Historical Roots of Ecological Resistance
In 1730, Giridhar Bhandari, minister to Raja Abhai Singh of Marwar, arrived in the village of Khejarli to procure wood, reportedly for palace construction or lime production. When he and his soldiers demanded access to the village trees, Amrita Devi Bishnoi and the local community refused, asserting that the Khejri trees were sacred. In a courageous act of resistance, Amrita Devi and her family embraced the trees to prevent them from being felled.
The soldiers beheaded Amrita Devi and her three daughters before proceeding to cut the trees. Her reported final words — “A chopped head is cheaper than a chopped tree” — became an enduring symbol of ecological sacrifice. This episode is widely regarded as a precursor to the later Chipko Movement of the 1970s in the Himalayan region, led by grassroots activists such as Gaura Devi and supported by environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna.
” Hindi word “chipko,” means “to cling” or “to hug”. Sunderlal Bahuguna, a Chipko leader and a Gandhian, took a 5,000 kilometre (3000 mile) trans-Himalaya foot march in 1981–83, spreading the Chipko message to a far greater area.
The concept of sacred Grove is rooted in this concept of protection of the environment. In Indian cosmology, several deities are symbolically linked with elements of flora and fauna, reinforcing ecological reverence. Lord Vishnu sleeps on the seven headed serpent, Saraswati has a peacock as her vehicle, Ganesha rides a mouse! Numerous such symbolic associations exist in Indian tradition.
This illustrates how religious belief functioned as an informal ecological regulatory mechanism. This concept of association with the flora and the fauna has made the concept of sacred groves pertinent and long lasting.
Concept and Distribution of Sacred Groves
A sacred grove is a patch of natural vegetation protected by local communities due to religious or cultural beliefs. These represent the traditional and indigenous method of resource conservation.
No one is permitted to cut trees or kill animals or birds in this area. It is believed that the forest spirit will harm the person who harms the sacred grove. Sacred groves are natural sanctuaries. These vary in size. In Bihar, they are known as ‘Sarnas’ and consist of no more than 20 trees. About 12 Kms from Simla is the deodar grove with trees more than 100 years old. Sacred groves in Maharashtra are known as ‘Deorais’ or ‘Devrais.’ The Kasi hills of Meghalaya are home to a few richest groves.
Sacred groves are closely aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 15, which focuses on protecting terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably managing forests, combating desertification, and halting biodiversity loss. deals with ‘Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss”.
Sacred Groves and SDG 15: Conserving Life on Land
- Sacred groves function as micro-reserves of biodiversity. – Biodiversity Hotspots and Endemic Species
- Sacred groves of Meghalaya preserving rare flora
- Groves of Madhya Pradesh sheltering endangered plants
- Uttarakhand groves supporting species like the Griffon vulture
- Groves in the Western Ghats function as important ecological refuges.
2. Traditional ecological engineering supporting ecosystem services. – Soil and Water Conservation Functions
- Sacred groves in Uttar Pradesh contribute to improved soil fertility
- Highland groves in Himalayas and Western Ghats preventing erosion
- Mangrove sacred groves in Kerala maintaining humidity and hydrology
3. Indigenous health systems linked with biodiversity conservation. – Ethnobotany and Medicinal Knowledge
- Groves of Tamil Nadu as repositories of medicinal plants
- Sacred landscapes like Mallur Gutta known for herbal diversity
4. Sacred groves sustain rural economies Livelihood and Pastoral Economies
- Orans of Rajasthan sustaining livestock
- Resource forests like Devarkadu (Karnataka)
- Siris and cluster Fig with abundant amounts of Magnesium, calcium, Phosphorous and Magnesium are found in the sacred groves of Manipur.
5. Culture acts as conservation governance Cultural-Ecological Relationships
- Terracotta offerings in Kodagu groves
- When the sal trees start flowering in Jharkand, the Sarahul festival is celebrated
- Tribal sacred landscapes in North-East India
Faith as an Ecological Regulator
Religious belief systems associated with sacred groves often function as powerful informal regulatory mechanisms that discourage resource exploitation.
| Sacred grove | Gods / goddesses guarding it |
| Mangar Bani (Delhi/Haryana) | Is dedicated to the saint Gudariya Das, |
| Shipin Deodar Grove (Himachal Pradesh) | Goddess of Nature, Hariyali Devi |
| Devarakadu, ChoudibanaMastikatte (Karnataka) | Atakapa, Bhutappa and Choudamma, Maiara, Bhairava and Govardhan are the deities. |
| Iringole Kavu (Kerala) | Yoga Maya, who glided into the sky to escape Kamsa. The deity is worshipped as Saraswati in the morning, Vana Durga at noon, and Bhadrakali at night |
| Mawphlang Sacred Grove (Meghalaya) | Labasa, who takes the form of a leopard when happy . |
| Hariyali Devi Sacred Grove (Uttarakhand) | Goddess of Nature, Hariyali Devi |
The Kannada film Kantara (2022) offers a compelling contemporary depiction of sacred grove traditions in coastal Karnataka. It portrays forests as sacred landscapes protected by local spirit deities, where ritual performances such as Bhoota Kola act as informal systems of ecological governance. By highlighting tensions between indigenous ecological values and modern developmental pressures, the film underscores the continued relevance of faith-based cultural practices in biodiversity conservation.
