RELIGION AND NATURE RELIGION

AND WATER BODIES/RIVER:

RELIGION AND FOREST; ROLE OF
SACRED GROVES IN TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES

Dr. SIBNATH SARKAR

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY
RAMMOHAN COLLEGE, KOLKATA
 How is nature related to religion?

• All religions agree that nature is an act of divinity and

should be treated as such... Almost all religions address
the issue of the creation of the universe, or universes,
in different forms and with varying degrees of clarity or
detail.
• Nature has the ability to be imbued with spiritual
power and significance. Forests, lakes, and mountains
often invoke a feeling of the divine or inspire a sense of
awe. They are a resource that people may use to
connect to the sacred and to generate spiritual feelings.
• Buddhism: The notion of karma alone, being
an important part of Buddha's lessons,
conveys the values of conservation and
responsibility for the future. It is said that the
morality of our actions in the present will
shape our character for the future, an idea
close of sustainable development.
• Buddhist Connections and Reflection on
Environment: “As a bee – without harming the
blossom, its color, its fragrance – takes its
nectar and flies away: so should the sage go
through a village.” (Dhammapada IV,
Pupphavagga: Blossoms, 49)
• Christianity: There are approximately hundred
verses in the bible that talk about protection
of the environment. Christians therefore have
environmental responsibility and encourage
behavioral change for the good of the future.
• Christian Connections and Reflection on
Environment: “Do not pollute the land where
you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and
atonement cannot be made for the land on
which blood has been shed, except by the
blood of the one who shed it.” (Verse 35:33)
• Islam: Hundreds of Qur’an verses support the protection
of the environment. Many some Islamic organizations
promote the relation between Islam and sustainability.
Islam also approaches environment from a stewardship
perspective. The earth is God’s creation, and as humans,
we have been entrusted to preserve it as we found. The
responsibility of humanity is to protect and ensure the
unity (Tawheed) of the God’s creation. Moreover, Islam
prohibits the excessive consumption of resources the
planet provides to the humanity (Qur’an 7:31, 6:141,
17:26-27, 40:34).
• In fact, Qur’an mentions wasteful consumption (Isrāf) as
the thirty-second greatest sin. In 2015, the Islamic Climate
Change Symposium adopted the Islamic Declaration on
Global Climate Change.
 Muslim Connections and Reflection on
Environment:
• “Devote thyself single-mindedly to the Faith, and thus follow
the nature designed by Allah, the nature according to which
He has fashioned mankind. There is no altering the creation of
Allah.” (Qur’an 30:30)
• “Do not support arrogantly on the earth. You will never split
the earth apart nor will you ever rival the mountains’
stature” (Qur’an 17: 37).
• “It is Allah who made for you the earth a place of settlement
and the sky a ceiling and formed you and perfected your
forms and provided you with good things. That is Allah, your
Lord; then blessed is Allah , Lord of the worlds.” (Qur’an,
40:64)
• Islam is against deforestation and prohibits
unnecessary cutting of trees as is evident in
the following Hadith narrated by Abdullah ibn
Habashi that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said:
“He who cuts a lote-tree [without
justification], Allah will send him to Hellfire.”
(Abu Dawud).
• What does the Quran say about protecting the
environment?
• [Quran 7:31]

Allah created a perfectly balanced world on the

basis of sustainability and circularity. This balance
must be maintained by man acting moderately,
thoughtfully and justly. Waste, pollution and
destruction are the very qualities that Allah
abhors.
• What does Islam say about clean
environment?
• We should not litter even little things like a
bottle cap or a candy wrapper. As good
Muslims, we must respect and His
creations. Keeping the environment clean
keeps the plants, animals, and us happy and
healthy. We should do our duty and make sure
our body and clothes are clean and neat.
• Jainism: Originated from India, the main teaching
from Jainism is Ahimsa, the non-violence, in all parts
of life. Verbally, physically and mentally, Jainism
doctrines focus on a peaceful and disciplined life.
Kindness to animals, vegetarianism and self-restraint
with the avoidance of waste are parts of Jains life. In
addition, in 1990, The Jain Declaration on Nature was
written to mark the entry of the Jain faith into the
WWF Network on Conservation and Religion (The Jain
Declaration on Nature, 1990).
• Jainism Connections and Reflection on
Environment: "Do not injure, abuse, oppress,
enslave, insult, torment, torture, or kill any creature
or living being." (Mahavira)
• Hinduism: Hinduism is a religion deeply rooted in nature.
The sacred text (Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Epics)
has many references of divinity related to nature, such as
rivers, mountains, trees, animals, and the earth. To
protect them, Hinduism encourages environmental
protection and there are organizations who promote
sustainable development and support the protection of
the environment through awareness campaigns and
actions (GreenFaith, 2010).
• Hinduism Connections and Reflection on Environment: “I
shall now explain the knowable, knowing which you will
taste the eternal. Brahman, the spirit, beginningless and
subordinate to Me, lies beyond the cause and effect of
this material world.” (Bhagavad Gita 13.13)
• Some faiths use water especially prepared for
religious purposes
• The Zamzam Well in Islam and the River Ganges
(among many others) in Hinduism.

The Zamzam Well Zamzam Arabic

pronunciation: [bi ru zam.zam]) is a
well located within the Masjid al-
Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is
located 20 m (66 ft) east of the
Kaʿba, the holiest place in Islam.
• Forests provide the venue for religious, social,
and healing ceremonies. Forest products such
as wood and forest foods such as palm wine
are used in many ceremonies.
 What are the religious uses of forest?

