Vol. 14, No.4, 2008 ISSN : 0974-2336

Orissa a

k a t a n r a K ENVIS CENTRE ON ECOLOGY OF EASTERN GHATS

Tamil Nadu

The ENVIS Centre on Eastern Ghats is a decentralized Environmental Information Centre established by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of on thematic issue Ecology of Eastern Ghats

Volume - 14 Issue - 4 October - December, 2008 Sacred Groves of Eastern Ghats -II

Editorial Contents Editorial ...... 1 In the previous issue the importance of sacred Sacred groves- their distribution in Eastern groves, need for their conservation in Eastern Ghats Region...... 3 Ghats region was presented along with threats to existing sacred groves due to developmental Abstracts on Sacred Groves ...... 6 activities. Bibliography on Sacred Groves ...... 6 State wise distribution of sacred groves in Eastern National / International days...... 7 Ghats and their conservation measures have been ENVIS Activities...... 7 highlighted in this issue. Few more abstracts and Expert Database form...... 8 bibliography on the sacred groves have been provided which is a continuation of the earlier issue. Activities on environmental days, ENVIS activities are also given. An Expert data form has been provided for the benefit of experts for them to fill up and send to ENVIS Centre. This will help ENVIS Centre to update the expert database in the website and also facilitate to seek the information from them on various themes of Eastern Ghats i.e. on Biological, Physical, Socio-Economic Environments, Programmes & Policies and Information Systems.

ENVIS Coordinator Photo: P.K.Swain

ENVIS CENTRE ON EASTERN GHATS ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION TRAINING & RESEARCH INSTITUTE 91/4, Gachibowli, - 500 032, A.P., India Ph.:+91-040-23000489, 23001241, 23001242 ; 23001707; Fax No: +40 - 23000361, URL: http://envis-eptri.ap.nic.in; http//www.eptri.com EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol. 14, No.4, 2008

ISSN No: 0974-2336 Sacred Groves recored from Volume : 14, Issue : 4 Year: 2008 Eastern Ghats Districts of Andhra Pradesh Editorial Team No. of District Name Sacred Dr. Razia Sultana, ENVIS Coordinator Groves Mr. I. Siva Rama Krishna, Sr. Program Officer Chittor 133 Mr. Prabhata Kumar Swain, Program Officer Cuddapah 76 East Godavari 10 Mr. B.L.N. Murty, Program Assistant 17 Mrs. J.V.S. Prabhavati, Data Entry Operator Khammam 4 Published by Krishna 12 115 EPTRI, Hyderabad. Mahabubnagar 9 Supported by Nalgonda 9 Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) 87 Government of India, New Delhi Prakasam 59 30 Vishakhapatnam 30 Instructions to Contributors 32 West Godavari 17 ENVIS Newsletter on Ecology of Eastern Ghats Ananthapur 73 Total 713 is a quarterly publication, publishes the articles

related to the thematic area of the ENVIS Photo: P.K.Swain Centre. Authors are requested to send their articles and write-ups, on the themes pertaining to Biological, Physical, Socio-Economic Environments, Programmes & Policies and Information Systems.

Readers are requested to kindly visit the website: http://envis-eptri.ap.nic.in. The subject experts on the themes mentioned above are requested to send their details, by filling“Expert Inside view of Borra Caves database form” available on the last page of this issue. The information seekers on various themes mentioned above are requested to fill Photo: P.K.Swain the “Query - Response form” available on the website.

The filled in forms may kindly be sent by e-mail to [email protected] / [email protected] or by fax / post to the ENVIS Centre, EPTRI. (Address given in page 1).

