों को पहचान कर यह साबित कर दिया था कि, डायनासोर राजस्थान में उपस्थित रहे हैं।
इसके पश्च्यात जनवरी, 2014 में जयपुर की राजस्थान यूनिवर्सिटी में एक अत्यंत रोचक विषय पर संगोष्ठी आयोजित हुई जिसे 9 वीं इंटरनेशनल जुरैसिक कांग्रेस के नाम से जाना जाता है। इस संगोष्ठी के पश्च्यात कई भागीदार फील्ड यात्रा पर जैसलमेर आये। वहां पहुंचे स्लोवाकिया की कमेनियस यूनिवर्सिटी के जैन स्च्लोगल एवं पोलैंड की वॉरसॉ यूनिवर्सिटी के एक प्रोफेसर गरज़ेगोर्ज़ पैन्कोव्स्की को इस यात्रा में कुछ ऐसे पद चिन्ह मिले जो राजस्थान में किसी ने नहीं खोजे थे। यह स्थान जैसलमेर से पूर्व की ओर 16 किलोमीटर दूर जैसलमेर -जोधपुर राजमार्ग से दक्षिण में स्थित थाट गांव के पास (GPS: N26°55’50.1″, E71°03’54.2″)। यह दो विभिन्न प्रकार के डायनासोरों के पद चिन्ह थे। यह पद चिन्ह तलछट की जमीं पर बने थे जो बाद में धीरे धीरे पत्थर में परिवर्तित हो गयी है। इन पद चिन्हो के आधार पर इन दोनों डायनासोरों की प्रजातियों की पहचान भी हुई एवं इन्हे यूब्रोनट्स जीनस की शायद जाइगेनटियस प्रजाति (Eubrontes cf. giganteus) एवं ग्रललाटोर टेनुइस (Grallator tenuis) के रूप में पहचाना गया है। यूब्रोनट्स जीनस की शायद जाइगेनटियस प्रजाति (Eubrontes cf. giganteus) के पद चिन्ह का आकर 35 सेंटीमीटर था वहीँ ग्रललाटोर टेनुइस (Grallator tenuis) के पद चिन्ह का आकार 5.5 सेंटीमीटर पाया गया जो काफी छोटा था।
ग्रेलेटर प्रजाति का एक चित्र (फोटो: गोबिंद राय, 2021)
यूब्रोन्ट्स प्रजाति की एक कंप्यूटर जनित छवि (फोटो: परिहार, 2021)
यह दोनों पदचिन्ह उस ज़माने के समुद्र के किनारे की तलछट अथवा गाद में बने थे जो बाद में स्थायी रूप से पत्थर के समान बन गये। उस समय राजस्थान में समुद्र का किनारा रहा था और अब इस समुद्र को टेथिस सागर के नाम से जाना जाता है।
A- पीली चिकिनी महीन दानेदार बलुआ पत्थर पर यूब्रोंटेस सीएफ ग्लेनरोसेंसिस थेरोपोड डायनासोर के पद चिन्ह । B-यूब्रोंटेस सीएफ ग्लेनरोसेंसिस थेरोपोड डायनासोर के पदचिह्न एक रूपरेखा के साथ। C- यूफ्रोंटेस सीएफ ग्लेनरोसेंसिस थेरोपोड डायनासोर के पदचिह्न का चित्र। (फोटो: परिहार एट अल 2016)
इन दो खोजो ने स्थानीय वैज्ञानिको को भी इस दिशा में कार्य करने की प्रेरणा दी जैसे की जोधपुर के एक वैज्ञानिक डॉ विरेन्द्र सिंह परिहार ने अपने साथियों के साथ मिलकर एक और नयी प्रजाति के डायनासोर के पद चिन्ह यहाँ खोज निकाले है। यह प्रजाति को यूब्रोनट्स ग्लेनरोसेंसिस (Eubrontes glenrosensis) के रूप में पहचाना गया। साथ ही डॉ परिहार ने ग्रललाटोर टेनुइस (Grallator tenuis) के भी नए पद चिन्ह को देखा था। डॉ परिहार एक उभरते हुए जीवाश्म वैज्ञानिक है जो अब इसी दिशा में निरंतर कार्य करना चाहते है।
जैसलमेर में जुरासिक आउटक्रॉप्स के साथ भारत के नक्शे की रूपरेखा पर कच्छ और जैसलमेर घाटियों के स्थानों को दर्शाने वाला एक नक्शा। (फोटो: पिएनकोव्स्की एट अल 2014)
थायट रिज का स्थान जहां 2014 में पिएनकोव्स्की की टीम द्वारा डायनासोर के पैरों के निशान दर्ज किए गए थे (फोटो: पिएनकोव्स्की एट अल 2014)।
