This qualitative interpretive study examines ecological resistance of Adivasi women, using documented cases and secondary archival sources, through the lens of ecofeminism and postcolonial theory. It aims to study how the struggle for Jal-Jungle-Jameen moves beyond environmental activism to include cultural survival, ancestral memory and political sovereignty. The study draws on documented case studies (Koel-Karo Movement, Saranda Forest resistance, Netarhat Field Firing Range protest and everyday ecological practices) and secondary archival sources marking a contextual mapping of Jharkhand’s ecological and cultural landscapes. These are studied to explore the lived experiences and narratives of Adivasi women. The findings, derived from systematic thematic analysis of the selected cases, suggest that Adivasi women are not passive victims of ecological violence but rather central actors in resisting deforestation, mining, displacement and state-led interventions. Their strategy makes use of rituals, festivals and protests, transmitting traditional ecological knowledge through oral traditions. This resistance constitutes an ecology of resistance where cultural identity, spirituality and environmental care converge. The study also shows how women’s struggles complicate traditional ecofeminist claims emphasizing historically situated labor, kinship and spiritual ecology. The research concludes that the struggles of Adivasi women in Jharkhand represent a hybrid model of resistance combining environmental justice with cultural continuity and postcolonial critique. Their defense of Jal-Jungle-Jameen is not only ecological but also ontological. Recognizing the roles of Adivasi women is key to reimagining ecofeminism, environmental humanities and future of ecological justice.
Bittu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.