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Sacred Groves: A Religious Platform for Biodiversity
Conservation
By:
Priyanka Agnihotri, Harsh Singh & Tariq Husain*
One of the critical issues on the national and global
agenda is the need to preserve biodiversity for future generations
while trying to understand and document the indigenous knowledge of
resource management practices. Religion, being a powerful instrument
for convincing people, has always been used for meeting the desired
objectives of the society. The various religious philosophies have
contributed significantly in the conservation of forests,
biodiversity and landscapes by promulgating customary norms,
practices and beliefs. Some prominent live examples of traditional
and cultural forms of biodiversity conservation still exist and are
in practice, which include sacred groves, sacred species and sacred
landscapes. Sacred groves are the religious practice of conserving
biodiversity with strong beliefs, customs and taboos and are
treasure house of rare and endemic species. Everything within these
groves is under the protection of the reigning deity of the grove
and the removal of any material, even dead wood or twig is a taboo (Gadgil
& Vartak, 1976). Such groves still exist in many parts of the world
and represent relict vegetation of the locality, preserved in its
original form with minimal disturbance. Preservation of these
groves, though on the pretext of religious beliefs, is of importance
for conserving germ plasm that is otherwise under threat from human
interference (Khiewtan & Ramakrishnan, 1989).
The concept of sacred groves is still relevant and
exists today, especially in many parts of Mexico, Ghana, Nigeria,
Syria, Turkey and Japan (Gadgil & Vartak 1976). In India, they occur
in Western Ghats, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Karnataka,
etc., and found in variety of habitats from scrub forests of Thar
Desert (maintained by Bishnois), to rain forests of Kerala in
Western Ghats, Himachal Pradesh in the North and Kerala in the south
are specifically known for their large number of sacred groves.
India has the highest concentration of sacred groves in the world.
Estimates suggest that there might be between 1,00,000 and 1,50,000
sacred groves around the country (Malhotra et al., 2007) and
named differently in different parts of India such as Law
lyngdhoh in Meghalaya, Kovil kadu in Kanyakumari, Dev
bhumi in Uttarakhand, Kavu in Kerala, Sarna and
Deorai in Madhya Pradesh, Oran in Rajasthan, Jaherthan
and Garamthan in West Bengal, Deovan in Himachal,
Ummanglai in Manipur, etc. The existence of such undisturbed
pockets is mostly due to certain taboos, strong beliefs,
supplemented by mystic folklores.
Services of sacred groves
Biodiversity in sacred groves:
The sacred grove is kept in a comparatively
undisturbed condition, due to faith and regard of local people and
the belief that the sylvan deities would be offended, if trees are
cut, flowers and fruits are plucked. The vegetation composing the
sacred groves is very different from that of the surrounding areas
of the region. Many of the sacred groves are studied in different
parts of India, with a general focus on diversity of plant species.
Hariyal Devi and Tarkeshwar sacred landscape are one of the examples
of rich heritage of plant diversity situated in Garhwal Himalayas.
About 372 species are found in Tarkeshwar sacred landscape and more
than 100 species are found in Hariyali sacred landscape. Kabi sacred
grove in North Sikkim has 241 species of plants in a 3 km2
area. Jamir and Pandey (2003) studied plant species diversity
of three sacred groves in Meghalaya and found 395 species, 14 % of
which were endemic. 83 species are reported in Nakuleshwar sacred
grove from Kumaon Himalaya (Singh et al., 2011). Tiwari et
al. (1998), studied 79 sacred groves in Meghalaya, ranging from 0.01
to 900 hectares in size and found that the species diversity was
much higher than in disturbed forests. In addition, the species
Myristica magnifica and Pinanga dicksoni are now mainly
confined to a Myristica swamp in a sacred grove of Uttara
Kannada in northern Karnataka.
Rare and endemics plant species from sacred groves:
A number of studies have emphasized that many sacred groves are
repositories of rare species. Haridasan and Rao (1985) have reported
at least 50 endangered and rare species in sacred groves of
Meghalaya. Kunsteria keralensis, a climbling legume, reported
from a sacred grove in southern Kerala, is confined to that sacred
grove (Mohanan and Nair, 1981). Belpharistermma membranifolia,
Buchanania lanceolata and Syzygium travuncorium are
rare species found only in some sacred groves of Kerala. Mohanan
also discovered a rare species of cinnamon, Cinnamomum
quilonensis, in some of the Kavus of Alapuzha district in
Kerala (Unikrishnan, 1995).The Kallabbekan sacred grove in Kumta
taluk, Karnataka, over 50 ha. in extent, despite being in the
midst of arecanut-spice gardens of a populated village, is rich in
endemics like wild nutmegs (Myristica malabarica),
Cinnamomum malabathrum Garcinia gummi-gutta and wild
pepper. Petiveria alliacea, an endangered medicinal plant has
been reported from sacred grove of Kanyakumari (Sukumaran & Raj,
2008). In Kodagu district of Western Ghats, sacred groves were found
to protect some threatened tree species such as Actinodaphne
lawsonii, Hopea ponga, Madhuca neriifolia and Syzygium
zeylanicum, which are not found elsewhere.
Micro-climatic habitats:
Several taxa exhibit remarkable microhabitat-specific
nature which can be attributed to the local environmental conditions
and sacred groves provide excellent micro-climatic conditions for
the luxuriant growth of those plant species which are not present in
the surrounding areas at the same altitude. Changes in the
microhabitat often induce noticeable damping effect on the dominance
of one taxon in that area which sometimes account for its
disappearance on one hand and simultaneous emergence of another
species, since many species are highly sensitive even to the
smallest changes in the environmental conditions. For example in
Haat Kali sacred grove, Hedera nepalensis and Smilax
aspera are found frequently on trees of Cedrus deodara
and provide shelter to other life-forms. Microstylis acuminate,
an orchid grows gregariously in moist and humus rich soil of the
grove.
