In Odisha’s Niyamgiri Hills, the Dongria Kondh tribe resisted the mining giant Vedanta Resources’ plan to mine bauxite on their sacred mountain — a site central to their spiritual beliefs, forest livelihoods, and water systems. The proposed project threatened to destroy the hill’s ecology and the community’s cultural identity. In protest, around 150 villagers blocked the access road with tree trunks and staged sit-ins to stop company vehicles from entering. This direct action became part of a broader grassroots campaign defending Niyamgiri as both home and deity.