The views expressed in the Article/s are of Authors. Areal view of Borra Caves

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Sacred Groves- Their Distribution in Eastern Ghats Region P. K. Swain, I. Siva Rama Krishna and B. L. N. Murty Project Faculty, ENVIS, EPTRI, Hyderabad-500 032 [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Sacred groves (SGs) are small patches of forest According to literature, the number of flowering left untouched by the local inhabitants to be plant and endemic taxa occurring in the Eastern protected by the local village folk deities. Ghats is about 3200 and 146 respectively Several such groves are reported in many parts (Reddy et al. 2006). Based on geological and of India. These groves now play a vital role in the tectonic considerations, the Eastern Ghats are conservation and preservation of species formed of four sections (Krishnan, 1960; Meher- diversity. Sacred groves are the last remnants of Homji, 2001; Reddy et al. 2006). Sacred groves the native vegetation of each particular region. are called differently in different states like They indicate the vital effort made by local Kovikaadugal in , Pavitraskhetralu in communities to preserve their natural forest Andhra Pradesh and Jahera, Thakuramma in tracts against the offense of the clearing of Orissa. In many parts of India the Scared groves forests for cultivation and settlement. Sacred represents the only surviving examples of climax groves represent an ancient Indian vegetation. Unfortunately many of these groves conservation tradition, protected by local people are disappearing under the influence of out of reverence and respect, fear and modernization. Often the destruction is caused sentiments. They are home to local flora and not only due to commercial interest but also , a veritable gene pool and mini biosphere because of subtle cultural change. A.P Forest reserve. Within these groves are locked ancient Department has initiated certain specific secrets of sorcery and magic. conservation measures to protect all of its Biodiversity at large landscape level within the Around 14,000 sacred groves have been forested tracts and most of the very ancient reported from all over India, which act as temples along with the sacred groves. reservoirs of rare fauna, and more often rare flora, amid rural and even urban settings. The sacred groves of the state of Andhra Experts believe that the total number of sacred Pradesh can be classified as 1. Well preserved groves could be as high as 100,000. India is groves, 2. Less disturbed groves 3. Disturbed believed to have nearly 14,000 sacred groves groves. The category one has rich flora and spread among different states. Most of the fauna and is preserved to a great extent. This is groves are located in Himachal Pradesh, seen in large landscape areas like hill ranges. Kerala, , Andhra Pradesh, Less disturbed groves of the places where the Maharashtra, and Chhatisgarh. flora and fauna is still retained though these are There are still many undiscovered sacred subjected for anthropogenic pressures. The groves existing in the Eastern Ghats region. disturbed groves which were once believed to be Indian sacred groves are sometimes associated rich in biodiversity, now in a highly degraded with temples / monasteries / shrines or with state, mostly due to the urbanization and burial grounds. extension of agricultural land. At present such groves are seen in the middle of the villages or by The Eastern Ghats along the Peninsular India the side of the . For example such groves extending over 1750 km with average width of are seen Arasavelli, Srimukhalingam in about 100 km and extends from 11°03’ to Srikakulam dist., Borra caves, Modakondamma 22°03’N Lat. and 77°02’ to 87°02’E Long. in district, Sarangadarametta, However all the four States namely Orissa, Sarpavaram in . Though Andhra Pradesh, parts of Tamil Nadu and part of the A.P. Forest Department committed for the Karnataka have been taken up for the study to protection of Biodiversity in its territorial maintain continuity in the spatial database. jurisdiction but also calls for people participation 3 EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol. 14, No.4, 2008

in protecting various Sacred Groves listed are: below. Following is the list of Sacred Groves in 1) Talakona 2) Kapilatheertham 3) Jeevakona 4) 23 districts of the state. Sanakasananandana Theertham 5) Kumaradhara Theertham 6) Theertham Sacred Groves in Tamil Nadu 7) Japali Theertham 8) Tumbura Theertham 9) Kaigal Waterfalls 10) Sadasiva Kona etc. There are about 235 Sacred Groves recorded from Eastern Ghats districts of Tamil Nadu. They 3. Cuddapah: The Lankamalais, Palakondas are distributed in 10 districts: The district wise and Veligonda hill ranges of Cuddapah district number of sacred groves are given below. harbour a good number of sacred groves. There are about 76 sacred groves of which 25 are No. of considered as major groves including 8 hotspots. District Name Sacred About 300 plant species are recorded from these Groves sacred groves. Dharmapure 32 Dindigul 6 4. East Godavari: There are 10 well preserved Erode 21 groves, 3 less disturbed groves and 2 disturbed. Namakkal 20 Following is the list of well preserved and less Pudukottai 28 disturbed groves are 1) Talupulamma Lova 2) Salem 24 Annavaram 3) Korukonda 4) Bhairvapalem 5) Tiruchirappalli 34 Pandavulamitta 6) Thantikonda 7) Gummalla Tiruvanamalai 47 Doodi 8) Rampa Hill area 9) Pedda Konda area 16 10) Dummu Konda. Villupuram 7 Total 235 5. Guntur: There are 17 sacred groves, of which 14 groves are disturbed and only 3 are less Sacred Groves in Andhra Pradesh: disturbed. There are 14 big trees with girths varying from four meters to six meters and age The state of Andhra Pradesh shared the varying from 100 years to 300 years. These traditions of Sacred Groves with other parts of include Ficus benghalensis, Ficus amplissima, the country. There are about 713 sacred groves Ficus religiosa and Azadirachta indica. Three identified in Eastern Ghats districts of Andhra better preserved groves are 1) Kotappa Konda 2) Pradesh. Some of the very important groves are Kondaveedu 3) Nagarjuna Konda. existing in 26 Protected Areas. However large number of groves are seen outside, mostly 6. Khammam: There are 3 groves – 1) Nugur Fort being protected by the people under religious 2) Parnasala 3) Sthambhadri, Khamma Fort. prohibition of felling. 7. Krishna: There are 12 sacred groves and most Important sacred groves in Eastern Ghats of the groves are disturbed and only 3 are less districts of Andhra Pradesh: disturbed. The better preserved groves are 1) Kanakadurgamma Konda 2) Kondapalli Grove 3) 1. : There are about 73 sacred groves Thirumalagiri 4) Gundala Matha Grove 5) Kolleti of which 21 are hotspots, 11 major groves and Kota. 41 minor groves. Thimmamma marrimanu - the largest banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis) in the 8. Kurnool: There are 115 sacred groves. 39 of world is seen in this district at Gooty Bailu them are classified as major groves and 76 are village. minor groves. 14 better groves are 1) Jagannatha gattu 2) Brahma Gundam 3) 2. Chittoor : There are 133 sacred groves of Devaragattu 4) Ramamandal 5) Thovi 6) Upper which 25 are major groves and 25 moderate and 7) Belum Caves 8) Yeganti 9) 83 are minor groves. Following is the list of Kambagiri Konda 10) Chandrayuni gudi 11) some of the very important groves of this district Maddiletiswamy 12) Mahandi 13) Kolambharathi 4 EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol. 14, No.4, 2008

