Sacred groves of India

Last updated November 15, 2024

The Sacred Hindoo Grove near Chandod on the Banks of the Nerbudda by James Forbes, 1782 ChandodSacredGrove.jpg — *The Sacred Hindoo Grove near Chandod on the Banks of the Nerbudda* by James Forbes, 1782

Sacred groves of India are forest fragments of varying sizes, which are communally protected, and which usually have a significant religious connotation for the protecting community. Hunting and logging are usually strictly prohibited within these patches.^[1] Other forms of forest usage like honey collection and deadwood collection are sometimes allowed on a sustainable basis. NGOs work with local villagers to protect such groves. Traditionally, and in some cases even today, members of the community take turns to protect the grove.^[2] The introduction of the protected area category community reserves under the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2002 has introduced legislation for providing government protection to community held lands, which could include sacred groves.

Uses of sacred groves
Traditional uses
Modern uses
Religious beliefs and practices
Types of sacred forests
Religious merits of planting and nurturing forests
Locations of sacred groves
Distribution of sacred groves in India
Summary of number of sacred groves by states in India
Select examples of sacred groves
Threats
See also
References
Further reading

Around 14,000 sacred groves have been reported across India, which act as reservoirs of rare fauna, and more often rare flora, amid rural and even urban settings. Experts believe that the total number of sacred groves could be as high as 100,000. Threats to the groves include urbanization, and over-exploitation of resources. While many of the groves are looked upon as abodes of Hindu deities, in the recent past a number of them have been partially cleared for construction of shrines and temples.^[3]^[4] Sacred groves are places of yatra (pilgrimage) in Indian-origin religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism

Indian sacred groves are often associated with temples, monasteries, shrines, pilgrimage sites, or with burial grounds. Historically, sacred groves find their mention in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist texts, from sacred tree groves in Hinduism to sacred bamboo groves and sacred deer parks in Buddhism for example.^[5] Sacred groves may be loosely used to refer to natural habitat protected on religious grounds. Other historical references to sacred groves can be obtained in Vrukshayurveda an ancient treatise, ancient classics such as Kalidasa's Vikramuurvashiiya. There has been a growing interest in creating green patches such as Nakshatravana grove.

Uses of sacred groves

Traditional uses

One of the most important traditional uses of sacred groves was that it acted as a repository for various Ayurvedic medicines. Other uses involved a source of replenishable resources like fruits and honey. In most sacred groves it was taboo to hunt or chop wood. The vegetation cover helps reduce soil erosion and prevents desertification as in Rajasthan. The groves are often associated with ponds and streams, and meet water requirements of local communities. They sometimes help in recharging aquifers as well.

Modern uses

In modern times, sacred groves have become biodiversity hotspots, as various species seek refuge in the areas due to progressive habitat destruction and hunting elsewhere. Sacred groves often contain plant and animal species that have become extinct in neighboring areas. They therefore harbor great genetic diversity. Besides this, sacred groves in urban landscapes act as "lungs" to the city as well, providing much needed vegetation cover.

Religious beliefs and practices

Typically, sacred groves in Indian-origin religions are associated with the concept of a presiding deity. Often these sacred deities are numerous nature spirits and guardians associated with Hindu, Jain and Buddhist deities, such as nature spirits known as Yakshas (numerous nature spirits), Nāgas (serpent guardians) and guardian tutelary deities (like ayyanar and amman) are also known. There are over 1000 deities associated with sacred groves in the states of Kerala and Karnataka alone. A large number of distinct local art forms and folk traditions are associated with the deities of sacred groves, and are an important cultural aspect closely associated with sacred traditions. Ritualistic dances and dramatizations based on the local deities that protect the groves are called Theyyam in Kerala and Nagmandalam, among other names, in Karnataka. Often, elaborate rituals and traditions are associated with sacred groves,^[6] as are associated folk tales and folk mythology.

