Sacred groves: A sustainable conservation strategy for Protection of Biodiversity in India

 

Sacred groves: A sustainable conservation strategy for

 Protection of Biodiversity in India

The term "sacred grove" refers to communally protected forests that typically have a strong religious consequence for the protecting community. These are the remnants of the prehistoric forest that some rural people protect as the homes of the deity or god. Such "ecosystem loving people" rely on local resources for their daily needs and appreciate nature for the ecological services it offers. Generally speaking, the size of a sacred grove can be anywhere from a few square metres to several hectares. These preserved forest patches are typically located near human settlements. As a result, settlement has become an integral aspect of traditional rural communities. But there is only one rule, however, to be followed in this sacred forest, and, that is – “You cannot take anything out of this forest, else the deity gets upset”. It was thought that disturbing these forest sections would enrage the spirits to whom they were committed. It represents a significant long-standing tradition of preserving specific land areas along with plants, animals and even microbes like macrofungi. The practice of maintaining sacred groves is one method of fostering this human, ecological, and spiritual connection. It is claimed that these groves, which are regarded as one of the oldest types of habitat protection, can serve as a foundation for understanding the nature of ecosystems that existed in a certain area prior to human intervention. They are the last remnants of ancient ecological niches.

 

 

 

Sacred groves-A Treasure of Biodiversity & Sustainability:

The tremendous value of these Groves is due to the fact that they become reservoirs of many medicinal plants, wild relatives of crops, and several essential species, which operate as a significant gene pool. In addition to their ecological and genetic value, they play a crucial role in wildlife conservation. In several regions of the globe respect for nature has been influenced by religious beliefs and indigenous practices. As the area of the Grove is devoted to a local deity, they have gained attention from human since the dawn of civilization. Consequently, communities tend to assume responsibility for protecting and sustaining the region. All the plants and animals that inhabit the sacred forest are seen as either companions of the gods or sacred living things in the gods’ gardens. There are prohibitions, guidelines, and morals that limit who and what can enter sacred forests. For the most part, activities like gathering, hunting, wood chopping, and farming are outlawed. However, there are some exceptions, such as when collecting fallen wood, floor fruit, medicinal plants, or honey. Sacred forests also safeguard the headwaters of numerous water bodies and watercourses that supply drinkable water to rural people. They represent substantial cultural heritage of historical significance to the inhabitants of the area.

Such sacred natural locations are found in thirty-three nations throughout the world. Within Indian Territory almost 13720 sacred groves were recorded among which 5000 are in Himachal Pradesh. Each of the states of Kerala and Chhattisgarh claimed having 2000 sacred groves, whereas Maharashtra admitted having 1600. The Sacred Grooves play an exceptional significance in ecological processes such as hygienic environment, safeguarding of flora and fauna, carbon sequestration, temperature regulation, preservation of traditional knowledge, etc., and are thus they are considered as heart of ecological research. There are many different cultural and traditional beliefs connected to these sacred sites, all of which contribute to the preservation of them. Religious beliefs and myths have a significant role in protecting biodiversity from exploitation for both personal and commercial gain. A vast number of tropical plant species are typically threatened in this country as a result of deforestation, disintegration of forest, and destruction of habitat. Indigenous tribes inhabiting close to such regions retain certain plants in their native habitat owing to the magical-religious belief that they are the home of gods and goddesses. Sacred groves are actually pristine forest pockets, dedicated to local deities, are preserved and managed traditionally by local inhabitants till date. It has reported that among the indigenous communities of Andhra Pradesh, few flora, primarily trees designated as part of a sacred grove, are off-limits to typical human meddling as they belong to the gods habitation. Thus, indigenous knowledge and associated practices are acknowledged as playing an important role in sustainable management of forest and natural vegetation among aborigines, which also contributes to their societal empowerment. The belief is unique and varies from community to community and even from village to village.

 

 

Scientific Name of plant	Family	Mythological  and Religious belief
Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa	Rutaceae	Leaves are used for prayers and rituals
Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br.	Apocynaceae	Considered as  sacred tree and habitat of Shani
Ardisia solanacea (Poir.) Roxb.	Primulaceae	Considered as  sacred tree and habitat of lord  Krisna
Artocarpus chama Buch.-Ham.	Moraceae	Considered as  sacred tree and habitat of Nagdevta
Azadirachta indica A.Juss.	Meliaceae	Habitat of Serpent King
Berberis asiatica Roxb. ex DC.	Barberidaceae	Root is considered as holy wood
Calotropis gigantea (L.) Dryand.	Asclepiadeceae	Offered during prayers to Lord Shiva
Citrus medica L.	Rutaceae	Considered sacred for its worship
Cynodon dactylon(L.) Pers.	Poaceae	Considered sacred for its worship
Daturastramonium L.	Solanceae	Flowers are used in rituals
Desmostachya bipinnata (L.) Stapf	Poaceae	Plants are used in rituals
Haldina cordifolia (Roxb.) Ridsdale	Rubiaceae	Regarded as the abode of Goddess Basari
Ficus benghalensis L.	Moraceae	Considered sacred for its worship
Ficus religiosa L.	Moraceae	Considered sacred for its worship
Elaeocarpus serratus L.	Eleocarpaceae	Considered sacred
Evolvulus alsinoides (L.) L.	Convolvulaceae	Considered sacred for its worship
Mangifera indica L.	Anacardiaceae	Leaves are used in religious purposes
Musa paradisica L.	Musaceae	Plants are used in rituals
Nelumbo nucifera  Gaertn.	Nymphaceae	Flowers are used for prayer of goddess Durga or Ambika  and many rituals
Nerium oleander L.	Apocynaceae	Lord Ganesh
Ocimum tenuiflorum L.	Lamiaceae	Considered as Goddess in Hindu rituals
Saraca indica L.	Fabaceae	Considered sacred for its worship
Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch.	Asteraceae	Offered during prayers to Lord Shiva
Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Pers.	Fabaceae	Habitat of Lord Narayana
Terminalia arjuna(Roxb. ex DC.) Wight & Arn.	Combretaceae	Habitat of Lord Brahma

These ancient forest remnants are crucial to the fight against climate change. Because of its capacity for carbon sequestration, or the capture and storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide, this stable ecosystem of organic material can aid in the fight against climate change. In terms of global climate change policies, this is important.

 

Threat to Sacred groves and Future Perspective:

However, since few years sacred forest conservation receives little attention at the national policy level, and their importance is frequently disregarded. This has allowed for improper infrastructure building and unsustainable resource use. Furthermore, an externally induced shift in local value systems has compromised the efficiency of traditional conservation methods such as preservation of such groves. These causes have aided in the destruction and fragmentation of sacred forests in India and elsewhere. Increasing human intervention in the form of urbanization and deforestation has also contributed significantly to the extinction of the most sacred forests. Changes in land use are contributing to the decline of sacred forests because of their small size and rising edge density imply high vulnerability, particularly where traditional belief systems are trying to dismantle. As a result of modernization and urbanization, people's beliefs in religious conceptions are also dwindling, hence diminishing the sacredness of these groves. Nonetheless, people are also more conscious of the environment, which, with any luck, will balance out the care given to these areas. Scientists and policy makers have also proposed a variety of conservation approaches for Sacred Forests, such as legal and institutional reforms and the provision of incentives to local populations for the sustainable protection and management of these significant forest areas.