Socio-cultural aspects foster resilience and religious unity in the Sundarbans

The residents of Sundarbans remain spirited in restoring their socio-economic conditions in a sustainable way facing the odds of climate change. Irrespective of religion, be it Hindu or Muslim, the residents, especially the forest goers, worship goddess Bonbibi, who is revered as the forest's guardian spirit. According to the myth, Bonbibi saves every individual from tigers, snakes, and crocodile attacks. The name "Bonbibi" is unique for any Bengali deity because the term "bibi" is frequently used by Muslim women as their surname. Such a location-based religious framing focuses on an original viewpoint that emphasizes ecological resilience as well as sustainable activities. Forest workers abstain from fish catching during specific breeding seasons and they do not obtain honey from the small flowering trees. The worship of the goddess Bonbibi promotes the benefits of protecting forests. It has been noted that Bonbibi, the personification of strong traits rather than spirituality, is worshipped for security rather than salvation. The people, especially the fishermen, Bauli (woodcutters), and Mouli (honey gatherers) pray, sing hymns, recite poetry, and seek the blessing of Goddess Bonbibi before entering the dense forest. The most astonishing thing about this is that Muslims still pray to Bonbibi like Hindus do, despite not believing in idol worship! Even after their husbands' deaths, the 'tiger widows' have unwavering faith in Bonbibi. In the Sundarbans, where death is largely unpredictable, it is clear how fear and vulnerability outweigh the differing perspectives of different religious communities and thus embody the humane principle of unity in diversity. In this way, the cultural ideals about the goddess Bonbibi are a fundamental component of the Sundarbans and may help address contemporary issues and reconstruct a resilient society. Since isolated set of scientific environmental protection policies would be insufficient to solve the issues raised by the vulnerable ecology, conservation guidelines protecting this largest coastal mangrove forest should acknowledge these location-based customary conventions.