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Chapter 7

AMELIORATIVE MEASURES AND OPINION

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AMELIORATIVE MEASURES

“Man does not have the right to destroy what he cannot create.”

Granth Sahib (The religious text of Sikkim, Wikipedia, 2012)

Sacred Groves are declining at an alarming rate across the country due to population pressure,

changing value and rapid economic growth. It is very important to identify and protect the

“Sacred Groves to save nature in its pristine form” (Khurana, 1998, p.34-38). World is subjected

to Discovery and Destruction side by side. So these two directions give a changing cultivation in

the traditional environment of Sacred Groves. But being an environmental participant, everyone

should conserve their nature based culture for maintaining their traditional tourism, traditional

culture of society, societie’s own eco-behavioralism and related distinct identity. Several

suggestions have been formulated here to revive the Sacred Groves.

7.1. FOR REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PEOPLE:

Tourists should follow eco-friendly behavior tending Sacred Groves.

Amalgamation of pop-culture with the folk-culture should be avoided when it comes to

Sacred Groves .

7.2. EMPOWERMENT OF LOCAL LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLE:

Emphasize should be given on publishing and advertising Sacred Groves idea to attract

outsider.

Local legislative assemble should be follow the conservation idea.

7.3. FOR LOCAL PEOPLE:

Cutting or cyclic clearing of the under growth vegetation, climbers, herbs, shrubs should be

avoided because it is also the part of Sacred Groves and the source of regeneration of trees

on sacred ground.

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Please save your ancestral cultural viewpoint and processes because it is your primitive

cultural recourse and identity.

Please do not follow any bluff master types activities in Sacred Groves because that

operates a misconception of Sacred Groves. Because bluffing when it comes to the

activities towards and within Sacred Groves turns out to be a serious disaster as in the later

days it grows as a big misconception within the system.

Avoid bathing in the sacred ponds, as the usage of soaps and detergents might contaminate

the sacred water with a bad effect.

Being a researcher an important suggestion can be implemented within the society i.e.

people should follower conserve the per-settled celestial auspicious day of ritual to

maintain the faith and belief on Sacred Groves.

Women empowerment should be the concept

as because they are believed to be

conservative, deep thinker, perfectly

ritualistic, eco-friendly minded, keen on

religion, ardent religious minded, nature lover

and good eco-planner (diagram 12). For

example, India’s largest Sacred Grove is

Mawphlang Sacred Grove of East Khasi hill in

Meghalaya, where worshipping is completely conducted by women group and the rank of

this Sacred Grove tells us how effective it would be if the planning and the maintenance is

conducted by them. Other two examples such as Tea cultivation and Tulsitala/basil plant

worshipping are mainly maintained by female group since a long time in India. In Nabanna

Plate 93

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festival of Hindu society, the court-yard painting by liquid dust rice is still maintained by

female encouragement even in this globalised era. Women are more conscious about

formation, construction, structuring, and evaluation. For information, children are

developed in body and mind shadowed by her maternal love and care, which a father

cannot play with the same marvelous role zeal. “Regarding the gender of the priest, it

appears that without an exception the priesthood rests with males” (Godbole et al, 1998;

p.233, p.365). “In West Bengal and Orissa practically no role of women can be traced out

in the management of Sacred Groves environment” (Deb et al., 1992). The data in terms to

the access to Sacred Groves by women are very rare and scanty (only 1 Sacred Grove is

being maintained in Chandrakona of West Medinipur, figure 3). It appears that generally

women are not permitted into the Sacred Groves after attaining puberty as in the case of

Marang Buru Sacred Grove in Baghmundi of Purulia and Bagratala in Dhallaha of

Birbhum (plate 93). Same as West Bengal, “the scenario of the whole of India is very poor.

