In the dazzling mosaic of India’s spiritual landscape, much of the world knows us for our great religions—Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism. But beyond the grand temples and sacred texts, nestled in forests, mountains, and hidden valleys, there exists another heartbeat of Indian spirituality. A timeless, sacred connection with nature kept alive by indigenous communities who see the Earth not as a resource, but as a living, breathing divine entity.
These are India’s Ancient Earth Keepers — the Santhals, the Bhils, the Garos, the Nicobarese, the Lepchas, and countless others whose prayers are sung with the rivers and danced with the trees. Through DhyanSeed, it is my deepest joy to bring light to these sacred traditions—timeless, profound, and more relevant today than ever before.
The Santhals: Soul Guardians of Nature Worship
The Santhals are one of India’s oldest and most vibrant indigenous communities, living primarily across Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, and West Bengal.
Their spirituality is a breathtaking celebration of life:
- They worship Singbonga (the Sun Spirit) and Marang Buru (the Great Mountain Spirit).
- Every element of the Earth—a tree, a stone, a stream—is a living prayer.
- Music, dance, and gratitude are woven into their daily lives.
Droupadi Murmu, the first tribal woman to become the President of India, proudly belongs to the Santhal community. Her life is a living example of how India’s ancient Earth-centered spirituality continues to thrive and inspire.
Murmu’s spiritual foundation—rooted in reverence for nature and ancestral wisdom—offers a powerful reminder: true strength comes from deep connection with the Earth.
Beyond Temples: Celebrating India’s Nature Worshippers
The Bhils: Nature Worship through Pithora Paintings
The Bhils, spanning Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, celebrate life through their sacred Pithora paintings, colorful expressions of devotion to deities of rain, crops, and forests.
They honor Devmogra, a divine Mother figure, and the spirits of hills, rivers, and harvests. Each Bhil village vibrates with a deep symphony of gratitude toward nature.
The Garos: Animism and Nature Worship in Meghalaya
In the emerald hills of Meghalaya, the Garos practice animistic rituals that honor Misi Saljong (Sun Spirit) and various guardian spirits.
Their grand Wangala Festival is a living homage to Earth’s bounty—a vibrant explosion of drums, dances, and heartfelt thanksgiving.
The Nicobarese: Ocean Worshippers Across the Andaman Islands
Across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Nicobarese nurture a gentle reverence for land and sea. Ancestors are venerated, spirits honored, and every tide and tree is approached with awe and gratitude.
Their spiritual rituals, simple yet profound, whisper the truth that modern humanity often forgets: we belong to nature, not the other way around.
The Lepchas: Nature Worship in the Sacred Snow of Kanchenjunga
The Lepchas of Sikkim and North Bengal are the soulful guardians of the Kanchenjunga mountains.
Believing themselves born from pure snow, the Lepchas worship mountain spirits, river deities, and forest protectors, practicing an ancient spirituality known as Munism.
Their ceremonies, offered to the Earth and sky, still resonate through the lush green valleys—a tender reminder of humanity’s sacred duty to protect what nourishes us.
Uttarakhand: A Land of Nature Worship and Reverence
In Uttarakhand, known as Dev Bhoomi (Land of the Gods), nature worship flows through every river, whispers in every forest, and hums through every mountain breeze.
The Van Rishis: Nature Worship in the Forests of India
The Van Rishis (Forest Sages) of ancient India lived among the trees, meditating by sacred rivers, worshipping the divine in its purest form: the elements themselves.
Even today, villages in Uttarakhand honor deities like Hariyali Devi, Masan Devta, and countless local guardians of forests and fields.
The worship of Nanda Devi, the Goddess of the Sacred Peaks, symbolizes a profound feminine reverence for the Earth’s majesty.
Why the Wisdom of Earth Keepers Matters Today
In today’s hyper-urbanized, digitally distracted world, the messages from India’s ancient nature worshippers are more important than ever:
- Reverence for life in all its forms.
- Harmony with nature instead of dominance over it.
- Gratitude and humility as a way of being, not just thinking.
These communities embody an ancient truth: Spirituality is not separate from the environment. It is the environment.
They live in a consciousness where the Earth is not an “other” to be exploited but the living body of God.
The Original Yogis: Walking in the Footsteps of the First Seekers
When we think of yogis, we often envision sages meditating in remote caves. But long before yoga became a practice of postures, it was a way of living in communion with nature.
The Santhals, Bhils, Lepchas, Garos, Nicobarese, and the Van Rishis are the true First Yogis — those who breathed with the Earth, honored the seasons, and bowed before rivers and stones.
Their lives offer a deeper understanding of yoga, not as exercise, but as union with existence.
Through DhyanSeed: Honoring the Forgotten Lights
At DhyanSeed, we are committed to reviving the sacred voices of India’s indigenous Earth-keepers.
We seek to:
- Celebrate their spirituality.
- Learn from their profound simplicity.
- Remind modern humanity that wisdom is not only found in scriptures, but also in the whisper of the pines, the rhythm of a mountain stream, and the silent strength of ancient rocks.
These communities do not need “saving.” They are saving us—reminding us who we were, and who we can be again.
Conclusion: Returning to Our First Temples
Before we built temples of stone, we prayed in forests of light. Before we wrote sacred texts, we listened to the language of rivers. Before organized religions, we walked in gratitude upon the living body of Earth.
The nature-worshippers of India—our Santhals, Bhils, Lepchas, Garos, Nicobarese, and countless others—are the original caretakers of the sacred.
As we walk forward into a future of uncertainty, their ancient songs call us back—to humility, to reverence, to right relationship with all that lives.
May we remember that the Earth is not beneath us. She is within us.
And may we bow once again at the altar of the living world.
Read More: Sacred Havan Ritual: Fire Offerings, Inner Alchemy, and the Path to Spiritual Healing
