DIGITIZING INDIAN SACRED GROVES – AN INFORMATION MODEL FOR WEB INTERFACEDMULTIMEDIA DATABASE

Gaikwad, S.S.; S. N. Paralikar; Vishwas Chavan; and S. KrishnanInformation Division

National Chemical LaboratoryDr Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411008, INDIA

e-mail : vishwas@ems.ncl.res.in

Abstract

India, harbors about 100,000 sacred groves; many of which are losing their rich biotic diversity because of thedevelopmental activities around and in some cases direct encroachment within the grove. At the same timeincreasing attention is being paid to make use of these groves as potential tool and model for biodiversityconservation. This calls for collation, analysis and modeling of the information on these sacred patches. Authorshave undertaken the development of web interfaced multimedia database on Sacred Groves of India, to build thecomprehensive information resource documenting biodiversity status of sacred groves. This paper discusses theconcept, structure and information model of the database. Paper further elaborate the strategies to be adoptedfor analysis of collated information as well as vegetation and GAP analysis studies, which would provide thetrend of depletion of these vital ecosystems. Development of such a factual database would support thedevelopment of strategies for conservation and protection of these unique heritage ecosystems. Such modelswould strengthen and support the national and regional biodiversity conservation programs elsewhere indeveloping nations where similar types of ecosystems exists.

Introduction

Sacred Groves is an age-old tradition where a patch of forest or water body is dedicated to localdeities and none is allowed to cut plants or to kill animals or any form of life. The institution ofsacred groves dates back to the pre-agrarian hunting-gathering phase of human civilization, and isknown to thrive in most parts of India (Kosambi, 1962). It has been estimated that total number ofsacred groves in the country lie between 100,000 and 150,000 (Malhotra, et.al., 1999). These aremainly distributed in the states of Andhra Pradesh (WWF, 1996), Bihar,Jharkhand,Orissa,Maharashtra (Gadgil and Vartak, 1981; Deshmukh et.al., 1998), Rajasthan(Pandey, ), Uttar Pradesh (Sinha and Maikhuri, 1998), Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Pondichery, Gujrat,Goa, West Bengal, and some northeastern states such as Meghalaya (Tiwari et.al., 1998). Figure1, depicts the distribution of sacred groves in ten southern and northeastern states. There are norecords of existence of sacred groves in central part of India, except in some parts of MadhyaPradesh. Further, these sacred groves vary in size from a few trees to dense forests covering vasttracts of land.

This paper can be cited as -

Gaikwad, S. S., S. N. Paralikar, Vishwas Chavan and S. Krishnan (2004) Digitizing Indian SacredGroves – An Information Model for Web interfaced multimedia database. In: Focus on SacredGroves and Ethnobotany, Ghate, Vinya; Hema Sane, and S. S. Ranade (eds.), PrisamPublications, Mumbai, India, pp. 123-128.

As a result of the high conservation and biodiversity values held in sacred groves, increasingattention is being paid to their potential as a tool and model for biodiversity conservation’. Thesegroves are important today as they are banks of genetic diversity that have to be preserved andsustained. These areas often contain species that have disappeared from the regions outside thegrove. This practice best demonstrates the nature caring and biodiversity conservation attitude ofour ancestors. Though the sacred groves are a biological heritage and a system that has helped topreserve the representative genetic resources existing in the surrounding regions for generations,they are declining in numbers and size rapidly, due to modernization and urbanization. This callsfor consistent efforts to conserve these pockets of rich biological diversity.

Sacred Groves Information: Status

During the last few decades socio-economic, ecological and conservation importance of sacredgroves has been recognized and it has been emphasized that immediate conservation of them ismust. Several approaches and options could be adopted to conserve these scared spaces.However, most essential, but most neglected is the management of information on sacred groves,which would lead into planning of appropriate policies and action plan to save these groves fromthe clutches of both modernization and urbanization.

