HARNESSING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE FOR COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION: THE NAKSHATHRA VANAM MODEL

Abstract

Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) have long served as foundational frameworks for sustainability, cultural continuity, and holistic well-being among indigenous communities. Rooted in generations of lived experience, traditions, and ecological understanding, IKS offer valuable insights for contemporary community development. This paper explores the relevance of IKS in promoting sustainable practices, preserving cultural heritage, and fostering self-determination—particularly through a service-learning approach that connects academic inquiry with community engagement.

The study highlights Nakshathra Vanam, an initiative launched in 2023 at Union Christian College, Aluva (UCC), which embodies indigenous cosmological knowledge by integrating the energies of the Nakshatras (lunar constellations) into its spatial design. More than a biodiversity garden, Nakshathra Vanam is a living repository of traditional ecological wisdom and cultural symbolism. It offers a spiritually enriched, reflective space that promotes personal growth, environmental awareness, and experiential learning.

Since its inception, the initiative has engaged seven diverse batches of participants—including school children, undergraduate and postgraduate students from science, arts, and botany disciplines, international service-learning students, alumni, and the general public. Participant feedback has informed ongoing improvements and affirmed the site's value in education, cultural revitalization, and well-being.

This paper also examines challenges in integrating IKS into mainstream development, such as epistemological bias and institutional neglect. It argues for an inclusive, interdisciplinary model that respects indigenous ways of knowing and fosters collaborative knowledge production.

The Nakshathra Vanam case study demonstrates how place-based, culturally rooted initiatives can contribute to sustainable development and deepen the connection between people, nature, and indigenous cosmology.