Types of sacred forests

The Hindu tradition considers forests to be of three types - Tapovan, Mahavan and Sreevan. Tapovan are forests associated with penance (Tapas), and are inhabited by saints and rishis. Mahavan refers to the grand natural forests. Tapovan and Mahavan are considered to be a Raksha ("sanctuary") for flora and fauna as ordinary human beings are not allowed to enter these forests. Sreevan, which means, "forests of the goddess of prosperity", consists of dense forests and groves. From the former, people would collect dry wood, leaves, forest produce and a limited amount of timber, though natural ecosystem would not be unnecessarily disturbed. Groves were considered as spaces of forests from where harvesting could be done. Sometimes, specific trees like mango trees could be planted and nurtured here. Groves were associated with religious rites, festivals and recreation. Typical recreational activities associated with these groves included jhoola/ jhoolan.^[7] In the villages, Panchavati, or a cluster of five trees that represented the forests, were maintained. These trees represented the five elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space.^[7]

Religious merits of planting and nurturing forests

Planting and nurturing of trees had been a highly evolved practice in ancient India.^[8]Vrukshayurveda, the science of plant life and also a 10th-century treatise of that title on the subject ascribed to Surapala, dealt with various species of trees and their growth. Verses 9-23 from this text indicate how mystical beliefs and conservation of ecology was inter-connected.

A person is honored in Vaikuntha for as many thousand years as the days they reside in a house where tulasi is grown.

And if one properly grows bilva, which pleases Lord Siva, in their family, the goddess of riches resides permanently passes on to the sons and grandsons

One who plants even a single asvattha, wherever it may be, as per the prescribed mode, goes to the abode of Hari.

One who has planted dhatri has performed several sacrifices. They has donated the earth. They would be considered a liberated soul forever.

One who plants a couple of banyan trees as per the prescribed mode would go to the abode of Siva.

After planting neem trees a person well-versed in dharma attains the abode of Sun. Indeed! One resides there for a long period.

By planting four plaksa trees a person doubtlessly obtains the fruits of Rajasuya sacrifice.

One who plants five or six mango trees attains the abode of Garuda and lives happily forever like gods.

One should plant seven palasa trees or even one. One attains the abode of Brahma and enjoys the company of gods by doing so.

One who personally plants eight udumbara trees or even prompts someone to plant them, rejoices in the lunar world

One who has planted madhuka has propitiated Parvati, has become free from diseases, and has worshipped all deities.

If one plants ksirini, dadimi, rambha, priyala, and panasa, one experiences no affliction for seven births.

One who has knowingly or unknowingly planted ambu is respected as a recluse even while staying in the house.

By planting all kinds of other trees, useful for fruits and flowers, a person gets a reward of thousand cows adorned with jewels.

By planting one asvattha, one picumanda, one nyagrodha, ten tamarind trees, the group of three, viz., kapittha, bilva, and amalaka, and five mango trees, one never visits hell.^[8]

Locations of sacred groves

Distribution of sacred groves in India

Sacred groves are scattered all over the country, and are referred to by different names in different parts of India. Sacred groves occur in a variety of places – from scrub forests in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan maintained by the Bishnois, to rain forests in the Western Ghats of Kerala. Himachal Pradesh in the north and Kerala in the south are specifically known for their large numbers of sacred groves.^[9] The Gurjar people of Rajasthan have a unique practice of neem (Azadirachta indica) planting and worshipping as abode of God Devnarayan. Thus, a Gurjjar settlement appears like a human-inhabited sacred grove.^[10] Similarly Mangar Bani, last surviving natural forest of Delhi is protected by Gurjars of nearby area.^[11] 14,000 sacred groves have been reported from all over India, which act as reservoirs of rare fauna, and more often rare flora, amid rural and even urban settings. Experts believe that the total number of sacred groves could be as high as 100,000.^[12]^[4]

It is estimated that around 1000 km² of unexploited land is inside sacred groves. Some of the more famous groves are the kavus of Kerala, which are located in the Western Ghats and have enormous biodiversity; and the law kyntangs of Meghalaya – sacred groves associated with every village (two large groves being in Mawphlang ^[13] and Mausmai) to appease the forest spirit.

