Introduction

Sacred groves, traditionally known as ‘Kavu’, are seen in many homes in Kerala.

These are clusters of trees that are grown together over an area of land. There

may be ponds and small water bodies associated with these groves. The area is

inhabited by many small animals and birds. Sometimes specific trees are grown

and nurtured here, and mostly these groves are associated with religious rites and

festivals and would have a presiding deity. Some of these sacred groves are

famous exclusively as ‘Sarpa Kavu’, as serpents are worshipped through different

rituals on a regular basis.

Origin and History of ‘Kavu’

Sanatana Dharma (eternal principles of living) practised in India for thousands

of years considered 'Nature’ to be an extension and expre ssion of the divinity.

Even the earliest food-gathering societies that flourished in this land venerated

Nature and her resources. In contrast to the present-day consumeristic attitude,

earlier inhabitants took only what is necessary from nature and respected and

adored every aspect of it through prayers and worship. This tradition of

conserving nature can be traced back to pre-Vedic times. Vedic literature is

replete with vivid and colourful descriptions of the magnificence and

exquisiteness of India‟s forests, rivers, mountains. The ancient sages of Vedic

period lived in hermits inside dense forests of surpassing beauty. They created

hymns praising rivers, forests and mountains. Of the four parts of Vedic

literature (Brahmanas, Samhita, Aranyaka, Upanishads), the third part known as

‘Aranyaka’ means ‘in the forest’, in Sanskrit.

The direction of thought towards sustainability among the ancients can be inferred

from the following verse from Atharva Veda (12.1.35) which says, 'Whatever I

dig out from you, O Earth! May that have quick regeneration again; may we not

damage thy vital habitat and heart.' The Puranas (mythology and folklore) and

the itihaasas (including the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata) celebrate the

varied flora and fauna of the subcontinent. Later poets like Kamban and Kalidasa

also praise the beauty of the forests from these epics.

Our ancestors were well aware of the symbiotic relationship between the

ecosystems and the socio-economic institutions. By adoring and worshipping the

natural heritage through a cultural link, they designed a system where the needs

of conservation are automatically met with. In the post-Vedic period the tradition

of worshipping the forest extended to construction and worship of cultural

landscapes like sacred groves and sacred forests. The pre-Vedic tradition of

adoring and conserving the forests was assimilated and moulded to a new form of

construction and worship of sacred groves in the post-Vedic era.

Special aspects of Kavu

These Kavu are the only remnants of the huge evergreen forests that stretched

across our lands in the past. A lot of exotic and rare species of plants could be

easily spotted in the dense greeneries of sacred groves. The famous combination

of ‘Nalppamaram’ (group of four medicinal plants which are Ficus carica, Ficus

infectoria, Ficus religiosa and Ficus bengalensis) can often be seen in these

Kavus. Ten sacred flowers technically called as ‘Dashapushpam’ etc. may also be

identified among these.

Though rarely found in the present day, tradition ally sacred groves would

have ponds also associated with them. These water bodies adjoining the Kavu are

perennial sources of water and they together with the trees growing in the region

play an important role in stabilizing the eco-system of the land by conserving the

soil and water of the region. The rich debris composition enrich the soil and thus

greatly helps the nearest agro-systems. With the presence of trees, waterbodies

and flora and fauna of the region, they actually contribute to maintaining a

stable microclimate for that particular area. These sacred groves are the abodes

of many a living species consisting of reptiles, birds, small mammals, butterflies,

snakes etc.

Another distinctive part of a Kavu is the presence of a deity presiding over the

area. It is a common belief that the sanctity of this area has to be maintained

strictly owing the sacred presence of the divine being. For this reason, people

usually entered the groves with utmost respect for cleanliness and purity,

and never violated the restriction on cutting down the trees and destroying the

wilderness. However these conservation practices varied in different communities

and regions. The presence of the deity also perpetuated many cultural

traditions practised in the region. A few examples of such cultural ritualistic

practices are Theyyam (a folk dance form commonly seen in north Kerala),

‘Sarppapaattu’ (song offering to snakes) etc. Indeed the sacred groves have

witnessed multitude of culturally significant social interactions over generations.

Rituals Associated with Sacred Groves

Each sacred grove will have a presiding deity associated with it, who is

worshipped either daily or on auspicious occasions. Such main deities commonly

associated with sacred groves are Goddess Durga, Nagaraja (Serpent King),

Chithrakoodam, Yakshi and Muthappan. They are worshipped through daily pujas

(ritual prayers) and lamps are lit near their idols, symbolizing the process to ward

off evils spirits and ego of the worshippers. Though this is a common pra ctice

concomitant with sacred groves, the customs, rituals and worship of the deities

differ from place to place.

‘Sarppaaradhana’ (serprent worship) is one of the customs associated with most

sacred groves. It is a common belief that these sylvan areas ar e abodes of real

snakes and subtle forms of snakes. Offering milk and turmeric, termed as

‘Noorum Paalum’, ‘Manjal Abhishekam’ etc. are customary practices of serpent

worship. This would be done either daily or on special days symbolically

associated with the snakes like, ‘Aaayilyam’ (a particular star linked to snakes)

day etc.

