Breathing Roots: Reviving Nature and Culture in the Sundarbans

Journey

Officially active since 2021, Breathing Roots traces its origins to the Saurav Moni Team – a group largely comprised of local folk musicians – which had been working informally since before Cyclone Aila in 2009. When Aila struck, the team actively participated in emergency relief operations, laying the foundation for its community-driven mission.

Years later, during the COVID-19 pandemic and following Cyclone Amphan in 2020, the Saurav Moni Team once again turned to relief work in the flooded Lower Hingalganj Block – Saurav Moni’s native home. However, these repeated disasters made them realise that “relief is not the solution.” They saw that an earthen river dam, reinforced by a protective mangrove wall, could offer far greater resilience for Sundarban villages, helping safeguard them from increasingly frequent cyclones and floods.

Motivated by this vision, the team pioneered cultivating mangrove saplings in nursery bags – a fresh, locally appropriate concept that allowed the saplings’ root systems to stay intact and be transported to flood-prone areas as needed. Guided by the wisdom of local elders with deep traditional knowledge of mangrove ecology, the team began this work during the monsoon of 2020, when mangrove seeds float in from the mighty Sundarban forest. Their efforts led to the production of around 550,000 saplings representing 12–15 different mangrove species.

They faced enormous challenges along the way. The saplings were raised in uthon (home-based) nurseries run by flood-affected, unemployed village women and COVID-19-displaced migrant workers. To improve long-term survival rates, Breathing Roots introduced a three-year post-plantation maintenance programme so the saplings could grow beyond the grazing height of cattle and survive damage from trespassers.

The Magma Foundation, visiting the village for relief work, became aware of the team’s pioneering mangrove initiative and stepped forward with critical support, enabling the planting of 20,000 mangrove saplings. However, at that time the group had no formal organisational structure, and while other organisations came forward to help, a portion of funds was lost due to the lack of proper systems. This challenge convinced members of the Saurav Moni Team to formally establish Breathing Roots, allowing for transparent transactions and more accountable, community-centred development.

With available resources and the dedication of its folk-musician-led team, Breathing Roots has nurtured 985,000 mangrove saplings to date, establishing a 6-kilometre-long “Green Wall” to protect the fragile riverbanks around their residential area. Looking to the future, the team has resolved to expand this mangrove shield to cover other riverine villages across southern Bengal, with the long-term dream of building a continuous green wall of mangroves along India’s entire vulnerable coastline.

Partnerships and Community Engagement

Breathing Roots has collaborated with esteemed organisations such as the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), the German Consulate Kolkata, Magma Foundation, SENCO Gold & Diamonds, Living Waters Museum, the US Consulate Kolkata, and the AJC Bose Botanical Garden (Botanical Survey of India), among others.

In addition to ecological restoration, Breathing Roots promotes mangrove awareness through traditional music, art, and festivals, and organises film festivals to further engage communities. The organisation actively involves schools to encourage knowledge exchange between students from urban areas and those from Sundarbans villages, creating a bridge of understanding and shared learning.

Reviving Traditional Music & Art

Between 2020 and 2024, Breathing Roots has supported and uplifted over 400 local folk musician families through musical workshops aimed at preserving and promoting traditional cultural heritage. Its flagship event, the Breathing Roots Festival, celebrates local talent and strengthens community bonds by providing a platform for artisans, musicians, and performers to showcase their skills.

The team is also documenting and sharing endangered art forms of southern Bengal — including Bhatiali, Geetinatya / Pala-gaan, Pally-geeti, and Palkir Gaan (songs of palanquin bearers from the cobbler community) — to ensure they are not lost.

Sustainable Impact

Mangroves are known to absorb up to four times more carbon than many other tree species, making them vital in the fight against climate change. By nurturing nearly a million saplings and building a 6-kilometre mangrove wall, Breathing Roots is not only protecting communities from floods and erosion but is also making a powerful contribution to reducing the carbon footprint in the Sundarbans and beyond.

Vision Forward

With its unique blend of ecological restoration, cultural revival, and community empowerment, Breathing Roots stands as a beacon of hope and resilience for the Sundarbans. Its team — rooted in folk music, community wisdom, and local knowledge — is determined to expand this model of a “Green Wall” across southern Bengal and ultimately along the entire coastline of India, nurturing both nature and culture for future generations.