Environmental Ethics and Sustainable Practices in Traditional Indian Mining and Metallurgy
Anil Suri
Abstract
The spectacular achievements of Indian metallurgy, such as Wootz (or “Damascene”) steel and corrosion-resistant iron (exemplified by the Iron Pillar in the Qutb Complex, Delhi), are now well known. Pre-Modern India produced a variety of metals on near-Industrial scales, and exported them to many parts of the world. The environmental ethics and sustainable practices underpinning the Indian mining and metallurgy industries, which are notorious for the heavy toll they take on the environment as well as human health, have not received the attention they deserve. Thanks to these practices, India, unlike Europe, preserved its pristine forest cover and biodiversity, despite producing a much larger quantity of metals, and for much longer, whilst having a population of at least an order of magnitude greater. We show that these practices are rooted in Hindu thought, and adherence to them is emphasised in the ancient Hindu texts, including the Vedas and Itihāsas. A study of these practices may prove instructive as the world tries to pivot towards “green” technologies and strategies, and lifestyles congruous with the environment.
Keywords: Traditional Indian metallurgy, Environmental ethics, Sustainability, Sustainable practices, Hinduism, Hindu philosophy
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