page_title: Bishnoi
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Bishnoi / Background / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Vishnois Performing Havan With Khopra (Coconut) And Ghee At Khejarli Environment Fair.
context_page_description: Bishnoi is a Hindu religious sect found in the Western Thar Desert and northern states of India. They follow a set of 29 principles/commandments given by Guru Jambeshwar. They are not a caste but a sect. As of 2019, there are an estimated 960,000 followers of Vishnoi sect residing in north and central India. Shree Guru Jambeshwar founded the sect at Samrathal Dhora in 1485 and his teachings, comprising 120 shabads, are known as Shabadwani. He preached for the next 51 years, travelling across India. The preaching of Guru Jambhoji inspires his followers as well as the environmental protectors.
context_section_description: Bishnoi sect was founded by Shree Guru Jambeshwar (1451-1536), also known as Jambhoji. Some people have used the term Vishnoi, meaning followers of Vishan, the all mighty god, while some refer to themselves as Bishnoi. Shree Guru Jambeshwar himself did not refer to Bishnoi but does mention Vishan. Adherents are also known as Prahladapanthi because of their devotion to Prahlada, another Hindu deity.
  Shree Guru Jambeshwar announced a set of 29 tenets. These were contained in a document called Shabadwani, written in the Nagri script, which consists of 120 shabads. Of his 29 tenets, ten are directed towards personal hygiene and maintaining good basic health, seven for healthy social behaviour, and four tenets to the worship of God. Eight tenets have been prescribed to preserve bio-diversity - although most adherents are unaware of that, or such things as global warming, as a concept -  and encourage good animal husbandry. These include a ban on killing animals and felling green trees, and providing protection to all life forms. The community is also directed to see that the firewood they use is devoid of small insects. Wearing blue clothes is prohibited because the dye for colouring them is obtained by cutting a large quantity of shrubs.
caption: Vishnois performing haven with kopra and ghee at Khejarli Environment Fair.
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