इनका मानना है कि, यह १५० मिलियन वर्ष पुराने पद चिन्ह है यानी १५ करोड़ वर्ष पूर्व राजस्थान की धरती पर डायनासोर विचरण करे थे। डॉ परिहार शीघ्र ही कई और बड़ी खोजो को दुनिया के सामने लाने वाले है। यह तीनो डायनसोर प्रजाति थेरोपोड प्रकार के माने गये है जिनकी खास बात थी इनकी हड्डिया खोखली थी एवं पांवो में तीन अनुलियाँ थी। यह सभी मांसाहारी किस्म के डायनसोर होते थे। यूब्रोनट्स प्रजातियों के डायनासोरों की लम्बाई 12 से 15 मीटर हो सकती थी। एक अन्य अनुमान के अनुसार इस प्रजाति का वजन 500 -700 किलोग्राम रहा होगा। ग्रललाटोर प्रजाति के डायनासोरों की ऊंचाई जहाँ २ मीटर (लगभग इंसानो जितनी) रही होगी जबकि लम्बाई ३ मीटर तक मानी गयी है।
यूब्रोंटेस गिगेंटस और ग्रेलेटर टेनुइस से संबंधित दो डायनासोर के पैरों के निशान के विवरण दिखाने वाली फील्ड तस्वीरें और चित्र। अँगुलियों को II, III, IV के रूप में चिह्नित किया गया है (अंक II ट्रैकवे के सबसे निकट था) (फोटो: पिएनकोव्स्की एट अल 2014)।
राजस्थान के जैसलमेर और बाड़मेर जिलों में डायनासोर के और नये प्रमाण मिलने की सम्भावना अत्यंत प्रबल है। इस विषय पर छापे सभी शोध पत्र इंटरनेट पर उपलब्ध है अथवा आप निम्न ईमेल- पर मेल भेजे।
थेरोपोड्स ट्रीअसिक काल जो 232 मिलियन वर्ष पहले से लेकर क्रेटसेओस काल तक यानी लगभग 66 मिलियन वर्ष पहले तक रहे।
डॉ. वी.एस. परिहार जैसलमेर क्षेत्र में डायनासोर के साक्ष्य खोज रहे हैं।
राजस्थान से प्रेषित तीन शोध पात्र निम्न है:
MATHUR U.B., PANT S.C., MEHARA S. MATHUR A.K., 1985 — Discovery of dinosaurian remains in Middle Jurassic of Jaisalmer, Rajastan, Western India. Bulletin of the Indian Ge ologists’ Association, 18(2), 59–65
२ Grzegorz PIEŃKOWSKI, Paweł BRAŃSKI, Dhirendra K. PANDEY, Ján SCHLÖGL, Matthias ALBERTI, Franz T. FÜRSICH (2014) Dinosaur footprints from the Thaiat ridge and their palaeoenvironmental background, Jaisalmer Basin, Rajastan, India. Volumina Jurassica, 2015, XIII (1): X–X DOI:
३ Parihar V.S., Nama S.L., Gaur V., and S.C. Mathur (2016) New report of Theropod (Eubrontes glenrosensis) dinosaur footprint from the Thaiat Member of Lathi Formation of Jaisalmer Basin, Western Rajasthan, India, Ichnia.
लेखक:
Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L) has worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
Mr. Ishan Dhar (R) is a researcher of political science in a think tank. He has been associated with Tiger Watch’s conservation interventions in his capacity as a member of the board of directors.
In the year 1980, India’s Environment Minister Sh. Digvijay Sinh wrote in a book that-
“Harshvardhan is singularly responsible for converging global attention of experts on bustards and for having demanded a ban on hunting bustards through falconry in the Indian desert. He set a rare example. ”
Falconry is an antiquated form of hunting using trained hawks and similar raptors. Whilst it is an ancient hunting practice, it is a revered and very much practiced tradition in peninsular and gulf Arab nations. Even today, many in these nations, which includes members of their royal families, are ardent falconers with vast aviaries housing an untold number of raptors.