Legal and Policy dimensions
The Supreme court has suggested the Rajasthan government to empower traditional communities as custodians of sacred groves under the Scheduled Tribes And Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition Of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
The promotion of models such as the Piplantri initiative is recommended as a means of linking ecological conservation with social development and gender equity.
Piplantri is a village in the Rajsamand district of Rajasthan, which went on to gain international recognition for its unique model where the villagers’ plant 111 trees whenever a girl child is born. Powerful example of SDG 10 – reduced inequalities.
Why do Sacred Groves need protection?
- Cultural: It is generally believed that these Sacred groves are protected by the goddesses and gods. At these groves socialization occurs through community participation in rituals, treks, and fairs. For youth, these pilgrimages are often a rite of passage, teaching discipline, endurance, and cultural values.
- E.g. Sabarimala in Kerala and Hariyali in Garhwal – both share striking similarities in their arduous trekking routes, dense forest environments, and traditional gender-based restrictions.
- Conservation of Biodiversity: They often serve as the last refuge for endemic species in the region.
- About 50 rare and endangered plant species of Meghalaya are found in these sacred groves.
- Soil conservation: The foliage enhances the soilstability and prevents soil erosion in the area.
- Highland groves (E.g. Western Ghats and Himalayan region) are important for their soil conservation.
- Economic and Medicinal benefits: The sacred groves help indigenous communities by providing edible fruits, leaves, fibers, gums, resins and medicinal plants. Thus, sacred groves act as a nursery and storehouse of many of the ayurvedic and traditional medicines.
- Growth of livestock-based economies: About 41% livestock in Barmer district of Rajasthan is dependent on the sacred groves “Orans”.
Threats and challenges
- Disappearance of the traditional belief systems: Changing social attitudes and the erosion of traditional belief systems have weakened the cultural safeguards that once protected sacred groves.
- Development activities: The infra structure development have led to the destruction of sacred groves in many parts of the country.
- E.g. Development projects such as the Ambi Valley Township project in the Western Ghats, destroyed acres of community owned land.
- Due to encroachment, dry deciduous and light loving species invade the area, thus changing the floral composition as well as microclimate.
- Livestock:Overgrazing and trampling by livestock lead to soil erosion. Grazing animals can also outcompete native herbivores for food resources, further threatening local fauna.
- Over-grazing and agriculture expansion have led to shrinking sacred groves In Punjab.
- Invasive species: the endemic species are sometimes invaded by exotic weeds. pose a serious threat to endemic species of the groves.
Sacred Groves Across the World: Global Ecological Parallels
Sacred groves across the world function as vital biodiversity “islands,” often preserving remnants of original ecosystems safeguarded through spiritual or cultural traditions. Here are features of five notable groves outside of India:
Sacred groves are not unique to India; across the world, cultures have preserved fragments of natural ecosystems through faith, tradition and customary practices. The Kaya forests of Kenya are protected by councils of elders and function as important biodiversity refuges. In Ethiopia, church forests appear as verdant ecological islands safeguarding water sources and soil stability. Japan’s Chinju-no-mori, or shrine forests, preserve remnants of original vegetation even within densely urbanised landscapes. The Osun-Osogbo sacred grove in Nigeria represents a powerful blend of ritual worship and conservation of primary forest ecosystems. Similarly, Fengshui woodlands in China are maintained through traditional community norms that regulate human interaction with nature. Together, these examples reveal a shared civilizational insight: long before modern environmental policies emerged, cultural belief systems across societies played a crucial role in sustaining ecological balance.
Way Forward – Reviving Community-Based Conservation Traditions
The following steps can be taken:
- Monitoring: ‘Bio-diversity monitoring committees’ should be created.
- Security: Ensure security through fencing. Establishing “buffer zones” around the sacred groves will also help.
- Community Participation: Village communities should be educated and guided to build in a sense of ownership for the locals.
- Restoration of sacred groves: Restoration activities including planting native species, protection for seedlings and saplings, nursery establishment for rare, endemic plants, measures for soil and water conservation etc. can be undertaken.
As environmental thinker Lester Brown reminds us, “We have not inherited the Earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children.”
Sacred groves stand as living reminders of humanity’s ecological responsibility. Rooted in faith yet rich in environmental wisdom, they encourage contemporary societies to re-examine their relationship with nature. Protecting these cultural landscapes is not merely an act of conservation but a commitment to safeguarding the ecological future of generations to come. In this sense, sacred groves represent a civilizational pedagogy in which faith became the first environmental law and culture the earliest form of conservation policy.