Summary of number of sacred groves by states in India

Among the largest sacred groves of India are the ones in Hariyali, near Gauchar in Chamoli District of Uttarakhand, and the Deodar grove in Shipin near Simla in Himachal Pradesh. Seeing the importance of sacred groves and other sacred natural sites in having conserved biodiversity all across the Himalayas, the intergovernmental organization ICIMOD developed and published a framework in 2016, to assess the present day significance of such sites for their integration into formal conservation and development frameworks.^[14]

All numbers are quoted from the records of the C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre of the Government of India. Starred numbers are likely to increase. The centre also maintains a complete list of identified sacred groves in India, most of which is online.^[15]

State	No of groves	Local name	References
Andhra Pradesh	691	Pavitraskhetralu	Kailash C. Malhotra et al.^[16]
Arunachal Pradesh	65	Gumpa forests (since attached to monasteries)	Dudley et al.^[17]
Assam	40	Than, Madaico
Chhattisgarh	600*	Sarna, Devlas, Mandar, Budhadev
Goa	NA*		SERBC document ^[18]
Gujarat	42*		^[19]
Haryana	248	Beed or Bid (बीड़), Bani (बणी), Bann (बण), Janglat (जंगलात), Shamlat (शामलात)
Himachal Pradesh	329	Dev Kothi, Devban, Bakhu Devban	^[20]
Jharkhand	21*	Sarna more than 500 " Jaherthan" in Godda of Jharkhand	Marine Carrin ^[21]
Karnataka	1424	Devarakadu, Devkad	Gadgil et al.^[22]
Kerala	2000	Kavu, Sarpa Kavu	M. Jayarajan ^[23]
Maharashtra	2820	Deorai/Devrai (Pune, Ratnagiri, Raigarh, Kolhapur Sindhudurg, Ahmednagar, Thane districts)	Waghchaure et al.^[24] Envis^[25]
Manipur	365	Umang Lai, Gamkhap, Mauhak (sacred bamboo reserves)	Khumbongmayum et al.^[26]
Meghalaya	79	Law Kyntang, Law Lyngdoh	Upadhyay et al.^[27]
Orissa	322*	Jahera, Thakuramma
Puducherry	108	Kovil Kadu	Ramanujam et al.^[28]
Rajasthan	9*	Oran (Jaiselmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner), Kenkri (Ajmer), Vani (Mewar), Shamlat deh, Devbani (Alwar), Jogmaya
Sikkim	56	Gumpa forests (since attached to monasteries)	S. S. Dash ^[29] Dudley et al.^[17]
Tamil Nadu	1400	Kovil Kadu	Eliza Kent ^[30] TNBB document ^[31]
Telangana	65		Kailash C. Malhotra et al.^[16]
Uttarakhand	18*	Devbhumi, Baun, Bugyal (sacred alpine meadows)	Anthwal et al.^[32]
West Bengal	670*	Garamthan, Harithan, Jahera, Sabitrithan, Santalburithan	R. K. Bhakat ^[33]

Select examples of sacred groves

Mannan Purath Kavu, Nileshwaram Kavu.jpg — Mannan Purath Kavu, Nileshwaram

Sarpa Kavu: A Sarpakkavu or Snake Grove is a kind of holy grove found in Kerala. Kavu is the traditional name given for Sacred groves across the Malabar Coast in Kerala, South India.^[34] Kavus are notable for Theyyam, the centuries-old ritual dance.
Umang Lai (literally, "Forest Deities"): A form of holy Sacred grove found in Manipur.^[35]^[36] There are more than 365 Umang Lais, affiliated to the ancient religion of Sanamahism, which exists in various regions scattered across the Northeastern state of Manipur since ancient times. The holy as well as religious festival of Lai Haraoba is celebrated especially in regards of these holy sacred groves.^[37] The accounts of these holy sacred groves are found in the ancient Manipuri Manuscript named Karthong Lamlen. Interestingly, Manipur stands 8th rank among all the Indian States and 1st rank for North East India, for having highest number of sacred groves across the country.

Threats

Threats to the grove include urbanization, over-exploitation of resources (like overgrazing and excessive firewood collection), and environmental destruction due to religious practices. Other threats to the sacred groves include invasion by invasive species, like the invasive weeds Chromolaena odorata , Lantana camara and Prosopis juliflora .

