Ecocritical Insights into V.S. Naipaul's "Wounded Civilization" in India

Ecocriticism explores the relationship between literature and the natural environment, focusing on how texts represent ecological concerns and foster environmental consciousness. India’s cultural heritage, rooted in traditions such as the worship of trees, rivers, animals, and the Earth as Mother Goddess, reflects a sustainable worldview that is increasingly under threat from industrialization and modernization. V.S. Naipaul’s India: A Wounded Civilization offers a critical perspective on postcolonial India, where the combined effects of colonial legacies, socio-cultural change, and developmental pressures contribute to environmental degradation and the erosion of indigenous ecological practices. This study examines Naipaul’s portrayal of the interconnectedness of nature, culture, and identity, highlighting the shift from reverence for the natural world to ecological decline.