Vast amount of information is available on various aspects of sacred groves. However, thisinformation is scattered at various levels. This includes researchers, academicians, nature-lovers,villagers and settlers in the vicinity of these groves. Not much of this information is in electronicform. On the contrary most of the information is in folklores and passed from a generation togeneration, hence issue of its authentication and validity arises. This clearly indicates that data /information is not properly maintained. This calls for integrated application of informationtechnology to collect, collate, analyze, model and disseminate data available on scared groves ofIndia.

Sacred Groves: Data Diversity

As data on scared groves is vast, it is also distributed, scattered and available in variety of forms,formats and conditions. Hardly any data is digitized or available in electronic formats. Infact, muchof the data is not even documented and available as folklores, tales and is being passed fromgeneration to generation, hence poses challenge of maintaining its integrity and authenticity.Further, not same amount and nature of data is available on all scared groves, as some of themare studied in great details and many of them are not even surveyed yet. Hence, there is greatheterogeneity in nature and amount of information available on various sacred groves. Figure 2,represents the potential data types and diversity of data for sacred groves informationmanagement activities.

As represented in Figure 2, data is diverse in nature. From the geographic information to storiesassociated with the deity, who governs the sacred groves, data is available on variety of aspects.These include data on diversity of plants, animals, and microbes within and around the sacredgroves, data on climatic, geographic, geological condition, use of scared grove resources by thecommunity and stories associated. This calls for development of a comprehensive informationmanagement system, which would be able to collate information on all aspects of scared groves.

Authors are developing a web based multimedia database to collate information on sacred grovesof India, details of which are discussed in following sections of this article.

Sacred Groves Information System (SGIS)

In order to develop Scared Groves Information System (SGIS), several factors were considered.Few of them include type and nature of information, information sources, validity and authenticityof information, as well as current ness of data. Other aspects include rapid collation anddissemination of data. Hence, it was thought appropriate to develop web-interfaced database,which would be multimedia in nature. This would allow several of data custodians to contributeinformation remotely and on-line. Being on the web, dissemination to wider cross-section ofconcerned community will be assured. In other sense, it would ensure virtual collaborative effortsby all players.

Database contains two tables, one for locality specific information and other to collate informationon other aspects. Oracle 8i is used as back-end for the database. Java Server Pages (JSP) isuses as front end for the web application to collate and disseminate the information. Data structureis open-ended making it feasible to cross-link with other databases or information resources.Initially information is being collected through published literature and also through personalcommunication. Currently, SGIS holds cursory information on about 3000 sacred groves from thestate of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. Data on scared groves in other states isbeing gathered from various sources. Web based data acquisition and dissemination approacheliminates time gap required for collection and publishing of the data, making it most transparentinformation base model. Information is also being acquired in multimedia form such as sketches,line drawings, photographs, as well as audio and video clips too.

Current search facilities can retrieve data based on “keywords” or “wild cat” term. State wise datacan also be retrieved based on features of scared groves such as taboos/beliefs, consequence ofviolence, punishments, scared qualities, worship patterns, and material benefits etc. Figure 3,depicts one such search leading to retrieval of detailed information on specific sacred groves.Currently, links to multimedia information is also provided. Current URL of the database ishttp://www.ncbi.org.in/sacredgroves/.

Presently we are concentrating to gather cursory information on every existing scared groveacross Indian sub-continent. During the next phase more micro-level or detailed information foreach of the sacred grove would be collated along with cross-linking of select informationparameters with other databases such as regional/global species databases, genomic, molecular,biogeography, climate, meteorological, community, and agricultural or forestry databases, etc. It isplanned to integrate geographic information system to represent distributional data on variousaspects of scared groves. Information and Communication Technology in Scared Groves: Potentials

During the development of SGIS, it was realized that information and communication technologyhas great potential and important role to play in effective management and conservation of theseecosystems. This would require additional tools and techniques in better managing and analyzing

data derived and acquired from ecosystems. Ideal information system on scared groves whenready would be 4M (multi –element, -component, -season, and –location) in nature.

