C.P.R. EnviRonmEntal EduCation CEntRE ECO-HERITAGE

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From the ENVIS Desk... October 2008 — March 2009, Vol. VII, No.2 Thematic Area: Conservation of Ecological Heritage and Sacred Sites of India C.P.R. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTRE ECO-HERITAGE.COM ENVIS Newsletter Supported by Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India In this issue / From the ENVIS Desk ....................1 / Sacred Groves of Goa......................2 / Abstracts of Recent Publications....4 / The Biggest Gajlaxmi of Cudshe....6 2008-2009 has been an active year for our ENVIS Centre. We have expanded the existing database on various aspects of Indian ecological heritage by primary as well as secondary sources. The existing database includes information on – v 6825 Sacred Groves & Gardens v 41 Sacred Waterbodies v 285 Sacred Tanks v 84 Sacred Plants v 45 Sacred Animals v 25 Sacred Mountains & Hills We have also brought out a new publication on The Ecological Traditions of Goa and revised Abstracts of Sacred Trees of India. A major contribution is the inclusion of primary data in the form of listing. This has been very helpful to scholars working in this field and has encouraged research. We now have several students who are working on sacred ecology and biodiversity conservation. Scholars who wish to present papers or who know of people doing research in this field are requested to contact us at the earliest. Readers are requested to visit our website www.ecoheritage.cpreec.org to view the updated information on issues related to Ecological Heritage and Sacred Sites of India. ENVIS Co-Ordinator ‘Devachi Rai’ of Caranzale, Sanguem - South Goa

Transcript of C.P.R. EnviRonmEntal EduCation CEntRE ECO-HERITAGE

Page 1: C.P.R. EnviRonmEntal EduCation CEntRE ECO-HERITAGE

From the ENVIS Desk...

October 2008 — March 2009, Vol. VII, No.2

Thematic Area: Conservation of Ecological Heritage and Sacred Sites of India

C.P.R. EnviRonmEntal EduCation CEntRE

ECO-HERITAGE.COMENVIS Newsletter

Supported by Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India

In this issue

/ From the ENVIS Desk ....................1

/ Sacred Groves of Goa......................2

/ Abstracts of Recent Publications....4

/ The Biggest Gajlaxmi of Cudshe....6

2008-2009 has been an active year for our ENVIS Centre. We have expanded the existing database on various aspects of Indian ecological heritage by primary as well as secondary sources. The existing database includes information on –

v 6825 Sacred Groves & Gardens v 41 Sacred Waterbodiesv 285 Sacred Tanks v 84 Sacred Plants v 45 Sacred Animalsv 25 Sacred Mountains & Hills

We have also brought out a new publication on The Ecological Traditions of Goa and revised Abstracts of Sacred Trees of India.

A major contribution is the inclusion of primary data in the form of listing. This has been very helpful to scholars working in this field and has encouraged research. We now have several students who are working on sacred ecology and biodiversity conservation.

Scholars who wish to present papers or who know of people doing research in this field are requested to contact us at the earliest.

Readers are requested to visit our website www.ecoheritage.cpreec.org to view the updated information on issues related to Ecological Heritage and Sacred Sites of India. ENVIS Co-Ordinator

‘Devachi Rai’ of Caranzale, Sanguem - South Goa

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www.ecoheritage.cpreec.org e-mail: [email protected]

ENVIS Newsletter CPREEC, Chennai

Sacred Groves of Goa By Rajendra P. Kerkar

Goa since many years has been projected as the ‘Rome of the East’. The beaches with silvery sands and the blue waters of the sea are a source of attraction for the tourists and very few are aware that Goa has the most imposing and pleasing green Sahyadri mountain ranges. Like other parts of India, Goa too has rich and varied cultural heritage. The Goans are nature worshippers par excellence, and extend protection to various forms of nature like any other culture in India. Gavda, Kunbi, Velip and Dhangar–gouli, the tribals of Goa have worshipped various forms of nature. They have a tradition of revering the sacred cow, sacred goat, sacred banyan tree, sacred hill, sacred stone, sacred ponds and sacred groves. By considering them sacred, they have protected them.

