Ecological Ethics in the Poetry of Sheikh Nooruddin: Nature, Simplicity, and Sustainable Living

Name of Author : Gh Mohiuddin

Abstract: The growing environmental crisis of the twenty first century has prompted scholars to revisit traditional literary, philosophical, and spiritual traditions in search of ethical paradigms that encourage harmonious relationships between humanity and nature. Among the medieval mystic poets of South Asia, Sheikh Nooruddin, a fourteenth century mystic poet popularly known as Nund Rishi, stands out as the founder of the Rishi tradition in Kashmir. While his poetry has been extensively studied for its spiritual, ethical, and socio religious dimensions, its ecological consciousness has received comparatively little scholarly attention. This paper examines the ecological awareness in the poetry of Sheikh Nooruddin, founder of the Kashmiri Rishi tradition. Using Ecocriticism as the theoretical framework, the study argues that the poetry of Sheikh Nooruddin written in couplets called Shruks articulate an indigenous environmental ethic grounded in reverence for nature, moderation, compassion for living beings, and sustainable living. Through close textual analysis, the paper demonstrates how Sheikh Nooruddin presents nature as a sacred moral order that guides human conduct rather than merely a physical environment. His poetic vision anticipates contemporary concerns with ecological balance, environmental responsibility, and sustainable development. The study also highlights the continuing relevance of his ecological philosophy in the context of climate change, consumerism, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

Keywords : Nund Rishi, Ecocriticism, Environmental Ethics, Sustainability, Rishi Tradition, Kashmiri Literature, Ecological Consciousness

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