Roy (1912), while describing Sacred Groves among the Oraon of Chhotanagpur mentioned

that the main festival associated with Sarana is Sarhul; where women are not allowed but

can take part in dance at the akhara which is located close to the Grove” (Fernandes,

1993). Roy and Burman (1996) have reported similar phenomena among the Mahadeo

Koils of Pune and among the Kunbis of Kolhapur district in Maharatra. Malhotra (1990,

p.439) observed taboo against entry of women in the Sacred Groves among the tribes of

south of West Bengal and among the tribes of Koraput district of Orissa. Nothing is known

at all about the kind of role women play in decision-making regarding management of

Sacred Groves. It will be of immense value to examine whether women are represented in

numerous trust bodies that are managing Sacred Groves, particularly in Maharastra, Kerala,

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and Karnataka. Any geographical research, invention and discovery cannot achieve the

target of the development due to absence of female contribution in most cases. Under the

following diagram (no. 12) one can realize the advantages of ‘women envolvment’ towards

the maintenance of the Sacred Grove traditionality as well as maintenance of the eco-

friendly status of the environment.

Diagram 12: Women empowerment in Sacred Groves as an environmental renewal

approach.

Social and economic life

become fruitful

Preserves the

festivals and

related fairs

Women empowerment in Sacred Grove as a source of environmental renewal

Most of them are more conservative, deep thinker, rituals maintainer, eco-friendly minded,

lean, nature lover, good eco-planner

Maintain the

economic

regeneration

Conserve the global

cultural environment

These all characteristics generate

deep rooted faith about sacred trees,

sacred ponds, sacred animals those

are belonging within the bourn of

Sacred Groves

Bio-diversity and ecological

sustainability

So, they do not cut trees or even any

arms of sacred trees and also do not

harm the faunal group those are

staying or living on these trees

Maintain and bear the

rituals of culture with

Sacred Groves

Conservation

of heritage site

If we apply the women’s psychology, behavioral characters and perceptions in Sacred

Groves conservation, maintaining, and handling

Socio-cultural

environment become

efficiently

Economic

environment become

resourcefully Effective physical

environment

So if we give lots of empowerment on female contribution to maintain Sacred Groves traditionality then

the fruitful result about environmental conservation become more wide and successful

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7.4. SUPPLEMENTARY PROCEDURES:

On the basis of Sacred Groves an Eco-park can be organized.

These Sacred Groves can be included under the activation of West Bengal Biodiversity Act.

To conserve the Sacred Groves we can conveniently suggest that within the Sacred Groves,

Academic School may be generated. Although this type of project has already been launched

in Alabama.

All the Sacred Groves may be controlled under a single agency of the government for

conservation.

At first we have to organize a “Sacred Grove Protection Community and Committee with the

help of village-head and clan-head or an elderly group and formulate a list of specific rules

and regulations for Sacred Groves. This type of management has been already done by Orans

in Rajasthan and is usually managed by Gram Panchayats” (Jha et al., 1998, p.263-276). The

rules thereafter can be registered with the Autonomous District Council. And lastly through

this process the registered rules can be implemented in Sacred Grove area.

Steps should be taken to promote awareness among the visitors, tourists and villagers about

the importance and relevance of consideration of the Groves.

Presently, there is no legislation regarding the conservation of Sacred Grove in West Bengal.

Thus a Sacred Grove conservation programme can be initiated including the concerned

scientists, local people or NGOs etc. into its confidence.

The introduction of the Protected Area Category Community reserves under the Wildlife

(protection act, 1972) Amendment Act of 2002 has introduced legislation for providing

government protection to community held lands, which could include the Sacred Groves.

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“Participation of the local community and village councils is essential for the successful

implementation of such proposal. This type of activity has been implemented in Haryali

grove of Garhwal and is managed by a temple committee consisting of members of three

villages” (Sinha and Maikhuri, 1998. P. 289-300, p.277). An extensive conservation

education campaign should be carried out to make the people of West Bengal aware of the

environmental issues especially the community, students and women.

Every individual can make a small, though significant effort in the race to save our planet

and conserve biodiversity. Man is only yet another nature’s creatures and not an alien to

other life-forms. Man has no more right to destroy nature than any other being. We should

treat all animals and plants of Sacred Groves with composition.

Plant the trees in Sacred Groves wherever possible, as they are beneficial in supporting

diversity, cleaning the atmosphere. Improving the soil and in so many ways.

To access the fruitful condition of the Sacred Groves we need to curtail the sacrificial system

(life sacrifice) and should not cut or clearing the ground because grassroots level vegetation,

climbers, herbs, and shrubs are the parts of Sacred Groves and as the source of regeneration

of trees on sacred ground.