14) Paladhara-Panchadhara. Mathsagundam 6) Rakshanagiri 7) 9. Mahabubnagar : There are 9 groves having Simhachalam 8) Upamaka 9) Vaddadi 10) good-to-moderate vegetation. There are six Vaddadi madugula more groves with a few trees often on plains, 7 groves lacking vegetation and two groves 15. Vizianagaram: There are about 32 sacred protected recently but not treated as sacred. groves of which 11 are well preserved, 12 less The better preserved groves are : disturbed and 9 are disturbed. Some of the well 1) Umamaheswaram 2) Saileshwaram Valley preserved groves are - 1) Punyagiri 2) Paramma 3) Kadalivanam found in Nagarjunasagar Konda 3) Jayathi 4) Neredu valasa 5) Gorada 6) Tiger Reserve (N.S.T.R), 4) Jellupenta Bothili 7) Chitrakonda Boddavalasa 8) Addapu 5) Singavatnam 6) Yettam 7) Maniyamkonda Sila 9) Konada 10) Phoolbagh 11) Bobbili. 8) Kurumurthi Konda 9) Koyalakonda area 10) Mallelatheertham. 16. West Godavari: There are about 17 sacred groves of which four groves are well preserved 10. Nalgonda: There are 9 Sacred Groves of and 13 are disturbed. Some of the well which two groves in forest with good vegetation preserved groves are 1) Pattiseema 2) Pedavegi and 2 groves in moderate vegetation, the other 5 3) Jeelakarragutta 4) Gubbalamangamma groves with poor vegetation. Following are the better preserved groves -1) Yadagirigutta 2) Sacred groves in Orissa Chandrumgutta 3) Narketpalli 4) Ethipothala. In Orissa about 322 sacred groves were reported as per literature survey. A few tentative 11. Nellore: There are 87 groves of which 21 are inferences in terms of association of SGs with classified as major groves with 4 highly diversed different ethnic groups that can be drawn from sacred groves. They are 1) Narasimha Konda 2) the materials described earlier are: (i) that sacred Penusila Narasimha 3) Nelapattu Grove 4) groves are found among both tribals and non- Siddulaiah Konda. tribals; (ii) there is regional variation in terms of ethnic association; (iii) the association with 12. Prakasam: There are 59 groves of which 25 castes of different varnas is not clear; (iv) in are considered major grove. Some of them are States like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, West 1) Bairavakona 2) 3) Bengal, etc., we have both tribals and non tribals. Mukteswara 4) Malakonda 5) Ramayyapatnam Church 6) Singarakonda 7) Bhimeswara 8) The presence or absence of groves in the non- Anumalagiri 9) Nemaligandla 10) Petla tribal areas is not clear. A random literature Ramaswamy 11) Isukagundalu 12) search reveals that by and large a majority of the Palankeswara ( in NSTR). SGs are associated with female deities. Gadgil and Vartak (1976) found, among 21 SGs in 13. Srikakulam: There are 30 sacred groves of Maharashtra, 15 associated with goddesses and which 8 are well preserved and 14 disturbed. 5 with male deity (phallic worship) and one with The other 8 groves are highly disturbed groves ancestor worship. Chandran (1995) reports due to biotic pressures and extension of occurrence of both male (Bhutappa, Jatakappa) agriculture. The major groves are 1) and female (Choudamma) deities associated Jagatimetta 2) Jatlatada 3) Mallemma Thalli 4) with sacred groves in Karnataka. Sangameswara Konda 5) Subhalaya 6) Tarlakota 7) Telukunchi 8) Telineelapuram. In southwest Bengal and in Koraput district of Orissa, the deities are mostly female (Hemam et 14. Visakhapatnam : There are about 30 sacred al., 1997; Malhotra et al., 1998). Malhotra et al. groves of which 10 are well preserved, 15 less (1998) have observed taboo against entry of disturbed and 5 are disturbed. Some of the well women in the sacred groves among the tribes of preserved groves are - 1) Gudilova 2) south-west Bengal and among the tribes of 3) Lingalathirugudu 4) Madhavadhara 5) Koraput district of Orissa. 5 EPTRI - ENVIS Newsletter Vol. 14, No.4, 2008