Great Indian Bustard (Photo: Mr. Nirav Bhatt)
Until about 40 years ago (1979), royalty from various Arab states would come to the desert areas of Rajasthan with their falcons, and hunt the great Indian bustard, putting it at even greater risk of extinction. Harkirat Sangha, an ornithologist from Rajasthan remembers that on those hunts, the sheikhs used very powerful vehicles with no less than 6 cylinders. We have no idea regarding the extent of damage caused by Arab falconers back then, because neither the forest department nor the police could pursue them in the Thar desert. This is because the roads were either rough or non-existent, while the Arab falconers, armed with hunting permits, roamed freely hunting anywhere they pleased in the deserted desert area in Jaisalmer. Foreign policy and foreign exchange were the reasons behind the granting of hunting permits.
All became mute spectators when faced with this gory spectacle, no one had the courage to say anything against the sheikhs and more importantly, anything against this decision by the government of the day. Meanwhile, the Arab falconers used to come to India every winter and do untold damage.
Harsh Vardhan could not bear to watch the devastation inflicted upon the great Indian bustard, but at the time, people were not very aware of conservation issues beyond the tiger. It was far easier to make people aware of tiger centric issues. While it was indeed difficult for Harsh Vardhan, he still managed to drum up awareness by staging many public protests, and launching several memorandums. Many newspapers followed suit and made the public aware of the plight of the great Indian bustard. It was such a well organized campaign by one motivated individual, that in no time, the public was talking about a once unknown bird, and heaping abuse on the visiting sheikhs, all the while citing India’s long history and tradition of wildlife conservation. However, the government remained silent. Harsh Vardhan finally secured an order from the High Court of Rajasthan, which imposed a complete ban on the hunting of the great Indian bustard by Arab falconers.
Soon after, Harsh Vardhan convened an international symposium on bustards, in which many people participated and for the first time the issues related to bustards were compiled in one place and a report titled ‘Bustards in Decline’ was published.
This was the first concentrated effort not only in India, but in the world for the conservation of any one particular bird species, and is still regarded as a key milestone by wildlife conservationists.
Finally, influenced by the campaign started by Harsh Vardhan, an individual secured a decision from the Rajasthan High Court which completely stopped the hunting of the great Indian bustard by Arab falconers.
Authors:
Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L) has worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
Mr. Ishan Dhar (R) is a researcher of political science in a think tank. He has been associated with Tiger Watch’s conservation interventions in his capacity as a member of the board of directors.
वर्ष 1980 में भारत के पर्यावरण मंत्री दिग्विजय सिंह ने एक पुस्तक में लिखा है कि,
”हर्षवर्धन ने अपने अकेले के दम पर ग्रेट इंडियन बस्टर्ड (गोडावण) की ओर विश्व का ध्यान आकर्षित किया है और उन्होंने एक पुरजोर मांग रखी है कि, भारतीय मरुस्थल में बाजदारी के माध्यम से इनका शिकार बंद हो। यह एक पक्षी प्रजाति के संरक्षण की दिशा में उठाया गया एक अत्यंत दुर्लभ उदहारण है। ”