The Gandhian line can be reminded that “There is enough in the world for everybody’s need, but

there cannon be enough for everybody’s greed” (Datta and Sundharam, 1965, P. 258). In the

middle of the 21st century, we would see the last of the primary tropical forests and the extinction

of over half of the 1.4 million species. The poorer but more populous nations will rub up every

available resource in their losing battle for survival. The never ending needs of man will make

deep inroads into natural resources and will undoubtedly take him closer to extinction with each

day. There is an increased awareness among the people towards the conservation of ecologically

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sensitive areas. In our own small way, each of us can contribute to conserving biodiversity in one

form or the other. However some suggestions can be applied to save the ruins from total

extinction.

Create awareness among the public about the importance of these groves and the necessity

for their preservation through mass media like electronic media (All India Radio and

Doordarshan) and other.

Enforce total ban on felling of trees and animals in Sacred Groves.

“Introducing environmental legislation to tackle the sensitive environmental issues. A

national level Sacred Groves act is necessary to protect and use the Sacred Grove

sustainably” (Mitra, 2001, p.52-55).

In India, learning from nature is a tradition in most cultures in which people base their lives

directly on natural resources. Modern school and college education in India tends to, in fact

neglect learning from the students own surroundings. While there have been efforts to use in-

formal learning tools in some special schools, this is not yet brought into standard methods of

teaching in the formal educational sector. “The Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environment

Education and Research (BVIEER), Pune has been involved with studying the current status

of biodiversity in school and college level through different project” (Bharucha, 2005). Govt.

of West Bengal can apply that type of EEAP (Environmental Education and Awarness

Programme) at school, college and university level and to do it we can take into

consideration certain objectives like: Sacred Groves in school curriculum, Sacred Grove’s

information among the teacher-community, analysis of Sacred Groves information among

school students, and information on Sacred Groves in school children from different

communities.

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AUTHOR’S OPINION

In 1921, Jagadish Chandra Bose expressed his view that to know the theory of nature one has to

free his mind to the imaginary world asking questions to the Trees, answers to which should

come from the tree itself…(Ghosh, 2009, p.102-103). Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose believed

that Tree-life and Human-life are same and he proved it in his book Abyakta. Though he was a

biologist yet he could not deny the truth of religion or spiritualism and divinity. An experiment is

explained in his book Abyakta i.e. a rare Palm tree was nourished by the people of Faridpur in

Bangladesh. It had a special character i.e. at night the head of the tree stooped down while it

stands straight with the rising the Sun in the morning and folk people believed that the tree was

the abode of God where the tree pray to the Sun (God) daily. Thus people worshipped this tree.

Bose emphasized on the experiment on this tree with special instruments like: Pescograph,

Soshungraph etc. and ultimately proved the special or rare character of the tree yet he could not

deny the divine-believe of people as he realized that this divine-believe could help to conserve

this rare tree (Ghosh, 2009, p.102-103). So, he believe that, protecting the environment is

everyone’s responsibility, whatever be the way, the way of science or spiritual faith where the

goal is the conservation of Sacred Groves

It is a matter of realization, why we are celebrating the ‘Earth Day’ from 22nd

April, 1970? Why

have we been maintaining this day for 42 years? The answer is that there is an urgent need for

awareness about the devastation of the environment brought about by man’s greed in this

materialistic era. We have to adopt the concept of deep ecology and ecosophy (that means the

belief of the living environment as a whole should be respected and regarded as having certain

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legal rights to live and flourish. It describes itself as ‘deep’ because it regards itself as looking

more deeply into the reality of humanity's relationship with the natural world arriving at

philosophically more profound conclusions than that of the prevailing view of ecology) rather

than anthropocentric environmentalism (which is concerned with conservation of the

environment only for exploitation by human-beings and for human purposes) that would link

environmental ecology to social ecology and also to mental ecology. Being a geographer, our

apprehension is how to marmalade our prolific environment. The upshot is that we have to

compile and revive the limpidness of the Sacred Grove’s identity and also have to show the

traditional belief within folk-hearts. Our ancestors were fully aware of natural resources and they

conserved resources for the sustenance of future cohort. But at present, growth of infrastructural

facilities, tourism-industry and on-farm activities are the causes of deterioration in the quality of

the Groves. The Groves located near the settlements are disappearing at a faster rate. Only a few

Sacred Groves are in their pristine condition. Human interferences should be regulated by

encoding various indigenous practices along with scientific implications rather than only sold

religious prescriptions and interdiction. Every second of the Earth is passing through challenges;

situations of vulnerability increasing with each development. The probability of disasters is

amplified with the changing structure of Sacred Groves. The altering acuity is acting as slow

poison in environmental deterioration though the rate is very slow yet this slow pace fuels bigger

disaster. In micro level, each Sacred Grove has played a grand role to save a good environment.

