Indians at Princeton University - 8

Whispers of an Ancient Land: Jahnabi Barooah's Quest to Save Munsar Talav

Jahnabi Barooah Chanchani, a name resonating with passion, cultural preservation, and a commitment to unravel the mysteries of her beloved India, embarked on a journey that not only delves into the depths of history but confronts the challenges of the present. Her life's work is a blend of scholarship, activism, and unwavering love for her homeland.

Jahnabi, a writer, editor, and translator residing in the idyllic college town of Ann Arbor, was born into a world where languages, cultures, and the past intermingle like threads in a tapestry. Growing up in Guwahati, India, she grappled with the intricate relationships between Assamese, and English, and her own conflicting feelings toward Hindi. Her multilingual upbringing set the stage for her life's journey - a journey through time, culture, and heritage.

In 2007 Jahnabi went to do her B.A. Economics from Princeton University. In 2013, she embarked on a new chapter of her life by enrolling in Harvard Divinity School's master's program. Her pursuit of knowledge led her to study a fascinating array of languages, including Bangla, German, Latin, and Sanskrit. However, among these linguistic endeavors, it was Sanskrit that held her heart. Her connection with this ancient language was profound and rooted in history, spirituality, and culture.

Her life took an unexpected turn on July 22, 2017. On that fateful day, amidst a torrential downpour in Viramgam, a village on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, Jahnabi found herself standing beside a man-made lake known as Munsar Talav. This lake, reminiscent of Lake Manasarovar in the Tibetan Plateau, is deeply ingrained in the spiritual imaginations of millions of Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists. It is a jewel of India's cultural heritage, yet it was choking on raw sewage, domestic and industrial waste, and a sea of garbage.

Beside her, Jahnabi's husband, a South Asian art history professor, waved enthusiastically, undeterred by the relentless rain. They were there with graduate students from the University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania, on a mission to document Munsar Talav. Their goal was to preserve the medieval temples surrounding the lake, creating a humanities project that would breathe life into this neglected heritage.

The rain was an unrelenting adversary. Notebooks turned into pulp, and the ink flowed like dark jets. The foundations of temples were submerged, barring entry. They walked around the temples and saw structures that had withstood centuries, now trembling like a flotilla in a tempestuous sea. Putrid water was corroding their ornate walls, gnawing at sculptures and loosening stones. Around these temples lay fragments of hundreds more that had succumbed to the passage of time and the apathy of humankind.

Amidst this crumbling heritage, they found religious resilience. In a medieval shrine devoted to Munsar Mata, the goddess of the lake, a priest revealed a local custom: offering clay heads to the goddess. It was a tradition that hinted at forgotten rituals or perhaps a remedy for headaches. The lake, they realized, held stories not only of the past but also of its people, their struggles, and their resilience.

But their mission didn't end with the conservation of temples. It extended to the broader issues plaguing the area - land encroachments, pollution, and rampant development. The water, contaminated by pollutants from homes and businesses, had become a breeding ground for grotesque sights, including bloated monitor lizard corpses and mountains of garbage. Children, despite their dire circumstances, played in the rain.

In these challenges, Jahnabi saw the essence of a rapidly transforming India. How could Viramgam, home to such a magnificent cultural heritage, be overshadowed by its more prosperous neighbor, Ahmedabad? How could a nation tackle issues of economic development, urban planning, ecological conservation, and the preservation of its past?

Since their visit, Jahnabi and her husband have redoubled their efforts. They've engaged with stakeholders from various fields, including government officials, archaeologists, conservation architects, hydrologists, and cultural policymakers. Their conversations, marked by determination and a passion for India's heritage, may define the future of Munsar Talav.

Jahnabi Barooah Chanchani's life is a testament to the power of education, history, and the relentless pursuit of preserving cultural legacies. Her work serves as a reminder that in the face of daunting challenges, individuals with unwavering passion can spark change, breathing life into the relics of the past and ushering in a brighter future.