Status and socio-ecological dimensions of sacred groves in Northeast India
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Abstract
Sacred groves are among one of the best practices of biodiversity conservation used by the ethnic societies which are deeply associated with the religion and culture that significantly nurture nature. As these practices play a vital role in conserving socio-ecologically important species and protect threatened flora and fauna from extinction in different ecological zones. In northeast India, sacred groves are well connected with culture and society through religious beliefs of the population and their associated myths. Sacred groves cover a total of > 40,000 hectares of natural forest area in the five northeastern states of India. These forests house some of the most important and highly threatened species of plants. Wild relatives of present-day cultivated plants are found in these forests and hence act as the gene pool for these species. Social transformation and urbanization have a large impact on the structure and health of these forests and responsible for their destruction. Developmental projects like railways, roads, hydro-electric projects etc. have reportedly destroyed many groves in the past. Due to social transformation, the rate of activities like grazing, encroachment, cutting and collection of fuel wood, fruits and leaves has been increasing and posing a threat to the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem function in the future. Creating awareness about the social and ecological benefits of maintaining sacred groves among local people, especially youth, can help in reviving these practices and conserving them as a natural heritage for future generations is the need of the hour.
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Keywords
Northeast, Natural beliefs, Sacred groves, Social Transformation, Threats
References
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Boojh, R. and Ramakrishnan, P.S. (1983) Sacred Groves and Their Role in Environmental Conservation. In: Strategies for Environmental Management [Souvenir Volume], Department of Science and Environment, Government of Uttar Pradesh,Lucknow,6-8.
Burman, R. J. J. (1992). The institution of sacred grove. Journal of the Indian Anthropological Society, 27, 219-238.
Chanda, S., and Ramachandra, T. V. (2019). Sacred Groves—Repository of Medicinal Plant Resources: A Review. Research & Reviews: Journal of Ecology, 8(1), 12-20.
Chandrakanth, M. G., Bhat, M. G. and Accavva, M. S. (2004). Socio-economic changes and sacred groves in South India: Protecting a community-based resource management institution. In Natural Resources Forum (Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 102-111). Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1477-8947.2004.00077.x
Chandrashekara, U. M. and Sankar, S. (1998). Structure and functions of sacred groves: case studies in Kerala. Conserving the sacred for biodiversity management. Oxford and IBH Publishing, New Delhi, India, 323-335.
Chatterjee, S., Sastry, A. R. K., Roy, B. N., & Lahon, R. (2000, January). Sacred groves of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. In Abstract, National Workshop on Community Strategies on the Management of Natural Resources, Bhopal. Indira Gandhi Rastriya Manav Sanghralaya, Bhopal.
Devi, S. (2000). Sacred groves of Manipur. Abstract. In National Workshop on Community Strategies on the Management of Natural Resources, Bhopal. Indira Gandhi Rastriya Manav Sanghralaya, Bhopal.
Dutta, B. K. and Dutta, P. K. (2005). Potential of ethnobotanical studies in North East India: An overview. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge,
4(1):7-14
Fernandes, W., Chhetri, S., Joseph, S. and Lama, S. (2006). Development-Induced Displacement and Deprivation in West Bengal 1947-2000: A Quantitative and Qualitative Database on Its Extent and Impact. Guwahati: North Eastern Social Research Centre (mimeo).
Gadgil M. and Vartak V.D. (1975). Sacred groves of India – a plea of the continuous conservation. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 72(2): 313–320
Garg, A., Mishra, V., and Dholakia, H. H. (2015). Climate change and India: adaptation GAP (2015) (No. WP2015-11-01). Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
Gopal, D., von der Lippe, M., and Kowarik, I. (2019). Sacred sites, biodiversity and urbanization in an Indian megacity. Urban ecosystems, 22(1), 161-172. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-018-0804-4
Gupta, A. K., Deshmukh, S. and Gogate, M. G. (1998). Sacred Groves and Biological Diversity: Providing New Dimension to Conservation Issues.
