A short trip from Manvar Camp will lead you to hamlets of the Bishnoi - a clan of desert folk who have become synonymous with conservation of wildlife, flora and delicate ecosystems within which they thrive today.
The Bishnois are known as the conservationists to whom the preservation of animal and vegetable life is a religion and has been so from the early 15th century. Bishnois were founded by Guru Jambheshwar, a Rajput of Bikaner who was born in 1541 A.D, and was therefore a contemporary of Guru Nanak Dev, the originator of Sikhism. Their spiritual mentor, Guru Jambheshwar was a wise ecologist. It is said that he formulated 'Bis' (twenty) + 'Noi' (nine) = 'Bisnoi' tenets from which the community derives its name. The tenets were enshrined to conserve bio-diversity of the area and also ensured a healthy eco-friendly social life for the community. Of these 29 tenets, 10 are directed towards personal hygiene and maintaining good basic health, seven for healthy social behavior, and five tenets to worship God. Eight tenets have been prescribed to preserve bio-diversity and encourage good animal husbandry. These include a ban on killing animals and felling green trees, and providing protection to all life forms. The community is also directed to see that the firewood they use is devoid of small insects. Wearing blue clothes is prohibited because the dye for coloring them is obtained by cutting a large quantity of shrubs.
It's easy to spot a Bishnoi village even as one approaches it. The calm and clean ambience of their hamlets is a clear indication that they practice what they preach. Even centuries after the Bishnoi sect was established, their love for all things natural and their fiercely protective attitude towards plants, trees and animals still flourishes.
As a visitor, you are sure to receive a warm welcome even as they show you around their village, farms and homes. Since they abstain from drinking alcohol and are pure vegetarians, their cuisine is simple yet wholesome and delicious. If something's cooking, you just might get a chance to savour the local fare.
What appears most striking is the standard of cleanliness that this community maintains. Bisnois often live in little hamlets called `Dhani', with just a few round huts with thatched roofs. The floors of the huts and the courtyards are always clean and cooking is done in earthen ovens. The mud floors are plastered with cow dung to keep vermin away. The interiors are airy and clean and men, women and children exude robust good health. The most surprising thing is that their efforts are wholly self-sustained and have nothing to do with government aid or encouragement. This is their way of life and, hopefully, this is the way it will be.
In a way, the 'new-found' wisdom of the developed world in the merits of going back-to-basics has existed in the Bishnoi way of life for centuries. And in their easy pace of life a visitor may glimpse a quiet dignity - a self-effacing simplicity that has much wisdom to share with a world fast moving towards a life of excess.