A Gandhian in Gharwal: Chandi Prasad Bhatt’ deals with the life of Bhatt, a well-known environmental activist who is often credited with founding of the Chipko movement. The writer of this biography is Ramachandra Guha, a well-known social historian. While normally biographies are much longer in length and COVER the ENTIRE life of the subject, this biography is a short essay focussing on some important events in the life of the protagonist.

The first thing that one notices is that it is a short biographical sketch. And the objectiveis made very CLEAR in the first paragraph itself. The author obviously reveres Chandi Prasad Bhattand hence he calls his journey a sacred pilgrimage. A pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred placewhich has a religious SIGNIFICANCE. The author clearly regards Chandi Prasad Bhatt as a living deity, not in a religious sense, but in a very secular way. He is the founder of Chipko movement.It is obvious then that the author regards the Chipko movement as sacred and consequently thebirthplace of the founder Gopeswar, a place of pilgrimage. Thus the first paragraph (a very short one) introduces the reader to:

1. The objective and nature of the journey.

2. The living deity (Chandi Prasad Bhatt).

3. The achievement of the living deity (The Chipko movement).