Every morning, Kamla Devi offers water to the tulsi plant in her courtyard.
On Mondays, she trudges downhill to worship a giant banyan tree in Sumari, a mountain village about 175 km from Dehradun. When asked about the rituals, Devi says, “It gives me peace of mind. I have grown up watching my mother and grandmother do the same.” Unlike the tulsi which is found in Hindu homes, the banyan is a village property. Almost in every Indian village, people share a deep attachment with this tree. The banyan at Sumari has crystal clear water flowing near its roots. It is considered sacred, as its source is associated with the village deity. After marriages are solemnised, new brides are welcomed at this spot. They perform puja in the presence of the priest. Like Sumari, residents of Lupunguttu village in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district also revere a grove where natural springs flow out of tree roots. People believe that the water has therapeutic properties. “The water could be deriving its therapeutic property from Arjuna trees (Terminalia arjuna) that dominate the grove,” says Manisha Toppo, postgraduate student at the Bhopal-based Indian Institute of Forest Management.
Whatever be the reason, tree worshipping signifies human association with nature. There are sacred species, sacred groves and sacred landscapes all around us. Spiritual ecology, through which human beings connect themselves with the cosmos, has evolved over time. Today, it is an emerging idea in ecological conservation. Growing interest in this concept may help address environmental issues.
A way to conserve the healer
Denne historien er fra January 01, 2018-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra January 01, 2018-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prÞveperiode pÄ Magzter GOLD for Ä fÄ tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. Itâs time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