Abstracts on Sacred Groves Bibliography on Sacred Groves

Chandran, M.D.S., and Hughes, J.D., “The sacred John Britto, S., Balaguru, B., Natarajan, D. and groves of South India: Ecology, Traditional Arockiasamy, D.I. 2000. Studies on the communities and Religious change”, Social enthnobotany and species diversity of the Compass, 44 (3): 411-425, 1997. sacred groves at the foothills of The Sacred groves of South India still exist, although Shevaroys, Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu. the importance given to them is sporadically Journal of Hill Research. 13: 130-135. declining. Several peasant communities such as John Britto, S., Balaguru, B., Natarajan, D. and Karivokkaliga, Halepaik and Halakkigowda perceive Arockiasamy, D.I. 2000.Comparative the presence of these deities in the entire grove, and it Analysis of tree diversity and its is their place of worship to this day. population density in a sacred grove at Malliganatham, Pudukottai District of Tamil Nadu. Advances in Plant Sciences. Das, K. and Malhotra, K. C. 1998 Sacred Groves 14(11): 327-330 among the Tribes of India: A Literature Survey of John Britto, S., Balaguru, B., Soosairaj, S. and Ethnographic Monographs. Integrated Rural Arockiasamy, D.I. 2001. Diversity of plants Development of Weaker- Sections in India, in a sacred grove of Pudukottai District in Semiliguda. Mimeograph. Tamil Nadu. J. Economic and Taxonomic 36 monographs on the tribes of India have been Botany, 25(1): 58-62. studied. For each tribe a brief description of the John Britto, S., Balaguru, B., Soosairaj, S. and sacred grove is given. Arockiasamy, D.I. 2001. Floristic analysis of a sacred grove at Vamban in Pudukottai Kulkarni, D. K., Barve, J. P., Jagdale, R. P. and District of Tamil Nadu, South India - Inamdar, A. C. 1993. Floristics of a sacred forest Journal of Economic & Taxonomy Botany, patch from Sundergad district, Orissa state. J. Econ. 25(1): 81-90. Tax. Bot., 17(2). M. Amirthalingam. 1998. Sacred Groves of Tamil The paper gives floristic account of a sacred groves Nadu – A Survey, CPR Environmental near village Bijadihi (Dist. Sundergad, Orissa State) Education Centre, , India, p. 191, M.P. Ramanujam and K. Praveen Kumar Cyril. World Wide Fund for Nature - Andhra Pradesh 1996 2003. Woody species diversity of four sacred groves in the Pondicherry region of Sacred and Protected Groves of Andhra Pradesh. South India, Biomedical and Life Sciences WWF-AP State office, Andhra Pradesh. and Earth and Environmental Extensive documentation has been done by WWF - Science.12(2): AP state office of Sacred and Protected Groves of Natarajan D, John Britto S Balaguru B, Andhra Pradesh (1996). It records more than 750 Nagamurugan N and Soosai Raj S. 2004. sacred elements from 23 districts of Andhra Pradesh Distribution of Sacred Grove forests in the Chitteri Hills of the Eastern Ghats of Tamil M. Amirthalingam, Sacred natural sites in the Eastern Nadu – Indian. J. Environment & Ghats and their role in the conservation of Ecoplan.8: 375-379, biodiversity, C.P.R. Environmental Education Pandit, P. K. , R. K. Bhakat, U. K. Sen. 2008. Centre, 1, Eldams , Alwarpet, Chennai - 600 018 Role of sacred grove in conservation of in Proc. of Natl.Sem. Conservation of Eastern Ghats, plants. Indian Forester. 134 (7): 866-874 . 2007 Ravi Prasad Rao.2006. Conservation of The present paper attempts to summarize four sacred threatened flora in sacred groves of natural sites of Tamilnadu in the Eastern Ghats - Southern Andhra Pradesh, Symposium Thiruvannamalai, , Tiruthani and Vallimalai. On National Biodiversity and Ecosystem Information Infrastructure (NBEII): Challenges and Potentials, Pune.