Related Research Articles

Sacred groves,sacred woods, or sacred forests are groves of trees that have special religious importance within a particular culture. Sacred groves feature in various cultures throughout the world. These are forest areas that are, for the most part, untouched by local people and often protected by local communities. They often play a critical role in protecting water sources and biodiversity, including essential resources for the groups that protect them.

The flora of India is one of the richest in the world due to the wide range of climate, topology and habitat in the country. There are estimated to be over 18,000 species of flowering plants in India, which constitute some 6-7 percent of the total plant species in the world. India is home to more than 50,000 species of plants, including a variety of endemics. The use of plants as a source of medicines has been an integral part of life in India from the earliest times. There are more than 3000 Indian plant species officially documented as possessing into eight main floristic regions : Western Himalayas, Eastern Himalayas, Assam, Indus plain, Ganges plain, the Deccan, Malabar and the Andaman Islands.

The Meghalaya subtropical forests is an ecoregion of Northeast India. The ecoregion covers an area of 41,700 square kilometers (16,100 sq mi), and despite its name, comprise not only the state of Meghalaya, but also parts of southern Assam, and a tiny bit of Nagaland around Dimapur and adjacent Bangladesh. It also contains many other habitats than subtropical forests, but the montane subtropical forests found in Meghalaya is an important biome, and was once much more widespread in the region, and for these reasons chosen as the most suitable name. The scientific designation is IM0126.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kavu</span> Sacred groves in Kerala, India

Kāvû is the traditional name given for sacred groves across the Malabar Coast in Kerala, South India. Kavus are notable for Theyyam, the centuries-old ritual dance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarpa Kavu</span> Traditional natural sacred spaces in South India

Sarpa Kavu or Naga Banna is a traditional natural sacred space seen near traditional homes in Kerala state of South India and in the region of Tulunad. The site is believed to be inhabited by snakes, and the area usually contains a representation of Naga Raja and other Naga Devatas, where offerings and rites are performed during special ceremonies. This is a Hindu ritual performed by the Naga descendants' sects like the Bunts and Nairs, and all castes hold the Sarpa Kavu in reverence, with access forbidden to the area unless for due ceremonies.

Forestry in India is a significant rural industry and a major environmental resource. India is one of the ten most forest-rich countries of the world. Together, India and 9 other countries account for 67 percent of the total forest area of the world. India's forest cover grew at 0.20% annually over 1990–2000, and has grown at the rate of 0.7% per year over 2000–2010, after decades where forest degradation was a matter of serious concern.

Sree Andalurkavu is a very ancient and famous and prominent Thiyya Community Urayima temple in Andalur in Dharmadam village of Kannur district, Kerala, India. It counts among the Abhimana Kshethras of Vaishnavite Shrines. This ancient temple is in the name of Lord Rama and the main festival is celebrated in mid-February: the first week of the month "Kumbam" of the Malayalam calendar. This Kavu also has a story of how the Kalaripayat warrior Thacholi Othenan, who once caused trouble in this Thiyar-dominated Kavu Andalur of Thalassery, was punished and defeated by the Thiyars and crossed the country through the bridge.

Punthalathazham is a landlocked neighbourhood of the city of Kollam in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located around six kilometres east of the core Kollam (Quilon) city towards Kannanalloor . This place has a little geographical importance and serves as the tail boundary of Kollam Municipal Corporation. Inhabitants belong to working and middle classes.

The Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary is a 208.5-km² (80.5-mi²) protected area in the Indian state of Goa in the Western Ghats of South India. It is located in the North Goa District, Sattari taluka near the town of Valpoi. The sanctuary is an area of high biodiversity, and is being considered to become a Project Tiger tiger reserve because of the presence of Bengal tigers.

A sacred natural site is a natural feature or a large area of land or water having special spiritual significance to peoples and communities. Sacred natural sites consist of all types of natural features including mountains, hills, forests, groves, trees, rivers, lakes, lagoons, caves, islands and springs. They are often considered sacred spaces.

