Analysis of Local Attitudes Toward the Sacred Groves of Meghalaya and Karnataka, India

Alison Ormsby

doi:10.4103/0972-4923.115722

Abstract

The sacred groves of India represent a long-held tradition of community management of forests for cultural reasons. This study used social science research methods in the states of Meghalaya and Karnataka to determine local attitudes toward the sacred groves, elements of sacred grove management including restrictions on resource use, as well as ceremonies associated with sacred groves. Over a seven-month period, 156 interviews were conducted in 17 communities. Residents identified existing taboos on use of natural resources in the sacred groves, consequences of breaking the taboos, and the frequency and types of rituals associated with the sacred groves. Results show that numerous factors contribute to pressures on sacred groves, including cultural change and natural resource demands. In Meghalaya, the frequency of rituals conducted in association with the sacred groves is declining. In both Meghalaya and Karnataka, there is economic pressure to extract resources from sacred groves or to reduce the sacred grove size, particularly for coffee production in Kodagu in Karnataka. Support for traditional ceremonies, existing local community resource management, and comprehensive education programs associated with the sacred groves is recommended.

Highlights

Sacred forests, often referred to as sacred groves, are sites that have cultural or spiritual significance for the people who live around them
This paper presents the results of a comparative study of sacred groves carried out in two states of India, Meghalaya and Karnataka
This study found that sacred forests were in many different states of preservation, ranging from minimally disturbed to highly disturbed, including sacred groves that previously existed and are gone but may still be recognised as sacred space

Summary

Introduction

Sacred forests, often referred to as sacred groves, are sites that have cultural or spiritual significance for the people who live around them. The size of the sacred groves varies greatly from small plots less than one hectare to larger tracts of hundreds of hectares (Ntiamoa‐Baidu 1995; Malhotra et al 2007) In some cases, these fragments represent the sole remaining natural forests outside of protected areas and may be key reservoirs of biodiversity. Sacred forests are known to conserve habitats that are not represented in the current protected area system (Bhagwat and Rutte 2006), and serve as refugia for endemic species (Jamir and Pandey 2003) These have been reported to be relict forests and may be the only remaining climax vegetation of an area, many are disturbed as a result of human actions (Gadgil and Vartak 1976; Khiewtam and Ramakrishnan 1989; Kalam 1998; Tiwari et al 1998; Upadhaya et al 2008). This paper presents the results of a comparative study of sacred groves carried out in two states of India, Meghalaya and Karnataka

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion