How Does Continuing Colonial-Era Planting Reflect Coloniality And Ignore Ancient India’s Botanical Knowledge?
The British colonial rulers left an indelible legacy of changes in Indian life that continue to impact modern India even after almost eighty years. One of them is, of course, their planting and landscaping choices that have changed the ecological conditions of the Indian subcontinent significantly.
Many of the plants that were originally introduced into the Indian landscapes have led to significant changes in soil conditions and biodiversity. They also pose a serious problem in terms of deeper cultural and intellectual areas. Even today, several parks, roadsides, and urban avenues across the country continue to embrace ornamental trees. Most of which were originally introduced by the British rulers. These include species such as Peltophorum pterocarpum (Copperpod) and Delonix regia (Gulmohar).
With the prioritization of most of these tree species and their continual planting, there is a reflection of a lasting trend of coloniality. Hence, most of these plants have become familiar visual elements of many cityscapes. It reflects a focused influence of colonial frameworks that still shape modern landscaping practices long after India achieved political independence.
One of the main reasons why this trend of prioritizing exotic species in Indian landscapes is heavily criticized by cultural and natural experts is that it totally overlooks our extensive and sophisticated history of botanical knowledge, especially as it is preserved in Ayurveda. The Indian medical systems during ancient times developed a comprehensive understanding of plant and botanical life. This formally recognizes the seamlessly interconnected roles of trees and herbs in the fields of health, ecology, communal, and cultural practices.
Some of the prominent historical texts that offer comprehensive and exhaustive documentation of hundreds and thousands of plant and tree species were Ashtanga Hridaya, Sushruta Samhita, and Charaka Samhita. Such texts served as rich sources of data. Thus, they guide with ecological administration and curative practices. These visibly define their habitats, properties, features, and therapeutic uses.
According to the earliest Ayurvedic and Indian traditions, many indigenous trees like Azadirachta indica (Neem), Ficus benghalensis (Banyan), Aegle marmelos (Bael), and Ficus religiosa (Peepal) became some of the distinct species of great importance. For instance, trees like Neem were documented for their powerful antimicrobial qualities and healing. Banyan and Peepal are important for their capability to support biodiversity. They create perfectly cooling microclimates. These plants were not simply appreciated for their unique medicinal properties. They were valued for their strong ecological and spiritual significance.
The Bael plant has been in use as an antidote against digestive and infectious health conditions. Such species were typically integrated into public spaces, parks, temple gardens, and common space areas in villages, ensuring that the local communities always had direct access to the benefits offered by these plants.
On the other hand, many of the exotic and ornamental trees that were introduced by the British colonial rulers were used for their visual appeal. Because they aligned with European landscaping sensibilities. At present, their constant presence in modern urban planning in India advocates a lack of understanding and disconnection from traditional Indian ecological knowledge. While Ayurvedic texts acclaim local species that are more suitable for Indian climates and the local community’s needs. Most of these exotic plants often execute colonial trends without much critical reflection. This is why it is high time to focus on transforming Indian landscaping practices by planting more indigenous species.
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