Hughes, J. D. and Chandran, M. S. (1998). Sacred groves around the earth: an overview. Conserving the sacred for biodiversity management, 69-86.
Jamir, S. A. and Pandey, H. N. (2002). Status of biodiversity in the sacred groves of Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. Indian Forester, 128(7), 738-744.
Joshi, S. R., Banerjee, S., Bhattacharjee, K., Lyngwi, N. A., Koijam, K., Khaund, P. and Nongkhlaw, F. M. (2015). Northeast Microbial Database: a web-based databank of culturable soil microbes from North East India. Current Science, 1702-1706.
Khan, M. L., Arunachalam, A. and Barbhuiya, A. R. (2007). Web-GIS Digital Atlas of the Sacred Groves of the North-East India: Pilot study with Sacred Groves of Arunachal Pradesh. Technical Report. Department of Scientific & Industrial Research, Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India (Sanction No. DSIR/Web/TIF026/2004-2005 Dated 31.12. 2004).
Khumbongmayum, A. D. (2004). Studies on plant diversity and regeneration of a few tree species in the sacred groves of Manipur (Doctoral dissertation, Ph. D. Thesis, Department of Botany, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya, India).
Khumbongmayum, A. D., Khan, M. L., & Tripathi, R. S. (2005). Sacred groves of Manipur, northeast India: biodiversity value, status and strategies for their conservation. Biodiversity & Conservation, 14(7):1541-82
Kulachandra, N. S. (1963). Meitei Lai Harouba: Keisanthong. Unique Printing Network, Imphal.
Kulkarni, A., Upadhye, A., Dahanukar, N., and Datar, M. N. (2018). Floristic uniqueness and effect of degradation on diversity: A case study of sacred groves from northern Western Ghats. Tropical Ecology, 59(1), 119-127.
Malhotra, K. C., Gokhale, Y., Chatterjee, S., & Srivastava, S. (2007). Sacred groves in India: An overview. Aryan Books Internat.
Medhi, P. and Borthakur, S. K. (2013). Sacred groves and sacred plants of the Dimasas of North Cachar Hills of Northeast India. African Journal of Plant Science, 7(2), 67-77. DOI: 10.5897/AJPS12.038
Ormsby, A. (2013). Analysis of local attitudes toward the sacred groves of Meghalaya and Karnataka, India. Conservation and Society, 11(2), 187-197. DOI: 10.4103/0972-4923.115722
Patnaik, S. and Pandey, A. (1998). A study of indigenous community based forest management system: Sarna (Sacred grove). Conserving the Sacred for Biodiversity Management, 315-321.
Pushpangadan, P., Rajendraprasad, M. and Krishnan, P. N. (1998). Sacred groves of Kerala: a synthesis on the state of art of knowledge. Conserving the Sacred for Biodiversity Management. Oxford and IBH publishing Co, New Delhi.
Rajora, S., and Solanki, H. (2019). Sacred groves as centres of cultural and biodiversity conservation: a case study of Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh. International Journal of Recent Scientific Research, 10 (05A), 32209-32214 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijrsr.2019.1005.3421
Ramakrishnan, P. S. (1998). Conserving the sacred for biodiversity: the conceptual framework. Conserving the sacred for biodiversity management, 3.
Singh, R. N. (2001). Biodiversity mapping of sacred groves of Manipur with special references to conservation of few endangered tree species. PhD diss., International Institute of Ecology and Environment, New Delhi.
Tiwari, B.K., Barik, S.K. and Tripathi, R.S. (1999). Sacred Forests of Meghalaya, Biological and Cultural Diversity. Regional Centre National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board, North eastern Hill University, Shillong.
Tripathi, R. S. (2001). Sacred groves: community biodiversity conservation model in north-east India. In Tropical ecosystems structure, diversity and human welfare (Supplement). Proceedings of the International Conference on Tropical Ecosystems, ATREE, Bangalore (pp. 104-107).
Untawale, A.G., Wafar, S. and Warfer, M. (1998). Sacred mangroves in India. Pages 247-252, In: Ramakrishnan, P.S., Saxena, K.G. and Chandrashekara, U.M. (Editors) Conserving the Sacred for Biodiversity Management. UNESCO and Oxford-IBH Publishing, New Delhi.