Sacred groves are indeed very old natural sanctuaries where not only living but also non-living beings are afforded protection through the grace of any one deity or spirit by tradition. In Goa, there are instances in some sacred groves where the entire biological wealth receives total protection on account of its association with a deity. Once, through various taboos related to them, the sacred groves were completely or nearly completely immune from human interference on grounds of religious beliefs. These holy forests may range in size from a clump of trees to as much as ten hectares in area. Though a grove is small in size, it does not indicate that it is of less significance. Even in smaller groves, there are instances that they harbour some old and magnificent

specimens of trees and climbers. In some areas, these groves constitute a haven for flora and fauna which would otherwise have become extinct. Species of plants which have disappeared everywhere in a locality seem to be present in the sacred groves. Today, unplanned developmental activities are responsible for massive deforestation and on account of this sacred forests have come to be the only remnants of the original forests in a number of cases. There are many instances of the occurrence of rare plant species in a grove. In the Devachirai of Derode, Sattari magnificent specimens of Dhup tree (Canarium strictum) are well preserved by the local community.

In the original form, protection forbade any interference with the biota of the grove, and not even leaf litter was allowed to be lifted from it, nor was grazing or hunting practiced within the grove. Hence they represented a sample of vegetation in its climax state. In view of the protection and optimum growth condition prevailing in the sacred groves, some arboreal species exhibit their grandeur and become a fascinating sight.

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Earlier, human beings relied on sacred groves for their supply of various medicinal plants, shrubs and creepers. In order to pluck these plants, when required, they had to perform rituals to please the Forest God. Even today, in the remotest parts of Goa, locals who are far away from any rural health services rush to the sacred grove for herbal medicines to cure their ailments.

In many villages, locals believe that the Forest God or Spirit would get offended if the trees are cut, flowers or fruits are plucked or animals are harassed or killed. That is why these are left unmolested and well preserved. The sacred groves are traditional institutions that are deeply involved in the conservation of not only a

few individual species in isolation but also large ecosystems.

References

1. Gune, V.T., The Gazetter of the Union

Territory: Goa, Daman and Diu, 1979.

2. Kosambi, D.D., The Cultural and

Civilisation of Ancient India, 2002.

3. Mitragotri, V. R., Socio Cultural History of

Goa, 1999.

4. World Wide Fund of India (WWF), Goa

Branch, Biodiversity in Western Ghat,

1994.

5. Gadgil, Madhav and Guha, Ramachandra,

Ecology and Equity, 1995.

A seminar on Ecological

Traditions of Goa was organised

in collaboration with the

Biodiversity Research Cell,

Department of Zoology, Carmel

College of Arts, Science and

Commerce for Women, Nuvem,

Goa on November 24, 2008.

Dr. Sasi Kumar, IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests, Government of Goa,

inaugurated the seminar and delivered the inaugural address. Dr. Claude

Alvares, Director, The Goa Foundation, delivered the keynote address.

Several eminent speakers presented their papers on the Ecological Traditions

of Goa.

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ENVIS Newsletter CPREEC, Chennai

Abstracts of Recent Publications Kumar, S., “Serpent God Worship Ritual in Kerala”, Indian Folklore Research Journal, Vol. 5, No. 8, Pp. 104 – 122, 2008.

Worship of the Serpent God is common in parts of India, like Kerala, Bengal and Karnataka. In Kerala, one way of worshiping serpent gods is by laying symmetrically designed floor drawings, called ‘Kalams’, with bright and colourful powders made from natural objects. Beautiful pictures of serpent gods are drawn using these powders on ground smeared with cow dung in the first phase of the ritual. Following this, a senior priest consecrates the floor drawings and two types of physical performances follow. The three performances are orchestrated by wild rhythmic music, using folk instruments. In the next stage, a verbal recitation is followed by the main performance of the ritual, the dancing of the female oracles.

Parida, R.C., “Cobra”, Science Reporter, Vol. 45, No.11, Pp. 39 – 41, 2008.

