SOCIOPSYCHOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS OF DEVOTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR: THE GANGA PARADOX IN VARANASI

Abstract

The river Ganges that flows through Varanasi has a perplexing psychosocial aspect; it is worshipped as a mother and purifying body yet its ecology is negatively impacted over time. The aim of the research is to delve into the intersections of themes like faith, ecology, moral thinking, governance, and institutions with respect to the case of Namami Gange (2014–2024). The research adopts a pluralistic approach which involves the collection of primary data through 30 semi-structured interviews, two focus group discussions and the observation of the field made during the period from July to December 2023 and it also examines the data of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) Annual Reports together with the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) Water Quality Atlas ten-year trend data which includes the provisional 2024 data based on the summaries collected in March 2024. The study, utilizing the concepts of cognitive dissonance (Festinger, 1957) and moral disengagement (Bandura, 1999), has put forward the idea of "devotional dissonance" which refers to the situation where people are aware of the environment but at the same time, they carry on engaging in the rituals that cause pollution. The quantitative measures reveal that the Namami Gange project has led to a very slight ecological improvement, but the change in people's behaviour is limited by the strong social and psychological factors. The research results point out that people's misconception about pollution is not the main reason for its continuation, rather it is the cultural cognitive resilience that is supported by the government and the fragmentation of the governance that is responsible for the situation. Connecting devotion and ecological responsibility requires the use of environmentally friendly communication and the co-creation of policies that are culturally appropriate and recognize the alignment of moral cognition with sustainable action.