Evoor Major Srikrishnaswamy temple is a Krishna temple in Evoor near Haripad, in Alappuzha, Kerala. It is said to have originated five millennium ago following Khandava Dahanam. Temple in its current form is built by Moolam Thirunal.

The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), also known as the Gadgil Commission after its chairman Madhav Gadgil, was an environmental research commission appointed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests of India. The commission submitted the report to the Government of India on 31 August 2011. The Expert Panel approached the project through a set of tasks, such as:

Compilation of readily available information about Western Ghats
Development of Geo-spatial database based on environmental sensitivity (Note: The geospatial datasets restored by OSGEO, contain critical GIS datasets from the WGEEP panel, including boundaries of critical wildlife corridors in the western ghats, biodiversity information, geo regions etc. The ESZ information was missing in the GIS datasets provided by OSGEO. Paani.Earth, a citizen led initiative for conservation of rivers has spatially mapped the ESZ taluks information provided in the WGEEP Report^. While there may be errors, our goal is to make this information more accessible) and
Consultation with Government bodies and Civil society groups.

Forests Department, Haryana is a department of the Government of Haryana, a state in India, that runs and maintains many protected nature areas in the state of Haryana. It has two administrative divisions: Forest and Wildlife. The department is responsible for maintaining National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Conservation Reserves in Haryana. It also provides a special emphasis on Soil and Moisture Conservation works in the hills to conserve water and deliver it to adjacent farmlands. Two National Parks, eight Wildlife Sanctuaries, two Conservation Reserves, four Animal & Bird Breeding Centres, one Deer park, and 49 herbal parks. Kanwar Pal Gujjar has been the cabinet minister responsible for this department since October 2019. constitute the Protected Area network of the department, covering 0.75% of the state. It also maintains a list of Protected Areas in Haryana.

Jamuna Sharan Singh is an Indian ecologist, academic and a former professor of botany and ecological sciences at Banaras Hindu University. He is known for his studies on the grassland ecosystems which are reported to have assisted in the better management of tropical grasslands. He is an elected fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, Indian Academy of Sciences, The World Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences, India. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the apex agency of the Government of India for scientific research, awarded him the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology, one of the highest Indian science awards, in 1980, for his contributions to biological sciences.

Sarna Burhi is a deity worshiped by various animist peoples living in the Bengal region of India and Bangladesh. Sarna Burhi is depicted as the goddess of Sal tree groves and she is strongly associated with water and plant life. The deity is traditionally worshiped by the Munda, Kurukh, and Oraon peoples of Bengal.

Mangar Bani, a paleolithic archaeological site and sacred grove hill forest next to the Mangar village on Delhi-Haryana border; is in the South Delhi Ridge of Aravalli mountain range in Faridabad tehsil of Faridabad district in the Indian state of Haryana. It lies, immediate south of India's national capital Delhi, within NCR.

Umang Lai are deities in Sanamahism who are the local guardians of a neighborhood or particular area. Umang Lais are worshipped only two times in a year. They are the group of sacred groves preserved for the local forest deities, worshipped by the Meitei people, the predominant ethnic groups, since ancient times in the Himalayan state of Manipur. The groves and the deities are worshipped and their pleasing ceremony is always celebrated every year through a music and dance festival called Lai Haraoba. There are 365 Umang Lais in the state, out of which 166 are identified in the valley regions of the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nanditha Krishna</span> Indian author

Nanditha Krishna is an Indian author, environmentalist and educationist. She was recognised by the Government of India who gave her one of the first Nari Shakti Awards in 2015, the highest award for women in India. She is the president of the C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation in Chennai and an author of several books.

References

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↑ Waghchaure, Chandrakant K.; Tetali, Pundarikakshudu; Gunale, Venkat R.; Antia, Noshir H.; Birdi, Tannaz J., Sacred Groves of Parinche Valley of Pune District of Maharashtra, India and their Importance ^{[ permanent dead link ]}, Anthropology & Medicine, Volume 13, Number 1, April 2006, pp. 55-76(22)
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