One of the most fascinating snakes, cobras have spawned innumerable myths. But they are also under threat today. Conservationists working to protect snakes feel that education will help to keep snake populations from dying out as this will help people to appreciate the power and beauty of the snake. Snakes need all human help for their survival.

Rajiv Rai and S.P.Tripathi, “Deogudi Sacred Grove - A Tribal Concept of Conservation of Plants in Bastar District, Chhattisgarh”, Indian Forester, Vol. 134, Issue 12, Pp.1686 -1695, 2008.

The socio-religious practices prevalent among the Gond, Murias, Halba and Maria tribes of Bastar region of Chhattisgarh state are helpful in conservation of plants. This practice of nature conservation is a very ancient tradition and indigenous culture in Bastar as well as in other parts of the country. Tribals in Chhattisgarh

State conserve a large number of plants of economic importance in sacred groves called ‘Deogudi’. Sukumaran, S., Jeeva, S., Sobhana Raj, A. D., and D. Kannan, “Floristic Diversity, Conservation Status and Economic Value of Miniature Sacred Groves in Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu, Southern Peninsular India”, Turkish Journal Botany, Vol. 32, 2008.

The plant diversity of southern peninsular India has recently been reduced to a great extent due to anthropogenic disturbance and environmental degradation. Disturbance was the major factor responsible for fragmentation of forest vegetation; as a result of this, there is a preponderance of small patches, some of them still preserved as sacred groves because of strong religious beliefs held by the indigenous people of this region. It is thought that one of the prime utilities of sacred groves is the protection and occasional supply of medicinal plants on a sustainable basis. Most of the medicinal plants were confined to these groves only. During the study period we inventoried 201 miniature sacred groves covering an area of 13.1 ha. Among these, 10 sacred forests are present in Agastheeswaram, 11 in Thovalai, 72 in Kalkulam, and 108 in Vilavancode taluk. The floristic richness of the sacred groves in Kanyakumari district was analysed. A total of 329 species belonging to 251 genera of 100 families were enumerated from the miniature sacred forests of Kanyakumari district. Of these, 42 species were endemic, 40 very rare, 47 rare, and 16 endangered. Since there is minimal exploitation of these groves, they are considered a home to certain rare, endangered, and endemic plants and are rich in biodiversity. These sacred groves are closely related to the social and cultural life of a people and a number of cultural rites and religious rituals have perpetuated the status of a sacred grove, which has ensured the protection of the sacred grove vegetation in pristine condition.

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Kumar, B.M., “Forestry in Ancient India: Some Literary Evidences on Productive and Protective Aspects”, Asian Agri-History, Vol. 12, No. 4, Pp. 299–306, 2008.

This paper outlines certain ideas of forest conservation and sustainable management ingrained in prehistoric India. Apparently both productive as well as protective aspects of forest vegetation were emphasized during the Vedic period (~ 4500 and 1800 BC; c. 8000–1000 BC – eds.). In particular, religious texts such as Aranyakas (“forest” works), Upanishad, and Smritis contain many descriptions on the uses and management of forests, and highlight sustainability as an implicit theme. According to the Vedic traditions, every village will attain wholeness only when certain types of forests are present. Some of these are, however, equivalent to the ‘protected areas’ and ‘production forests’ of today. The concept of participatory forest management, an important forest management paradigm today, also was prevalent in ancient India, as illustrated by the example of a village committee overseeing the maintenance of forests. During the late Vedic period, with the emergence of agriculture as the dominant economic activity, the concept of cultural landscapes such as sacred forests and groves, sacred corridors, and a variety of ethnoforestry practices evolved, which continued into the post-Vedic period (c. 1000 to 200 BC). The Himalayas since Vedic times also have been home for an array of medicinal plants and other resources. Furthermore, several Indian trees and shrubs were regarded as sacred because of their medicinal/aesthetic/natural qualities as well as their proximity to a particular deity. Religion was probably used in ancient India as a tool to protect nature and natural resources and several instances of worshiping the trees have been reported from different parts of the country, besides a wide range of ethnoforestry practices. All these probably highlight the conservation ethos of ancient Indian people.