But we are crossing the deadline of prolific environment, because “global deforestation

continues at around 13 million hectares per year” (Carbon neutral, 2011). So, we have to keep in

our mind that we have to sustain and preserve all the present Sacred Groves. To do it we have to

follow different measuring strategies. All the Governmental and Non-Governmental

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Organizations have to be systematized with a perpetual programme with community sensitivity,

legislation, awareness, and policies from Local to International level. Sacred Groves had been

preserved over time mainly on the basis of religious beliefs. The benefits of Sacred Groves

accrue to the social group on a long-term basis. The concept of Sacred Grove is undoubtedly an

ancient tradition and a ritualistic approach in our socio-cultural geography. The sacredness,

religious beliefs and taboos play a significant role in promoting sustainable utilization and

conservation of flora and fauna of the region. However, with the passage of time, considerable

changes have taken place in the extent of the Sacred Groves, in their vegetation structure,

peoples’ perception towards them and the religious beliefs and taboos.

Every society bears the traditional print of culture mainly based on folk perception. When we

adopt different cultures from different societies, the specimen identity of the culture deteriorates

from its original identity and a cultural clash comes to the fore-front for the amalgamation of

other culture. In most cases this will occurs as a consequence of globalized and modernized

thought of people. So in this context we need some preservation of the traditional culture through

the folk-worshipping like Sacred Groves being conserved in different dimensions.

A question has been aroused by environmental planners what will be the sustainable planning to

nourish our eco-nature? At one side urbanization and settlement expansion are all required

following the continuous process; on the other hand we will have to think about the conservation

of forest ecology. Both of them bear equal importance in recent time thus the problem is how to

maintain a balance between these two aspects and protect our environment. Though the question

is difficult but some revamps can be taken here i.e. leaving the sacred arena of Sacred Groves in

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urban area during construction of roads or buildings. Though it is very tough yet governmental

conservation method has to be strictly applied. In recent, only 9.84% Sacred Groves are present

in urban area of West Bengal. So the condition is very dangerous i.e. we have to nourish this

very small portion without any changes and the rest of 90.16% of rural Sacred Groves should be

nourished very strictly without any changes. Thus regarding biodiversity the importance of rural

Sacred Groves is more essential to conserve the biodiversity. Urbanizarion is the major cause of

the destruction of Sacred Groves. But proper planning can reduce the pace of degradation of the

Sacred Groves even in urban grounds. If we apply the concept of Ecological Engeneering during

urban planning, the arena of Sacred Groves can be preserved. Ecological Engeneering is an

emerging study of integrating ecology and engineering concerned with the designing,

monitoring, and construction of ecosystem. According to Mitsch (1989, p.3-12) “the design of

sustainable ecosystems intends to integrate human society with its natural environment for the

benefit of both.” So it is the process to generate sustainable ecosystem in urban grounds through

the conservation of different pockets of Scared Groves.

The close link between faith and habitat protection offers not only a major conservation

opportunity, but also pose challenges. Most protected-area managers are not trained to manage

natural sites for religious purposes, but many sacred natural sites are under threat of cultural

changes and habitat degradation. Decisions about whether or not to make a sacred natural site an

‘official’ protected area therefore need to be made on a case basis. Such sites can play an

important role in conservation of inside as well as outside official protected areas. More

information about the value of conservation of sacred lands is needed as more informed

experience in integrating these into wider conservation strategies. In addition, in many protected-

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area staffs need a training as how to manage sensitive issues relating to faith where. We have to

take both, opportunity and help from World Bank to conserve Sacred Groves. This type of help

had already been sought by Maharashtra.

