Sacred Groves in India

December 20, 2024

GS Paper III Environment

Recently the Supreme Court of India directed the government of Rajasthan and the Union government to take comprehensive measures to identify, protect, and manage sacred groves across India.

The Supreme Court also lauded the Piplantri village in Rajasthan’s Rajsamand district.

Piplantri Model

Origin and Leadership: Initiated in Piplantri village, Rajasthan’s Rajsamand district, under the leadership of Sarpanch Shyam Sundar Paliwal.
Tree Plantation Initiative:
- Plants 111 trees for every girl child born in the village.
- Over 40 lakh trees were planted, raising the water table by 800-900 feet and reducing the climate temperature by 3-4°C.
Environmental Impact:
- Enhanced biodiversity and prevented soil erosion and desertification.
- Indigenous trees like gooseberry, aloe vera, and bamboo contribute to ecological balance.
Economic Benefits:
- Sustainable livelihoods created through aloe vera processing, furniture making, and other businesses.
- Empowered women through self-help groups and increased local incomes.
Social Transformation:
- Eliminated female foeticide and improved the female population ratio to 52%.
- Ensured education for all girls and financial support through schemes like Kiran Nidhi Yojna.
- Fostered a cultural shift where the birth of a girl is celebrated.

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About Sacred Groves

UNESCO Definition: Sacred groves are areas of “natural” vegetation preserved through local taboos and sanctions with spiritual and ecological values (UNESCO, 1996).
Ecological Significance: These groves support traditional associations with wildlife and landscapes like streams, contributing to biodiversity conservation.
Cultural Significance: Sacred groves are revered for their connection to the divine and symbolize a deep human-nature relationship rooted in cultural traditions.
Community Involvement: Local communities maintain sacred groves through strict taboos and customary laws.
Key Features
- Represent natural or near-natural ecosystems.
- Serve as repositories for rare, endangered, and indigenous species of flora and fauna.

Sacred Groves of India

State	Sacred Grove	Vegetation	Significance	Associated Community/Tribe	Conservation Status
Rajasthan	Orans, Rundhs	Arid vegetation, indigenous trees like Khejri, Ber	Linked to water conservation and worship of local deities	Local villagers and Bishnoi community	Recognized as community reserves under Wildlife Protection Act
Himachal Pradesh	Dev-vans	Deodar, oak, and rhododendron forests	Associated with local gods; serve as biodiversity hotspots	Himachali hill communities	Some are protected as forest reserves
Uttarakhand	Bugyals	Alpine meadows, herbs, and medicinal plants	Revered as sacred spaces for rituals and grazing lands	Local hill communities like Garhwali	Declared as community forests under state laws
Meghalaya	Mawphlang	Evergreen subtropical forests	Rich biodiversity, used in rituals and spiritual practices	Khasi tribe	Protected under community-based forest management
Kerala	Sarpa Kavu	Groves of coconut, jackfruit, and medicinal plants	Sacred to serpent worship; integral to traditional rituals	Nair and Ezhava communities	Managed by families or temple trusts
Tamil Nadu	Kovil Kavu	Temple forests of banyan, neem, and peepal trees	Biodiversity hubs tied to temple rituals	Local Tamil communities	Preserved through temple authorities
Karnataka	Devarakadu	Evergreen and semi-evergreen forests	Dedicated to local deities; significant for watershed and biodiversity	Kodava community in Coorg region	Declared as sacred forests under Forest Rights Act
Madhya Pradesh	Saranas/ Dev	Dry deciduous forests with Sal, Mahua	Worship of tribal deities and ancestors	Gond and Baiga tribes	Included under Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act
Bihar	Sarnas	Sal and other hardwood species	Sacred worship spaces for tribal deities	Santhal and Oraon tribes	Protected under tribal customary practices

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Legal Protection of Sacred Groves in India

Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Enables the declaration of sacred groves as community reserves, safeguarding them legally.
Forest Rights Act, 2006: Recognizes the rights of tribal and traditional forest-dwelling communities to protect and manage forest resources.
National Forest Policy, 1988: Encourages community involvement in the preservation and sustainable management of forest ecosystems.
Supreme Court Judgments: Landmark rulings such as the TN Godavarman case and the recent Rajasthan sacred grove judgment reinforce legal safeguards.

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