Guardians of the Tide: The Living Legacy of Sundarbans

(The untold story of earth’s largest mangrove eco-system)

- DR SINGARAM KULANDAIVEL

The Sundarbans is not merely a forest—it is a thriving, breathing entity, straddling the delicate delta where the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers merge. Spread across 105 islands inIndiaand manymore in Bangladesh, it forms the largest contiguous mangrove ecosystem on Earth. This estuarine wonder hosts more than 95 mangrove species, perfectly attuned to tidal rhythms, saline winds, and muddy substrates.This forest is a paradox of fragility and strength. It absorbs cyclones, cradles biodiversity, and nourishes over 4.5 million people. The Sundarbans doesn't just exist—it transforms the destiny of an entire region.

“Where the land breathes salt, and tides write stories, the Sundarbans stands—a living testament to nature’s resilience.”

A Tapestry of Tides and Civilizations: The Historic Settlements of sundarbans

The Sundarbans is one of the unique UNESCO-World heritage sites (1987) and the Ramsar Wetlandecosystem (2019) bears the deep imprint of history etched in mud, mangroves, and myth. From the 13th century onwards, this tide-washed delta witnessed waves of settlers—Mughal pioneers, Muslim saints, Buddhist monks, and invading Portuguese and Magh pirates from the Arakan coast—all leaving behind fragments of belief, trade, and culture. These interwoven identities gave rise to a composite, multi-ethnic society, thriving in resilience against both natural and human threats. As documented by historians like Eaton and Chatterjee Sarkar, the Mughals extended the delta’s cultivable frontier, while folk epics like Ray-Mangal and Johuranama chronicled the forest’s mystical lore. Here, history merges with folklore, and every creek and village tells a tale of struggle, survival, and sacred cohabitation with the wild.

Climate Warrior: Shielding Millions

“If Kolkata still stands tall after every cyclone, it is because the Sundarbans stoops to protect it.”