Conservation of water resources:
Larger sacred groves also have their own micro-climate which
increases nutrient recycling, recharge of aquifers and act as a
primary source of perennial streams. For example, in Nakuleshwar
sacred grove of Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand, the dense forest
forms plenty of catchment for perennial water stream and provide
essential requirement of water to the villagers and other people of
the area.
Providing livelihood:
Most of the sacred groves besides maintaining biodiversity provide a
livelihood to the community they belong to. The local communities
and the care takers of the groves have developed a rotation system
of getting forest products by which all the families receive
benefits during different time. Tree cutting is prohibited and only
felled trees are taken away by the natives. Chamunda Devi and Haat
Kali sacred groves in Kumaon Himalaya are one of the examples of
sustaining communities around the sacred groves.
Sacred plant species
From pre-historic times, plants and animals are the
part of our life. Some plant species are grown in sacred places
because people thought that ancestors and deities reside in these
plant species and protect their life. Plants are oldest creation of
God on earth and the conscious about them is as the human
civilization. Plant worshiping is one of the earliest religious
trends since the time ancient.
Numerous references are available in literature where plants are
treated as to the abode of the gods. In the scriptures, these plants
are mention of the Kalpa vrisksha and
Chaitya vrisksha, indicating that worshiping of the
trees is an Indian tradition. These plants are often grown along and
within the temples and can be considered as “sacred plants”. Various
religious ceremonies are based on these trees or plants. In India,
there are many festivals, which are based on flora. Holy Basil (Ocimum
species), Asoka (Saraca asoca), Banyan tree (Ficus
bengalensis), Peepal (Ficus religiosa), Kela (Musa
paradisica), Neem (Azadiaracta indica), Aam (Mangifera
indica) and Beal (Aegle marmelos) etc., are sacred plant
species in India. Many of them like the sacred basil and neem are
multi-purpose medicinal plants. These culturally valued species are
often ecologically important keystone species, which by their key
role in ecosystem functioning contribute to support much
biodiversity associated with it. Several studies were carried out in
Almora district (Uttarakhand) on the religious or sacred plants
(Sharma and Joshi, 2010). For example, Cedrus deodara is
frequently seen in Jageshwar and Dhaula Devi sacred groves and is
protected through religious beliefs, Quercus leucotricophora
in Jhakarsham sacred grove, Pinus roxburghii in Gairar
sacred grove, similarly, in Pithoragarh district,
Rhododendron arboreum in Malay Nath and Narayan Swami Ashram
sacred grove, Osmanthus frangrance in Thal Kedhar
sacred grove, Cedrus deodara in Haat Kali and Chamunda (Hanera)
Gangolihat, etc. Many ethnic, religious and cultural traditions are
associated with plant species (folk music, dance, literature and
poetry). In spite of this, these plant species play a significant
role in our daily life. These species are used as a good fodder,
fuel wood and timber, apart from the fact that they play a key role
in nutrient cycling and conservation, as well as in ensuring water
balance within the soil.
Threats to sacred groves
There are several key threats that have led to the
degradation of groves in India, these are:
Developmental projects:
Some of the sacred groves that fell under government-vested lands,
were destroyed when townships grew. Rails, roads and highways have
also taken their toll of many sacred groves. Others disappeared
under mining and industrial operations. Still others were flooded by
big dam projects. Such developmental projects have contributed
greatly to the diminishing of the flora and fauna of these sacred
groves.
Collection of biomass and medicinal plants:
Collection of biomass like fodder, fuel and other edible plants are
frequently done by local communities for their survival and daily
needs and grazing of animals is major concern to the biodiversity of
sacred groves. Ruthless destruction and overexploitation of medicinal
plants which are abundantly found in the sacred groves is another
factor for degradation of biodiversity within the grove.
Shift in belief system:
Shift of beliefs systems have also led to a weakening
of the conservation of sacred groves. In some cases, Hinduism has
subsumed the sacred groves that were established for older folk
deities. Moreover, in many countries local traditions are
being challenged by westernized culture, which results in the loss
of sacred groves and their cultural importance for future
generations of local people. Diminishing traditional beliefs due to
modernisation is another factor which effects their conservation.
Encroachment, Pilgrimage and Tourism:
Encroachment in various sacred groves for
agricultural practices such as coffee production in Kodagu sacred
grove of Karnataka and heavy influx of tourism and pilgrimage play
significant role in destruction of biodiversity. The biodiversity of
Patal Bhuvneshwar and Haat Kali sacred grove are now degraded due to
high tourism.
Conservation measures:
Sacred groves are managed by local communities since
ancient time and protection through religious norms and taboo is
excellent approach to protect these patches of virgin forests,
however, in the absence of effective conservation management these
sacred groves are facing challenges to hold the original plant
diversity they have. Sacred groves serve as repositories of genetic
diversity and are provided with comprehensive and rich ecological
niche. Creating awareness among the inhabitants about the importance
of invaluable genetic diversity and sustainable use of resources can
lead to a secure future of these conserved patches. Government and
international conservation agencies should support traditional
institutions of sacred grove management, whether at family,
community or even regional level. For effective conservation, it is
important to respect community values behind such impressive
conservation.
*Taxonomy & Herbarium Division, CSIR-National
Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow -226001,
India, [email protected] |