Xu, J. C., Ma, E. T., Tashi, D., Fu, Y. S., Lu, Z., & Melick, D. (2005). Integrating sacred knowledge for conservation: cultures and landscapes in southwest China. Ecology and Society 10(2): 7 DOI: 10.5751/ES-01413-100207
Anonymous (2011). Sacred Groves of Sikkim 2011. Retrieved from http://www.sikkimforest.gov.in/Reports%20and%20Publications/SacredGroves/Sacred%20Grooves%20of%20Sikkim%202011%20Edition%20FEWMD.pdf
Boojh, R. and Ramakrishnan, P.S. (1983) Sacred Groves and Their Role in Environmental Conservation. In: Strategies for Environmental Management [Souvenir Volume], Department of Science and Environment, Government of Uttar Pradesh,Lucknow,6-8.
Burman, R. J. J. (1992). The institution of sacred grove. Journal of the Indian Anthropological Society, 27, 219-238.
Chanda, S., and Ramachandra, T. V. (2019). Sacred Groves—Repository of Medicinal Plant Resources: A Review. Research & Reviews: Journal of Ecology, 8(1), 12-20.
Chandrakanth, M. G., Bhat, M. G. and Accavva, M. S. (2004). Socio-economic changes and sacred groves in South India: Protecting a community-based resource management institution. In Natural Resources Forum (Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 102-111). Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1477-8947.2004.00077.x
Chandrashekara, U. M. and Sankar, S. (1998). Structure and functions of sacred groves: case studies in Kerala. Conserving the sacred for biodiversity management. Oxford and IBH Publishing, New Delhi, India, 323-335.
Chatterjee, S., Sastry, A. R. K., Roy, B. N., & Lahon, R. (2000, January). Sacred groves of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. In Abstract, National Workshop on Community Strategies on the Management of Natural Resources, Bhopal. Indira Gandhi Rastriya Manav Sanghralaya, Bhopal.
Devi, S. (2000). Sacred groves of Manipur. Abstract. In National Workshop on Community Strategies on the Management of Natural Resources, Bhopal. Indira Gandhi Rastriya Manav Sanghralaya, Bhopal.
Dutta, B. K. and Dutta, P. K. (2005). Potential of ethnobotanical studies in North East India: An overview. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge,
4(1):7-14
Fernandes, W., Chhetri, S., Joseph, S. and Lama, S. (2006). Development-Induced Displacement and Deprivation in West Bengal 1947-2000: A Quantitative and Qualitative Database on Its Extent and Impact. Guwahati: North Eastern Social Research Centre (mimeo).
Gadgil M. and Vartak V.D. (1975). Sacred groves of India – a plea of the continuous conservation. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 72(2): 313–320
Garg, A., Mishra, V., and Dholakia, H. H. (2015). Climate change and India: adaptation GAP (2015) (No. WP2015-11-01). Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
Gopal, D., von der Lippe, M., and Kowarik, I. (2019). Sacred sites, biodiversity and urbanization in an Indian megacity. Urban ecosystems, 22(1), 161-172. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-018-0804-4
Gupta, A. K., Deshmukh, S. and Gogate, M. G. (1998). Sacred Groves and Biological Diversity: Providing New Dimension to Conservation Issues.
Hughes, J. D. and Chandran, M. S. (1998). Sacred groves around the earth: an overview. Conserving the sacred for biodiversity management, 69-86.
Jamir, S. A. and Pandey, H. N. (2002). Status of biodiversity in the sacred groves of Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. Indian Forester, 128(7), 738-744.
Joshi, S. R., Banerjee, S., Bhattacharjee, K., Lyngwi, N. A., Koijam, K., Khaund, P. and Nongkhlaw, F. M. (2015). Northeast Microbial Database: a web-based databank of culturable soil microbes from North East India. Current Science, 1702-1706.
