THE LEGACY OF SACRED GROVES

These biodiversity hubs are exploited for their resources, as they house a wide range of flora and fauna

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Sacred groves are patches of lush greenery protected and preserved on religious and cultural grounds. The ancient Indian society tried to create a synergy of religion and nature to protect wilderness with a wide range of rare herbs, shrubs, reptiles, medicinal plants, ancient trees and so on. They are often associated with the local deity linked to an ancient, prehistoric tradition and customs in an area. Sacred groves can be classified under the purview of in situ conservation of biodiversity.

Rapid, unbridled industrialisation, coupled with a population boom, paved the way for irreparable damage to the ecosystem and led to the destruction of the groves. With rapid and lopsided urbanisation, we are losing this elixir of life. Over the passage of time, the question whether the legal regimes prevailing in India are sufficient for their protection remains unresolved.

This rich hub of biodiversity, which predates the agrarian era, evolved through history as a symbol of communion and reverence for nature. Man created a connection between nature and religious beliefs. In India, these gardens of the divine are spread over a wide area. Some of them are sparsely populated with a limited number of ancient trees, and the others are widely populated and are preserved as botanical gardens with a rich gene pool.

A sacred grove is mainly protected by specific families in that area in the belief that if they protect the sacred patch of land, the deity will protect their family and receive blessings. A variety of unique customs and practices prevail in these areas, which depict trees as an abode of gods, goddesses, or ancestral spirits to prevent their destruction and the hunting of wildlife around the area. Due to such practices and beliefs that instil fear in the minds of people, many such groves and a wide range of endangered species are preserved.