Hidden in the forests, hills and rural areas of India are sacred groves – remnants of nature that exist because they were not disturb, not because laws protected them, but because of faith. These are living temples in the forest, preserved by the neighbouring communities who have faith in the gods within them. Long before the concept of conservation was articulated we were aware of a fragile balance between man and nature and that’s how one of the oldest and most sustainable models of biodiversity conservation was developed.
Sacred groves are found all over India, from the Khasi and Garo hills of Meghalaya to Kerala’s lush forests and then, to the Aravalli ranges of Rajasthan. Each and every grove has its own deity, rituals and taboos regarding human interventions. Cutting trees, hunting animals or even plucking a leaf are sins according to tradition. This custom which has always been unwritten, has kept these areas isolated for generations, becoming organic islands of rich biodiversity in an ever-changing landscape. Indeed many rare and endemic species of plants, birds and insects exist only because of these sacred groves.
The best known sacred groves in India is the Mawphlang Sacred Grove in Meghalaya. The Khasi people are convinced that their grove is protected by an immensely powerful deity, Labasa, who punishes anyone that dares to take anything at all from the grove. This belief has preserved this grove in its wild state for centuries, supporting rare orchids, medicinal herbs, and fruit bearing trees that exceed the memory of man. In the Western Ghats, villagers of Kodagu and in parts of Kerala, continue to engender and protect “Kavu” or “Devrai” sacred forests dedicated to serpent gods or local deities. Here, nature and spirit integrate without effort, reflecting a type of ecological wisdom.
Sacred Groves become particularly compelling when they precariously hold spiritual authority while being incorporated into ecology. For the local populace, protecting sacred groves is not only the task of upholding religion but respecting life, sustaining balance, and the unseen powers that cultivate life on earth. Oftentimes the rituals held here are connected to the cyclical aspects of nature water cycles, harvest, and fertility linking people boldly with the consequent wellbeing of the environment and their survival. This ancient belief system has potentialized as a conservation strategy, ensuring biodiversity thrives without the need for fences, or formal protection.
In recent years several environmentalists and scientists have recognized the ecological value of these groves. These are gene pools and natural seed banks for our biodiversity and most important is that many streams and springs originate within them, supplying surrounding villages with fresh water. The closed canopy and nutrient soils regulate the local climate and mitigate soil erosion. As consecrated areas, they are significant to the Indian ecological equilibrium: restricted deforestation and urban expansion are constant stressors on the landscape around these groves and other woodlands.
Modern pressures are endangering sacred groves. Changing belief systems, development projects, standard of living, and migration have eroded traditional practice. The younger generation often looks to the city and may not fully understand the cultural and ecological value of the groves. Some groves have been razed for farming or development, while others are losing ground quietly. There is still hope. Conservation organizations, researchers, and local communities are coming together to breathe life back into sacred practices, documenting the groves, building education for youth, and restoring groves in disrepair.
The saga of India’s sacred groves invests more than trees or divinities but is about the spirit of sustainability that our forebears crafted through faith and restraint. These natural shrines remind us that caring for the earth doesn’t always need technology or policy. In fact, all it sometimes needs is faith and respect. In an era obsessed with climate change and ecological crises, these groves whisper an ancient truth: When nature is made sacred, destruction cannot be imagined.