Khan, M. L., Arunachalam, A. and Barbhuiya, A. R. (2007). Web-GIS Digital Atlas of the Sacred Groves of the North-East India: Pilot study with Sacred Groves of Arunachal Pradesh. Technical Report. Department of Scientific & Industrial Research, Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India (Sanction No. DSIR/Web/TIF026/2004-2005 Dated 31.12. 2004).
Khumbongmayum, A. D. (2004). Studies on plant diversity and regeneration of a few tree species in the sacred groves of Manipur (Doctoral dissertation, Ph. D. Thesis, Department of Botany, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya, India).
Khumbongmayum, A. D., Khan, M. L., & Tripathi, R. S. (2005). Sacred groves of Manipur, northeast India: biodiversity value, status and strategies for their conservation. Biodiversity & Conservation, 14(7):1541-82
Kulachandra, N. S. (1963). Meitei Lai Harouba: Keisanthong. Unique Printing Network, Imphal.
Kulkarni, A., Upadhye, A., Dahanukar, N., and Datar, M. N. (2018). Floristic uniqueness and effect of degradation on diversity: A case study of sacred groves from northern Western Ghats. Tropical Ecology, 59(1), 119-127.
Malhotra, K. C., Gokhale, Y., Chatterjee, S., & Srivastava, S. (2007). Sacred groves in India: An overview. Aryan Books Internat.
Medhi, P. and Borthakur, S. K. (2013). Sacred groves and sacred plants of the Dimasas of North Cachar Hills of Northeast India. African Journal of Plant Science, 7(2), 67-77. DOI: 10.5897/AJPS12.038
Ormsby, A. (2013). Analysis of local attitudes toward the sacred groves of Meghalaya and Karnataka, India. Conservation and Society, 11(2), 187-197. DOI: 10.4103/0972-4923.115722
Patnaik, S. and Pandey, A. (1998). A study of indigenous community based forest management system: Sarna (Sacred grove). Conserving the Sacred for Biodiversity Management, 315-321.
Pushpangadan, P., Rajendraprasad, M. and Krishnan, P. N. (1998). Sacred groves of Kerala: a synthesis on the state of art of knowledge. Conserving the Sacred for Biodiversity Management. Oxford and IBH publishing Co, New Delhi.
Rajora, S., and Solanki, H. (2019). Sacred groves as centres of cultural and biodiversity conservation: a case study of Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh. International Journal of Recent Scientific Research, 10 (05A), 32209-32214 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijrsr.2019.1005.3421
Ramakrishnan, P. S. (1998). Conserving the sacred for biodiversity: the conceptual framework. Conserving the sacred for biodiversity management, 3.
Singh, R. N. (2001). Biodiversity mapping of sacred groves of Manipur with special references to conservation of few endangered tree species. PhD diss., International Institute of Ecology and Environment, New Delhi.
Tiwari, B.K., Barik, S.K. and Tripathi, R.S. (1999). Sacred Forests of Meghalaya, Biological and Cultural Diversity. Regional Centre National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board, North eastern Hill University, Shillong.
Tripathi, R. S. (2001). Sacred groves: community biodiversity conservation model in north-east India. In Tropical ecosystems structure, diversity and human welfare (Supplement). Proceedings of the International Conference on Tropical Ecosystems, ATREE, Bangalore (pp. 104-107).
Untawale, A.G., Wafar, S. and Warfer, M. (1998). Sacred mangroves in India. Pages 247-252, In: Ramakrishnan, P.S., Saxena, K.G. and Chandrashekara, U.M. (Editors) Conserving the Sacred for Biodiversity Management. UNESCO and Oxford-IBH Publishing, New Delhi.
Xu, J. C., Ma, E. T., Tashi, D., Fu, Y. S., Lu, Z., & Melick, D. (2005). Integrating sacred knowledge for conservation: cultures and landscapes in southwest China. Ecology and Society 10(2): 7 DOI: 10.5751/ES-01413-100207
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Status and socio-ecological dimensions of sacred groves in Northeast India. (2019). Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 11(3), 590-595. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v11i3.2121
