Earth Tales
Folklore about India’s Nature, Wildlife and Environment
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WELCOME TO EARTH TALES
“Earth Tales” is an artistic and editorial exploration into how folk narratives across India have long held ecological wisdom, often without ever using the word “environment.” It consists of richly illustrated folk stories, carefully selected from each state and union territory of India. These 36 chosen folk tales have themes of environmental consciousness, ranging from the scarcity of our natural resources to the fantastical origin stories of the Earth. Several fables explain the birth of certain animals, birds and plants; while others narrate the perspectives of humankind to understand their own mingled circumstances with the competitive biosphere that they exist in.
WHY WE EXPLORE: STORIES AS ECOLOGICAL MEMORY
“Our project explores India’s folk narratives as vessels of ecological wisdom, passed down through myth, metaphor, and oral tradition.”
This work stems from the belief that folklore can drive conservation efforts emphatically at a time when both indigenous storytelling and ecological balance are under threat. Meanwhile, Ashmeen seeks to bring visual resonance to these tales, crafting layered and symbolic illustrations that make the stories accessible across generations. As the head illustrator, Shreya is to work with other artists to imbue each narrative with a coherent visual lyricism that highlights ecological values while preserving the plurality of indigenous art styles that the project draws inspiration from. Together, we are not only documenting endangered traditions but reanimating them—bridging ancient memory with urgent modern challenges to create a body of work that aspires to live on in shelves, minds, and movements.
OUR INTENT
We believe conservation is not just about protecting landscapes and species, but also about safeguarding the cultural imagination that once taught us how to live
harmoniously with them.
This anthology responds to two urgent crises: the real-time loss of biodiversity and the quiet erasure of folk wisdom.
Before the delicate link between indigenous knowledge and future generations is severed, this is our first step towards its restoration.
OUR MISSION & WHY IT MATTERS
Our Mission – To ignite momentum toward conservation and coexistence by reviving folk narratives that carry deep ecological wisdom.
Why it Matters – As the climate emergency is the defining challenge of our time, storytelling offers a path to seed the action our future desperately needs.
CREDITS
Executive Editors
Dheeraj Dubey, Nikhita Singh
Head Editor
Ashmeen Bains
Assistant Editor
Jenica Amalita
Head Designer and Art Director
Shreya Junnarkar
Assistant Designer and Art Director
Manan Agrawal
Illustrators
Aarohi Bansal (Tripura), Aastha Laddha (Haryana), Akshata Acharya (Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh), Amruta Shandilya (Chandigarh), Anna Jovita (Tamil Nadu), Ayushi Mehra (Diu), Bhanu Fulara (Himachal Pradesh), Bharat M. E. (Karnataka), David Zoremsanga (Mizoram), Drishti Vashishth (Rajasthan and Manipur), Jahnvi Choudhary (Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh), Jeet Kamal Das (Meghalaya), Kanishka Singh (Assam and Jharkhand), Kaustav Purkayastha (West Bengal), Manan Agrawal (Andhra Pradesh and Sikkim), Naisargi Buch (Lakshadweep), Nimsis Jayaweera (Delhi and Punjab), Preity Galani (Andaman & Nicobar), Priyanka Butola (Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand), Reechik Banerjee (Ladakh), Savyasachi Ganjoo (Kashmir and Odisha), Shreya Junnarkar (Goa and Telangana), Shwetabh Suman (Bihar), Sugam Thakur (Himachal Pradesh), Sumita Sinha (Maharashtra and Puducherry), Tsozo Hoshi (Nagaland), Yadu Krishnan (Kerala)