Forests are also affected by activities such

as tree worship; establishment and maintenance of
scares sites in forests, religious festivals and rituals
conducted within the forest. Moreover, religious
forests provide SHELTER for species.
Trees are revered in Hinduism; the Rig
Veda instructs not to cut down trees or uproot
them as they provide protection to living beings.
Scriptures have also named certain trees as 'sacred'
in order to protect them from being the spoils of
man.
• Just like humans, trees are a part of samsara,
also known as the cycle of life, death, and
rebirth. Stemming from the ancient Vedic
religion, Hindus hold great reverence towards
nature and believe trees are the origin of
life. Trees hold high religious significance in
Hinduism.
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• Sacred groves or sacred woods are groves of trees and
have special religious importance within a particular
culture. Sacred groves feature in various cultures
throughout the world.
• They were important features of the mythological
landscape and cult practice of Celtic, Estonian, Baltic,
Germanic, ancient Greek, Near Eastern, Roman, and
Slavic polytheism; they also occur in locations such as
India, Japan (sacred shrine forests), West Africa and
Ethiopia (church forests). Examples of sacred groves
include the Greco-Roman temenos,
various Germanic words for sacred groves, and the
Celtic nemeton, which was largely but not exclusively
associated with Druidic practice.
 What is the important role of sacred groves?

• The value of sacred groves is immense. It is

also the repositories of rich medicinal plants,
wild relatives of crops and many important
species, which act as the valuable gene pool.
They give much ecological and genetically
significance and play an important role in
wildlife conservation also.
• A grove is a small wood or stand of trees
lacking dense undergrowth. “Grove” is also
defined as a group of trees planted and
cultivated for fruit or nut production. An
orchard always has to consist of fruit or nut
trees, but a grove does not.
 What are sacred groves Why are they important to tribal people?

• Sacred groves are forest patches that have been

untouched and undisturbed by the tribal people as
part of their religious and cultural beliefs. They
believe that it is the home of their deities and
perform rituals to please the gods.
• A good example of such traditional practices is the
conservation and protection of small forest patches
called “sacred groves”. Sacred groves are patches of
forest, water bodies, grasslands considered to be
inhabited by gods and hence, strictly prohibited
from resource extraction.
• Sacred groves are forests conserved in the name of God and are considered to be sacred.
In fact, these are preserved by society and not by the government. Sacred groves have a
special kind of shielding; that is, in these forests or groves, hunting animals and cutting
down trees is not allowed. These groves are spread throughout the country . According to
a government report, India has more than 14000 sacred groves. Sacred groves are
considered the most remarkable worship of nature. Generally, they are the areas in
forests, grasslands and water bodies that are preserved by society as they believe that
these are the places of Gods and Goddesses.
• Sacred Groves in India
• We now know that sacred groves are the marks of forests that are preserved by locals for
worship. There are many sacred groves found in India; some of them are in Western
Ghats (Karnataka), Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Meghalaya and Madhya Pradesh. Many
indigenous species of plants and animals are present, which the sacred groves help
preserve. A significant number of sacred groves come under tribal land, so the
government cannot touch them. Deforestation is also banned in these sacred groves.
Some of the examples of sacred groves in India are as follows:
• Khasi and Jaintia Hills (Meghalaya)
• Aravali Hills (Rajasthan)
• Western Ghats (Karnataka)
• Western Ghats (Maharashtra)
• Chanda and Bastar ( Madhya Pradesh)
• Khecheopalri Lake (Sikkim)
• History of Sacred Groves
• It is believed that the presence of sacred groves dates to the early 1800s. People
believed that trees were the place of God or that they had spirits, so they
protected them. Gradually, it became a ritual among the tribals that if they hunt
or cut trees in these areas, God will become angry and it will lead to disaster or
cause diseases or damage crops.
• Today, sacred groves are important for biodiversity, which is why the government
helps tribals protect them instead of destroying them. Native plants which have
great medicinal value are also present in sacred groves. In some sacred groves,
water bodies are preserved, which is helpful for the nearby areas or villages, as
they provide water for drinking or irrigation purposes.
• The sacred groves of India are connected to almost 40,000 groups of Hindus,
Buddhists and Muslims. Many annual programs are performed by villagers for the
welfare of their sacred groves. By performing these annual ceremonies, they pray
for good crops, good health or the birth of a child.
• In Karnataka, sacred groves are called devarakadus or devarkans; in Kerala, they
are called kavusand, and the bishnoi tribes have their sacred groves, which are
called orans. Today, India has almost 14,000 sacred groves. Himachal Pradesh has
the largest number of sacred groves, that is 5000, Kerala has 2000, Maharashtra
has 1600, Karnataka has 1424, Andhra Pradesh has 750 and West Bengal has 670.
 Hazards to Sacred Groves

• As time passed, many changes or evolution

occurred, and for human comfort, many dams
and roads were built, which destroyed multiple
sacred groves. Due to this evolution, some of
the areas of sacred groves were reduced.
• In some sacred groves, non-native weeds
began growing, which are harmful to people.
Some tribes converted their natural form of
worship into small temples.
 Significance of Sacred Groves

• Because of these sacred groves, many

indigenous or endangered species of plants
and animals have been preserved.
• These groves help villagers get water for
drinking and irrigation purposes. Many plants
which have medicinal value are present in
these areas, and natural medicine is provided
by groves. Areas of sacred groves have
excellent soil fertility.