Association is an incredible method to conserve and also it has a great impact to improve our

environment. For example, in order to improve the geographical knowledge and geography,

geographers are arranging different geographical association. This concept of geographical

association has to be applied in ecological association i.e. on the basis of each ecological

concept, the geographical data can be generated and a distinct association may develop. For

example, the presence of Sacred Groves is a distinct ecology in itself and through the generation

of all data over Sacred Groves, those which are presently distributed in West Bengal may be

geographically associated for further systematized planning. From another angle, a separate

geographical association can be implemented among geographers towards the protection of the

Sacred Groves association.

Climate change occurrences are positive phenomena in our civilization. This is because they are

knocking at the door to tell us that; the house is full with fullness. It helps us to rethink that, what

over our day to day activities? Our each development will have to bear erosion in environment

and eventually we are facing, realizing and experiencing the extreme changing events in climate.

Though it has micro impact but we should think that, aggregates of micro impact spawn macro

result.

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Who designed the Earth? Is it Environment or Human-being! People belonging to a school think

that Environment designs the mode of human life and another part of society thinks that Human-

being designs the grade of the Life of Environment. But in respect of modern situation human’s

antagonistic demands and their blunt-slapdash behavior about environment creates so many

tribulations. With the cup of tea and snacks we approve different conventions every year but the

utmost result is very paltry because we forget the folk-myths, and the traditional cultures i.e. to

diminish the environmental problems we have to apply the concept of ‘do ecology’. Sacred

Grove is one of the leaves of environment through which numbers of trees and parallely sporadic

socio-economic and cultural identities are being potted in different pockets on Map. Thus being

environmentalist all people should have to retain their cultural specimen, biodiversity, social

identity and even their psychological firmness through the nourishment of Sacred Groves. The

resource destruction yajna can not be supported in this resource depletion age. Thus in omega

theater a special catch line may be painted here for Sacred Groves i.e.

Sustain do-ecology,

Retain Sacred Groves;

Curtail sacrifices,

Shorten resource depletion

Thus we have to track the Tagore’s line about relation between urbanization and tree-culture that

is: “Dao phire se aranya loha ei nagar” (in regional language)

Bring back the forest and take this city centric civilization

[Tagore, 1895.Chaitali: poem Sabhyatar Prati, p.18]

So with the above line it can be said that due to urbanization the identity of Sacred Groves are

diminishing and in this situation again we have to move in the way of the aranya of traditional

culture of Sacred Groves.

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ABBREVIATIONS IN THE TEXT:

In Rig-Veda and RV2, 4|77|8 where: 4 = Mandala

77 = Sukti or Incantation

8 = Mantra or Hymns.

In Yajur-Veda, 1|2|14 where: 1=Kanda

2=Prapathak

14= Mantra

In Atharva-Veda, 1|2|3|7 where: 1 = Kanda

2 = Anubak

3 = Sukti

7 =Mantra

In Manusamhita

1/10 means

1 = Adhyay/chapter

10 = slok / incantation

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APPENDICES:

1: List of Scientific name of observed Floral Groups.

Name of the trees Scientific name Name of the

trees

Scientific name

Akarh Alangium slvifolium Koen Madhuca longifolia

Akondo Calotropis gigantean Koid bael Limonia acidissima

Akar /agar Aquillaria malaccensis Kolke Thevetia peruviana

Amra Spondias dulcis Kuchla Abrus precatorious

Aswatthya Ficus religiosa Kuchila Strychnos nux-vomica

Ankra Alangium salvifolium Kul Zizyphus jutuba

Apang Achyranthes aspera Kunch Abrus precatorius

Arjun Terminalia arjuna Kurchi Holarrhena apubescens

Ashok Saraca asoca Kusum Schleichera oleosa

Aswatthya Ficus religiosa Lata kanchan Bauhinia vahlii

Ata Annona squamosa Lata palash Butea soperba

Babool Acacia nilotioc Mahogany Swietenia mahogany

Bahera Terminalia bellirica Mango Mangifera indica

Bainchi Flacourtia indica Mohua Madhuca indica

Bamboo Bambusa arundihacea Mohul Mac Br. Var.latifolia

Bandar lathi Cassia fistuula Muktajhuri Acalypha indica

Bantulsi Ocimum canum Neem Azadirachta indica

Bael Aegle marmelos Manasa Opunita dillenil

Bettle nut Areca cootechll Nishinda Vitex negundo

Bhela Semecarpus anacardium Pakur Sicus infectoria

Bherenda Jatropha gossypifolia Palash Butea monosperma

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Bokul Mimudops elengi Parashu Cleistanthus collinus

Bot Ficus benghalensis Patari Abutilon indicum

Challa Holoptelea integrifolia Piasal Pterocarpus marsupium

Chalta Dillenia indica Pine Pinus aphremphous

Churchuri Crolon bonplandianum Piyal Buchanania lanzan Spr.

