Google Doodle commemorates 45th anniversary of Chipko movement
Google Doodle is today commemorating the 45th anniversary of the famous Chipko Movement that started in the late 1973 AD in the Uttarakhand state of India. Chipko stands for "hugging trees" to prevent them from being cutting down. In protest, all the villagers hugged the trees slated for felling from the contractor's axes and effectively halted the deforestation in that area. The doodle portrays a colorful design where a group of women are standing around a tree, representing their fight against deforestation which was the main objective of Chipko Movement.
The movement was crucial, as it spread out in India and was supported by many people, who understood the need of saving the environment and trees from being razed to the ground. These people had a significant contribution to the Chipko Movement: Dhoom Singh Negi, Bachni Devi, Gaura Devi and Sudesha Devi.
Sunderlal Bahuguna, who was an activist gave more heft to the movement, which led then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi to impose a ban on cutting trees. On the 45th Anniversary of the movement, it is important to remember that environment is the most important element for humans to survive and if we keep damaging it, it will cause harm to us in the end. Google Doodle gave the Chipko Movement a tribute, which only tells its significance for the country and the environmentalists.
On its doodle blog, Google wrote, “The Chipko Andolan also stands out as an eco-feminist movement. Women formed the nucleus of the movement, as the group most directly affected by the lack of firewood and drinking water caused by deforestation. The power of protest is an invaluable and powerful agent of social change.”