Aman Singh, “Embedded conservation: The Case of Bera Village, Alwar District,

Rajasthan”, Krishi Avam Paristhitiki Vikas Sansthan, 2009.

Bera is a village of approximately 40 households located in Core II of Sariska Tiger Reserve. The population of Bera is comprised entirely of Gujar pastoralists, who depend on the forest for animal fodder, as well as for fuel wood and various non-timber forest produce. Since 1979, when 866 sq km of the region’s forest were brought under the remit of Project Tiger, Bera’s continued occupation of the area has been considered illegal. The village has ceased to be recognised as inhabited in the District Census Abstract (1991), and has been largely ignored by the state government, who neither tax the community nor offer possibilities for development. Since the early 1990s, KRAPAVIS (Krishi Avam Paristhitiki Vikas Sansthan), a local NGO, has been working with the people of Bera to enhance their capacity for resource conservation and to campaign for the rights of the region’s pastoralist communities.

Madhavi Ganesan, “The Temple Tanks of Madras, India: Rehabilitation of an Ancient Technique for Multipurpose Water Storage”, Indian Journal of Science and Technology, Vol.1, No.7, Pp. 1-8, Dec. 2008.

There are 39 temple tanks in the city of Madras, most of which have been dry for the past one decade due to rapid urbanization and continuous withdrawal of groundwater. Out 39 temple tanks one tank belongs to Mylapore Temple which is within Madras city and second one belongs to Thirupporur Temple which is out of city have been selected to compare the status of the temple tanks. Thirupporur Tank has been taken to find the reason for having water throughout the year. Then the Mylapore tank (within the city) has been taken and studied in detail. The study found the reason for the dryness of urban tanks. It also revealed the methods to rehabilitate and thus to re-establish the hydrological role and possible multiple use of the tanks. The study analysed both the quantity and quality aspects of the tanks.

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ENVIS Newsletter CPREEC, Chennai

The Biggest Gajlaxmi of CudsheBy Rajendra P. Kerkar

Cudshe, a small village on the right bank of the Mhadei river is situated at the distance of about 5km from Valpoi town and 60 km from Panaji on the way to Sonal. For hundreds of years the perennial river Mhadei has helped the villagers by supporting their major economic activities. The Puran Sheti, traditional silt-based cultivation, once widely flourished here. Fishing, agriculture, horticulture, navigation are relied on the Mhadei and hence this river gained honour in the heart of these people as the great mother, and that is why worshipping the river in the iconographic form of Gajalaxmi has been in practice as Kelbai, Bhavkai. At Cudshe, this Gajlaxmi is known among the locals as Kelbai and the panel of the deity lies under a cluster of trees without any roofing over it. The place is well known as the Devusachemol. Today, though it has the horticulture plantation, it was once a sacred grove. Two Nano (Lagerstroemia parviflora), one Phanas (Artocarpus heterophylla), one Amo (Mangifera indica), and one Bhillomad (Caryota urens) trees adorn the grove. On the occasion of Shigmo, a trunk of the mango tree, which is decorated with green mango leaves, is made to stand erect in front

of the grove in a pit and then grass is burnt around it to celebrate the festival of Holi. Men celebrate the Shigmo by performing various folk dances and singing folk songs. The village does not have the tradition of annual fair or ‘Kalo’ and the eco-feminist festival of Dhalo. The main village temple of Sateri Brahmani has idols of Mahishasurmardini, Brahmani, one more female goddess and warriors in different posture. Cudshe also has an idol of a female deity which locals do not worship, since they consider it to be the goddess of earlier settlers of the village called ‘Hemmad’. At the entrance of the village, on the right bank of Mhadei river, there is a huge, tall towering tree of Alistonia scholaris locally known as Satvin. This tree is believed to be the abode of a holy spirit. In the month of Ashad (fourth month of the Hindu calendar of Goa - Maharashtra) annual rituals are performed. During the ritual a cock is sacrificed and the chick is buried alive under the tree. The tree is considered as holy by all the villagers and on all important occasions they also invoke the holy spirit for the blessings without fail. Cudshe village, which was not much known, has now come to light mainly because the sacred grove has the biggest known panel of Gajlaxmi. No village in Goa has such a beautifully carved rock panel. The semi-circular plaque clearly shows two elephants holding pitchers at the tips of their trunks and pouring water on the head of Gajlaxmi. Below these elephants, the goddess Gajlaxmi is seated with lotus buds in both hands. The lowest part has musicians playing various folk music instruments and there are devotees

