Guarding The Green: A Sabbatical Journey through the Western Ghats

By PS Bose (Sabbatical from 1st November 2024 to 28th February 2025)

For over 35 years, I have dedicated myself to rural development and environmental protection through the organization GREEN. But amid the work, I carried a quiet longing — to return to the forests of my childhood in the Western Ghats, to reconnect with its wisdom, and to understand the fragility of its future.

Thanks to The Cocoon Initiative, I was able to honor that longing. From November 2024 to February 2025, I undertook a four-month sabbatical — a journey that took me across six states, deep into indigenous communities, ancient forests, and forgotten knowledge systems. It was not just a break from work — it was a sacred expedition.

A Journey Rooted in Purpose
Born into a de-notified community in the Western Ghats, I have witnessed firsthand the region’s transformation. Once harmonious with nature, its ecosystems now face devastation due to monoculture plantations, rapid tourism, climate change, and fragmented habitats.

During my sabbatical, I set out not only to explore but to research, document, and preserve what remains of this sacred biodiversity. I visited 56 districts across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, and Gujarat, spending 90 days in field travel and 30 days in rest and reflection with family.

Discovering Indigenous Knowledge & Ecological Truths
Every step of my journey brought new insights:

• I collected 65 sacred palm leaf manuscripts (Olai Suvadikal) — ancient sources of medicinal and ecological knowledge.
• I observed how indigenous communities live in deep harmony with nature, owning nothing personally, but everything collectively.
• I encountered traditional communication systems using sound and body language, especially between humans and birds — a language now almost lost.
• I learned how their plant-based diets contribute to disease-free longevity, and how forest-based medicine continues to thrive quietly under the stewardship of tribal health practitioners.
• Most striking was their reverence for nature — treating it not as a resource, but as kin.

The Questions That Shaped My Journey
As I traveled, a series of questions guided and challenged me:

• Why are tribal communities being evicted from their ancestral lands, even as commercial tourism expands unchecked?
• How do monoculture plantations and large infrastructure projects continue to disrupt the natural balance?
• Can modern conservation learn from the gentle ways of indigenous living?
• And perhaps most importantly: how can we engage the next generation in protecting the Western Ghats before it’s too late?

These questions now fuel my work beyond the sabbatical.

Struggles in the Wild
This was no comfortable retreat. Dense forests brought encounters with leeches, insects, and forest fires. Bureaucratic hurdles, including permissions from forest departments, delayed many parts of the journey. But these challenges only deepened my respect for the resilience of those who live and protect these spaces every day.

Memories That Stay
Certain moments remain etched in my mind:

• Sitting among elders as they handed me palm leaves — a gesture as sacred as it was humbling.
• Sharing meals with tribal families and learning their ways of preparing food, healing, and praying.
• Hearing the calls of wild animals disrupted by nearby festivals — a stark reminder of how modern noise infringes upon the silence that nature needs.

These were not just experiences. They were calls to action.

Insights I Carry Forward
The sabbatical has transformed both my worldview and my work. Here is what I now commit to:

1. Documenting my findings into a comprehensive book on the biodiversity and cultural heritage of the Western Ghats.
2. Establishing a Resource Information Centre to preserve and study the palm leaf manuscripts.
3. Promoting youth involvement through a Forest Friends Club.
4. Advocating for policy reforms to regulate ecologically harmful tourism.
5. Publishing materials on endangered species to build grassroots awareness.
6. Collaborating with traditional medicine practitioners to safeguard and share their wisdom.

Already, we have identified 26 new species awaiting formal recognition. This work has only just begun.

A Family Effort, A Collective Gift
While this was my journey, it was deeply supported by my family. My wife, a science teacher, and my daughters — both students of agriculture and horticulture — joined me during parts of the trip. Their presence turned learning into bonding, and reflection into shared purpose.

Gratitude to The Cocoon Initiative
The support I received was not just financial — it was moral and spiritual. It gave me the freedom to follow a dream long held, to serve both nature and future generations.

To Cocoon, I say thank you — and I urge you to bring this opportunity to more changemakers across India. This kind of sabbatical is rare and deeply needed.

My Advice to Future Sabbatical Takers

• Honor the opportunity — it is unlike anything else.
• Use this time not just for rest, but for legacy-building.
• Share what you learn. The world needs your voice.

Let us not wait until it is too late to protect what gives us life. Let us listen to the forest, learn from its people, and act with courage.