EcoSikh, BNHS launch mission to revive Punjab’s ‘Baaj’; 350 forests to honor Guru Tegh Bahadur
Chandigarh, October 15, 2025: EcoSikh on Wednesday unveiled a statewide plan to revive the ‘Baaj’—the Northern Goshawk closely associated with Guru Gobind Singh—in partnership with the 140-year-old Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). The NGO also announced a campaign to plant 350 Sacred Forests marking the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur. The announcements were made at the Press Club, Chandigarh.
“The soaring bird of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the ‘Baaj’ reminded people to live a life of dignity and courage. It is unfortunate that this important symbol of the great Guru and Punjab’s official state bird has now vanished from the state’s skies due to habitat loss, illegal trade, and pollutants,” said Rajwant Singh, Global President of EcoSikh.
EcoSikh noted there have been no recorded sightings of the Baaj by Punjab’s Wildlife Department in over two decades, prompting a science-led reintroduction and habitat-restoration effort. “We at EcoSikh are excited about our MoU and collaborative plan with the Bombay Natural History Society to embark upon an ambitious Sacred Fauna Mission,” Rajwant Singh said, adding that the initiative will work with multiple stakeholders to rehabilitate the Northern Goshawk and restore its habitat across Punjab. The plan also includes work on the shaheen baaj, a falcon breed.
What was announced:
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A Sacred Fauna Mission with BNHS to reintroduce the Northern Goshawk and restore raptor habitats across Punjab.
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Rehabilitation efforts for the shaheen baaj alongside the Baaj.
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Planting 350 native, Miyawaki-style Sacred Forests as “living classrooms” to honor Guru Tegh Bahadur’s 350th martyrdom anniversary.
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A Guru Har Rai Herbal Garden at Gurdwara Charan Kanwal Sahib, Panchkula, Haryana.
“We are committed to planting 350 new Sacred Forests in tribute to Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. Each forest will serve as a living classroom restoring biodiversity and honoring Sikh Gurus’ timeless relationship with nature,” said Supreet Kaur, President of EcoSikh India.
Over 16 years, EcoSikh has planted more than 1,350 Sacred Forests across India, advancing its 1-million-tree goal. Launched in 2019 to mark Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary, the Guru Nanak Sacred Forests campaign has planted about 750,000 native trees, with roughly 550 trees per forest. “Under the ‘Lungs of Ludhiana’ initiative alone, we have planted around 280 forests comprising more than 152,000 native trees,” said Lokesh Jain, Managing Director of TK Steel and convenor of the citywide greening project.
“Planting forests in the name of our Gurus has been our sacred tradition for years. With the Sacred Fauna Mission, we now extend this tradition to the skies. Restoring the Baaj is not just ecological work, it is spiritual service, a renewal of the Guru’s teaching of ‘Sarbat da Bhala’,” said Charan Singh, Convenor of Sacred Forests & Sacred Fauna at EcoSikh.
“With the support of the Sadh Sangat, EcoSikh is creating a Guru Har Rai Herbal Garden at Gurdwara Charan Kanwal Sahib. Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji was a true nature lover who established a medicinal herbal garden in Kiratpur, known as Naulakha Bagh,” said Ujjagar Singh, President of the gurdwara committee.
About EcoSikh: Founded in 2009 and inspired by the teachings of Guru Nanak, EcoSikh is a global Sikh environmental organization linking faith, climate action, and community resilience.