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WORLD FOOD DAY Tamil Nadu: The Food and Nutrition Board

th celebrated World Food Day recently at World Food Day (16 October) was proclaimed in Kodikulam Middle School in coordination with 1979 by the Conference of the Food and Home Science College, Tamil Nadu Agriculture Agriculture Organization (FAO). It marks the University. T. R. Rajendran, Demonstration date of foundation of FAO in 1945. The aim of the Officer of the board, delivered a lecture on this Day is to heighten public awareness of the world year’s theme, ‘World Food Security: The food problem and strengthen solidarity in the challenges of climate and bio-energy.’ struggle against hunger, malnutrition and Source: The Hindu, 22-10-2008 poverty. In 1980, the General Assembly endorsed observance of the Day in ENVIS Activities consideration of the fact that “food is a requisite Botanical Garden Project: for human survival and well-being and a fundamental human necessity”

Orissa: World Food Day was observed on 16th October, 2008 in Orissa State. Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India along with ICAR, New Delhi celebrated this Day at Dr. B.P. Pal Auditorium, Indian Agricultural Research Institute. Several dignitaries attended the ceremony including Mr. Sharad Pawar, Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture, Food & Supplies, Botanical Garden, EPTRI, Hyd. Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution, GoI, and several other officials. Special publications were The project entitled: “Ex-situ Conservation of released on this occasion. Elocution and Poster threatened plants endemic to Eastern Ghats Competition for School children, at Gandhi Smriti through establishing a Botanical Garden at and Darshan Samiti, New Delhi. EPTRI, Hyderabad” has been sanctioned by MoEF-GoI. Under this project it is proposed to Source:http://www.fao.org/getinvolved/worldwid establish a Greenhouse at EPTRI and collection eevents/detail-events/en/item/8054/icode/ of few threatened plants endemic to Eastern The Hindu, 17-10-2008 Ghats are to be brought from various forested areas of Eastern Ghats. Herbal Garden:

A representative of the farmers’ community Herbal Garden, Banjara Hills,Hyd. felicitated Governor Sri Muralidhar Herbal garden has been established in Chandrakant Bhandare at in the Hyderabad by ENVIS for Greater Hyderabad function organized on the occasion of World Municipal Corporation. Germplasm from Food Day Eastern Ghats has been collected and planted.

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Expert Database form Dear Sir / Madam, ENVIS Centre on Ecology of Eastern Ghats established by Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India facilitates the services of collecting and disseminating information related to Ecological / Environmental issues of Eastern Ghats like Biological, Physical, Socio-Economic environments, Information systems, Programs and Policies. In this connection the experts, professors, scientists, researchers, academicians etc., are requested to send their professional details in the prescribed proforma for inclusion in the Expert Database at earliest by e-mail or post to ENVIS Coordinator [email protected] or [email protected] or address cited hereunder.

Name :...... Organisation : ...... Designation :...... Area of Specialisation :...... Address :...... City :...... State :...... Country :...... Pin :...... Phone :...... Fax :...... E-mail :...... Current research area :...... Collaborative institutes/ Scientists :...... Publications relating to Eastern Ghats : Articles :...... Reports :...... Books :...... Any other relevant information :...... Names / Contact E-mail of Experts from whom we can seek data......

I herewith submit the above details for inclusion of my name in your Expert Database. I am also sending a copy of my biodata for records.

Signature

From: To Book-Post Sri...... ENVIS Centre on Eastern Ghats, Environment Protection Training and Research ...... Institute,(EPTRI) ...... 91/4, Gachibowli, Hyderabad - 500 032, A.P., India ...... Ph.:+91-040- 23001241, 23001242, 23006472 Fax No: +40 - 23000361, ...... URL http://envis-eptri.ap.nic.in Pin:......

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