Ckakalda Anogeissus acuminata Peepal Piper longum

Coconut Cocos mucifera Punarnava Boerhaavia diffusa

Eucalyptus Eucalyptus Globus Putla Croton roxburghii

Gamar Gmmelina arborea Sheora Aegle marmelos

Guava Psidium guajava Sal Shorea robusta

Gurmar Gymnema sylvestre Segun Tectona grandus

Haritaki Terminalia chebula Sheora Streblus asper

Harjora Cissus quadrangularis Shimul Ceiba pentandra

Ishermul Aristolochia indica Shiuli Nyctanthes arbortristis

Joba Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Sindha Lagerstroemia parviflora

Jackfruit Artocarpus heterophyllus Simal Bombax indica

Jaam Syzygium cumini Siris Albizza lebbeck

Jeol Odina wodier Sisu Dalbergia sissoo

Jhao Casqarina equisitifdi Sonajhuri Swietenia macrophylla

Kadam Anthocephalus indicus Swet Santalum album

Kakmachi Solanum nigrum Tal Borassus flabellifer

Kala Musa paradisiaca Talmuli Curculigo orchiodes

Kalikend Diospyros exsculpata Tamal Cinnamomum tamala

Kalmegh Andrographis paniculata Tetul Streblus asper

Kamini Murrayo paniculata Thankuni Centella asiatica

Karabi Nerium indicum Tridaksha Tridax procumbens

Kend Diospyros melanoxlon Tulsi Ocimum sanctum

Kham alu Dioscorea bulbifera

Khejur Phoenix sylvestris

2: List of Scientific name of observed Faunal Groups.

Name of Faunal Scientific Name Name of Faunal Scientific Name

Birds Animals

Baran Owl Tyto alba Bat Pteropus mediu

Bengal Vulture Gyps Bengal Buffalo Canis aureus indicu

Common Pariah Kite Milvus migrar Cat Felis domesticus

Fowl Gallus domesticus Cow Bos indicus

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END NOTES: The spellings of the locations are based on the Map of West Bengal (Govt. of India copyright,

2005, TAC Publisher of Kolkata, based on Survey of India Map with the permission of Surveyer

General of India).

The format of references has been based on APA August, 2009 latest version, published by

American Psychological Association of Curtin University Library, Washington DC.

The botanical names have been collected from Samsad Bengali English Dictionary, January,

2008, published by Sishu Sahitya Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata, pp. 1072-1074.

House Crow Corvus splenders Dog Canis familiri

House Sparrow Passer domerticu Fox Lepus nigricollis

reficaudatus

Indian Myna Acridotheres Goat Capra hircus

Koel Eudynanyas

scolopacc

Jackel Canis aureus indicu

Owl Althene branna Langur Prebytis entellus

Pied Crested Cuckoo Clamator gacobinus Mongoose Herpestes edwardsil

nyula

Pigeon Columura livia Monkey Macaca mulatta

Ring Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mouse Musculus

Roufus Woodpacker Micropternu chyurus’ Squirrel Ratufa indica centralis

Sarus Crane Grus antigone Wolf Canis lupus pallipes

Tailor Bird Orthotomus sutoriu Insects

Veseringed Parakett Psitacula krameri Black Bee Bombus pennsylvanicus

White Breasted Water

Hen

Amaurornis

phoenicurus

Butterfly Papileo Krishna

Reptiles Fly Chameleon

Earthworm Lumbricina Cockroach Periplaneta anericane

Lizard Tiliqua scincoides Cricket Stridutation

Snail Helix aspera Fly Musca domestica

Tadpole Rana tirgina Lee Grass Hoper Periplanetaanericane

Toad Centipede Achatina fulica Scorpion Buthans tamulas

Water Snake Naza naza Wasp Mosquito Culexfatigans

White Ant Isopetera

Black Bee Bombus pennsylvanicus