Green Narratives: Exploring Ecological Consciousness and Environmental Justice in Contemporary Indian Writings

Abstract

Abstract

The depiction of ecology and environmental issues in Indian English novels has become increasingly significant in recent decades, reflecting growing awareness of climate change, biodiversity loss, and the socio-political dimensions of environmental crises. Indian English fiction often explores these themes through the lens of history, mythology, displacement, and the lived experiences of marginalised communities. In Indian writings, displacement and environmental degradation are shown to disproportionately affect tribal inhabitants, the rural poor, and coastal communities. Amitav Ghosh novels speak about colonialism and ecological destruction, where Ghosh connects the exploitation of nature with the violence of colonialism. Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide powerfully portrays the conflict between environmental conservation and human livelihood by situating the narrative in the ecologically sensitive and politically contested region of the Sundarbans. It offers a nuanced portrayal of the conflict between environmental conservation and human livelihood. It critiques top-down conservation efforts that marginalise the poor while also recognising the need to protect fragile ecosystems. Amitav Ghosh’s The Nutmeg’s Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis moves beyond the scientific or technical narratives that dominate mainstream climate discourse; Ghosh repositions the environmental crisis as a crisis of empire, extractivism, and imagination. Through the story of the nutmeg, a spice once worth more than gold, he weaves a larger narrative about human domination of nature and its global consequences. Ghosh delivers a powerful, historically grounded, and politically charged examination of the environmental crisis facing the modern world.