बाज़दरी यानि बाज़ या इस जैसे अन्य शिकारी पक्षियों के माध्यम से शिकार करना। यह एक प्राचीन शिकार का तरीका रहा है जिसने अरब देशों में एक परम्परा की शक्ल लेली है। अरब देशों में एक आज भी कई लोग और मुख्यतया वहां के रॉयल परिवार इस शौक के पीछे पागल है।
ग्रेट इंडियन बस्टर्ड (गोडावण) (फोटो: श्री नीरव भट्ट)
लगभग 40 पूर्व (1979 ) पहले तक राजस्थान अरब के राजपरिवार से शेख राजस्थान के मरुस्थल में आते थे और बाज़ों की सहायता से तेजी से विलुप्त की और बढ़ते विशाल पक्षी ग्रेट इंडियन बस्टर्ड का शिकार किया करते थे। राजस्थान के एक पक्षी विद्ध हरकीरत सांगा कहते हैं कि, शेखो के पास उस ज़माने में अत्यंत ताकतवर गाड़िया हुआ करती थी जिनमें ६ सिलिंडर से कम कोई नहीं थी। जैसे आज इस्तेमाल होने वाली जिप्सी गाड़ी में भी मात्र ४ सिलिंडर ही है। इन शेखो के द्वारा किये गए नुकसान का हमें कोई अंदाज नहीं है क्योंकि राज्य का वन विभाग या पुलिस उस समय के थार मरुस्थल में इनके पीछे ही नहीं जा पाता था। क्योंकि रास्ते कच्चे थे अथवा थे ही नहीं, जबकि शेख खुले आम शिकार के परमिट के साथ जैसलमेर के वीरान मरुथल में कहीं भी शिकार करते घूम रहे थे। सरकार ने उन्हें बाज से शिकार के लिए आज्ञा पत्र जारी किया हुआ था। इनको शिकार की आज्ञा मिलने के पीछे विदेश नीति और विदेशी मुद्रा महत्वपूर्ण कारण माना जा रहा था।
सभी लोग मूक दर्शक बने यह तमाशा देख रहे थे किसी की हिम्मत और सोच नहीं थी कि, शेखो के खिलाफ कुछ बोले और इस से अधिक सरकार के इस फैसले के खिलाफ कुछ बोले। शैख़ साल दर साल सर्दियों में यही काम करने भारत आते रहते थे।
यह सब देख कर हर्षवर्धन रह नहीं पाए परन्तु लोगों को संरक्षण के प्रति कोई अधिक जागरूकता ही नहीं थी। बाघों के प्रति हमारे मन मस्तिष्क में पहले से एक छवि थी अतः बाघों के प्रति जागरूकता पैदा करना कहीं आसान काम है। ग्रेट इंडियन बस्टर्ड को लोग अधिक जानते ही नहीं थे। यह हर्षवर्धन के लिए मुश्किल काम होने वाला था परन्तु उन्होंने ने कई आंदोलन, धरने और ज्ञापन देकर एक माहौल पैदा किया। निरंतर अख़बारों के माध्यम से आमजन के मध्य ग्रेट इंडियन बस्टर्ड के बारे में जानकारी बढ़ायी गयी। यह एक व्यक्ति द्वारा चलाया गया इतना सधा हुआ और संगठित आंदोलन था कि, हर व्यक्ति उस समय इस अनजान पक्षी के बारे में बात कर रहा था और भारत के संरक्षण के लम्बे इतिहास और परम्परा की दुहाई देकर शेखो को गाली दे रहा था। परन्तु सरकार फिर भी मूक बानी रही थी। अंततः हर्षवर्धन राजस्थान हाई कोर्ट से एक फैसला लेकर आये जिसने शेखो द्वारा इस तरह ग्रेट इंडियन बस्टर्ड के शिकार पर पूर्णतया रोक लगवादी थी।
इसी क्रम में हर्षवर्धन ने बस्टर्ड पर एक अंतरष्ट्रीय सिम्पोजियम बुलाई, जिसमें अनेक लोगो ने भाग लिया और पहली बार बस्टर्ड से जुड़े मसलो को एक जगह एकत्रित किया और ‘बस्टर्ड इन डिक्लाइन’ नाम से एक दस्तवेज प्रकाशित किया गया ।
यह उस ज़माने में भारत का ही नहीं अपितु विश्व में किसी एक पक्षी प्रजाति के संरक्षण के लिए किया गया पहला प्रयास था, जिसे आज भी एक मील के पत्थर के रूप में जाना जाता है।
अंततः हर्षवर्धन द्वारा चलायी गयी इस मुहीम से प्रभावित हो कर एक व्यक्ति राजस्थान हाई कोर्ट से एक फैसला लेकर आये जिसने शेखो द्वारा किये जारहे ग्रेट इंडियन बस्टर्ड के शिकार पर पूर्णतया रोक लगवा दिया।
लेखक:
Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L) has worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
Mr. Ishan Dhar (R) is a researcher of political science in a think tank. He has been associated with Tiger Watch’s conservation interventions in his capacity as a member of the board of directors.
Dr. Dharmendra Khandal (L) has worked as a conservation biologist with Tiger Watch – a non-profit organisation based in Ranthambhore, for the last 16 years. He spearheads all anti-poaching, community-based conservation and exploration interventions for the organisation.