It would be essential to use controlled vocabulary and standardized terminology to make thedatabase interoperable with other such systems. For better taxonomic knowledge managementand identification of biotic resources that are harbored in these groves, it is essential to usestandardized taxonomic information system such as ITIS or Species2000.

Use of GIS would handle and analyze specially referenced data and offers tremendous potential instoring voluminous spatial and non-spatial data. Employing GIS and remote sensing technologieswe sought advantages not only in time and costs, but also in a more comprehensive andintegrated treatment for sustainable utilization of resources. This would further help in vegetationand GAP assessment studies. Techniques such as modeling, simulation and visualization wouldimprove the accuracy of analysis and prediction of potential changes. This would in turn result intobetter and informed decisions and action plan for effective management of abiotic and bioticresources of the sacred groves ecosystems.

Emerging communication and surveillance systems could be employed to acquire information /data on real-time basis, as well as would be able to disseminate information as and when it isrequired. Application of mobile or wireless computing could be sought for on spot fieldidentification as well as data / information comparison.

Conclusion

Beginning has just been made to collate all the possible data related to sacred groves in acomprehensive web interfaced database. Though, it is a long journey, we believe that whencomplete, such a knowledge base would provide the trend of depletion of these vital ecosystems.This would also help in recalling the past land-use history and compare it with the present land-use, thereby initiating the process of discussing conservation strategies. Development of such afactual database would support the development of strategies for conservation and protection ofthese unique heritage ecosystems. Such models would strengthen and support the national andregional biodiversity conservation programs elsewhere in developing nations where similar typesof ecosystems exists.

Acknowledgements

Authors thank Director, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India for his guidance and supporttowards this activity.

References

Deshmukh, S., M G Gogate and A K Gupta 1998. Sacred groves and biological diversity:Providing new dimensions to conservation issue. Pp. 397-414. In: P.S. Ramakrishnan, K.G.Saxena and U.M. Chandrashekhara (eds), Conserving the Sacred for Biodiversity Management.Oxford and IBH. New Delhi

Kosambi, D. D. 1962. Myth and Reality: Studies in the Formation of Indian Culture. PopularPrakashan. Bombay

Malhotra, K C 1998. Anthropological dimensions of sacred groves in India: an overview. Pp. 423-438. In: P.S. Ramakrishnan, K.G. Saxena and U.M. Chandrashekhara (eds), Conserving theSacred for Biodiversity Management. Oxford and IBH. New Delhi.

Sinha, B. and R.K. Maikhuri 1998. Conservation through socio-cultural-religious practices inGarhwal Hinmalayas: A case study of Haiyali sacred forest. Pp. 289-300. In: P.S. Ramakrishnan,K.G. Saxena and U.M. Chandrashekhara (eds), Conserving the Sacred for BiodiversityManagement. Oxford and IBH. New Delhi.

Tiwari, B.K., S.K. Barik, and R.S. Tripathi. 1998. Sacred Groves of Meghalaya. pp. 253-263. In:P.S. Ramakrishnan, K.G. Saxena and U.M. Chandrashekhara. (eds). Conserving the Sacred forBiodiversity Management. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd

Vartak, V. D. and Gadgil, M. (1981) Studies on sacred groves along the Western Ghats fromMaharashtra and Goa. Role of Beliefs and Folklore. In: Glimpses of Indian Ethnobotany, pp. 272-278

5,500

290

26,326

2,808

133

900

761

25000

1,214

1

Uttar Pradesh West Bengal Meghalaya Maharashtra

Tamilnadu Kerala Andra pradesh Rajasthan

Karnataka Pondichery

Figure 1. Distribution of Sacred Groves in India.

Figure 2. Data Diversity of Scared Groves Information System

Biodiversity Information

Sociological information

Locality Information

Multimedia Information

Historical Information

Community Information

CultivationInformation

Beliefs/Taboos Information

Sacred Groves

Information System

Figure 3. Web based information system allows easy retrieval of data and disseminationof knowledge.