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wearing gowns and some holding sacred vases. It also depicts two persons holding distinct umbrella-like objects. Among the three compartments on the plaque, the second depicts two horse riders with swords. The third part shows two trees, a bearded sage holding a pot and pouring water on the Shivling. It also has an erotic scene. Gajlaxmi is shown with a crown and is adorned with a variety of ornaments like ear-rings, necklace, anklets bracelets, etc. Though the sculpture is totally without any shelter over it, it is intact except for one hole which locals say was created when a bullet was hit during firing by Portuguese

policemen. The elephants with intricate carvings of ornaments clearly indicate that they are royal. The top portion bears a Kirtimukha.

This stone sculpture is one of the master pieces of Gajlaxmi panels discovered in Goa. Gajlaxmi is considered to be the goddess of vegetation. In Goa, it could be a symbolic worship of monsoonal showers. Through the worship of Gajlaxmi, the link between the sky and the earth is established. Once upon a time, this village was rich in biodiversity and this fact is revealed through the Gajlaxmi panel which is the real glory of Cudshe.

Seminar-cum-evaluation workshop of ENVIS Centres, New Delhi

Hon. Director and Joint Director, CPREEC, participated in the Seminar-cum-

evaluation workshop of ENVIS Centres under the thematic group “Environment

and Society”, organised by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government

of India, at New Delhi on February 4 and 5, 2009. Dr. Nanditha Krishna made

a presentation on “The Environment and Indian Society” and Mr. P.Sudhakar on

“Activities of ENVIS Centre on Ecological Heritage and Sacred Sites of India”.

Query – Answer Service Form

Please use the “Query – Answer Service” form to get information on Ecological

Heritage of India.

For more information visit www.ecoheritage.cpreec.org/ and send your queries.

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ENVIS Newsletter CPREEC, Chennai

Homepage of CPREEC ENVIS Centre.

Web : http://www.ecoheritage.cpreec.org/

http://www.cpreecenvis.nic.in/

ENVIS Team :

1. Dr. Nanditha Krishna Hon. Director & ENVIS Co-ordinator

2. M. Amirthalingam Assistant Co-ordinator, ENVIS

3. Lalitha Ramadurai Sr. Programme Officer

4. M. Vaithiyanathan Web Assistant

5. R. Sathyanarayanan Data Entry Operator

ENVIS CentreC.P.R. Environmental Education Centre1, Eldams Road, Alwarpet, Chennai - 600 018, Tamil Nadu, India.Phone: 044 - 24346526 / 24337023 Fax: 91 - 044 - 24320756E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.cpreec.org

Forthcoming Events

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Readers are welcome to contribute articles, photographs with details, news clippings, etc.,

pertaining to the Ecological heritage for publishing in our subsequent newsletters. Please send

your views and opinions.

3rd SSEASR Conference - Waters in South and Southeast Asia: Interaction of Culture and Religion

June 3-6, 2009Bali Island, Indonesia

Organised by - South and Southeast Asian Association for the Study of Culture and Religion in collaboration with - Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI) Universitas Hindu Indonesia (UNHI), Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia

http://www.sseasr.org

The 10th Meeting of the Conference of the

Contracting Parties (Ramsar, Iran, 1971):

“Healthy Wetlands, Healthy People”

28 October - 4 November 2008

Changwon, Republic of Korea

RAMSAR

[email protected]

http://www.ramsar.org/cop10/cop10_info_

general_e.htm