Bigger rituals extending for hours are also conducted in these groves on some

particular days. ‘Kalamezhuthum paattum’ (drawing colourful floor drawings and

songs offering to the snakes), ‘Nagabali’ (snake offering), ‘Sarpabali’ (serpent

offering) are some of the main rituals. ‘Kalamezhuthum paattum’ is a ritualistic

offering given to the serpents. The floor will be coloured with vivid drawings of

three dimensional pictures that represents abstract shapes of the absolute. These

floor drawings are in fact a form of tantric worship for which Kerala is famous

and the drawings are composed of geometric shapes of triangles, squares and
circles, and also, specifically in this worship, curved lines representing the bodies

of the snakes. As the worship begin, oral texts are recited where hymns praising

the serpents are chanted accompanied with instrumental and verbal musical

discourses. The main priest of the event moves around the consecrated floor and

sits are particular points of the drawing and chants mantras (divine words) and

gives offerings to the deities. A dance ‘muram uzhichil ’ (wing dance) follows it

and the performer dances in a flexible elegant way, and finally there would be a

‘thiri uzhichil’ (flame dance) which imitates the movements of a hooded snake.

The worship would conclude with the rubbing off the floor colour by maidens

who do this in a trance state and it is believed that the serpent gods are communing

through them.

Destruction of Kavu

Latest surveys from Kerala revels saddening statistics of the sacred grove count

having reduced drastically to a mere 2000. Our ancestors often considered Nature

as the manifestation of divinity and they revered the Nature including its

wilderness and the wide variety of species of animals and birds that co-existed

with it. Over the years as consumeristic attitudes took over human minds, trees,

birds and animals were considered just as something which could be consumed

for the well-being of a human being, or the pleasures of refined society. Priorities

changed and co-existence was a mere social terminology. Some decided that the

‘Kavu’ space was a real waste of money and they destroyed the grove and

preferred concrete buildings over trees and animals. On the other side, the radical
increase in human population also demands more space for their existence on the

other side.

Earlier, the only thing that disallowed people from cutting down the trees and

selling the land was the presence of the deity inside the Kavu. Now they found a

solution to this too. It was to move the subtle form of that deity to some temples

and offer prayers at that time on some special occasions. After the deity is moved,

the trees were cut down, ponds were sand filled, levelled and the places were

either sold out or concrete constructions were made. We could see the custom of

preserving sacred groves only in Hindu houses, so when they started selling these

areas to other religion people, they get a chance to negotiate and c ut down the

price of the land, since it comes under sacred groves. Eventually they get these

lands for lesser prices. The priority for bio-diversity and conservation of nature

bodies lessens over the time.

In Kerala, people used to live together in joint f amilies where there would be a

big ancestral home known as tharavaadu (the house where all the families live

together). Several generations of people lived together in that house and

categorically a sacred grove used to be an inherent part of such family system. As

over the years when the joint family system gave way to nuclear family system

where only the husband wife and children lived together, people wanted their

share of land and money to get separated from the tharavaadu. This led to

partition of the tharavaadu and often the sacred grove land goes as a property of

land to some of the shareholders. With the family tree growing down demanding

more and more space, ultimately a compromise is made where the sacred groves
are destroyed in the name of need for more space and money. With no strong

cultural belief system and values, the newer generation feel no need to preserve a

bio-diverse site.

Threats to Sacred Groves

From region to region and community to community, the threats to sacred groves

vary in acute degrees. Yet we could identify and document some of the common

threats that is faced by every groves. The most important threat is the destruction

done due to the rapid urbanization and developmental projects and interpolations.

With the ever-growing population, the need for more space as well the need for

infrastructure development through rails, roads and dams construction are

indispensable which reflects the growth of the nation as a whole. However there

should have been a compromise formula to reduce the destruction of such

biodiverse regions like ‘Kavu’. For promoting eco-tourism and pilgrimage, trees

were cut out indiscriminately which also proves a major threat. Not to mention

here that some of the largest groves in the country were destroyed by the

commercial forest infringement.

There was always a traditional cultural element that linked the belief system of

people to the conservation of the sacred grove in their area. Dimininishing

attachment to the values of this belief system encouraged people t o ignore the

maintenance and conservation of sacred groves. The metamorphosis of joint

families to nuclear families led the newer generation to seize more space for

luxurious buildings or homes which eventually resulted in the destruction of such

sacred groves. In some regions, the inhabitants were taught that the worship of
trees and animals were primitive and the form of worship that befits the present

day is the temple worship and this notion sooner or later led to a shift in attitude,

where they completely ignore such natural bodies and offer prayers only at

temples.

The invasion of exotic weeds such as Eupatorium odoratum, Lantana camara and

Prosopis juliflora has also proved a serious threat to some groves. Indiscriminate

grazing of cattle, unselective cutting down of firewood trees and even the

unavoidable natural calamities have turned out a threat.

How to Create a New Kavu?

Designing and constructing a new Kavu can be done through the following steps.

 Identify the area. This includes finding a suitable area that can be allotted
for growing trees and plants.
 There should be a list of trees/plants be ready along with their saplings and
seeds ready to be planted at the particularly selected site. It is mandatory
that the aspirer do homework on the plants and trees to be selected at the
growing site, in consultation with experts with regard to the climate, soil
and other natural elements of the selected region.
 A soil test has to be done at the specific area in order to check the viability
of growth rate of plants and trees at the specific location. As per the soil
test, components can be added to soil that enhances the growth.
 If possible, a space should be allotted to dig a pond or waterbody along
with the Kavu area.
 As we have seen, the cultural and spiritual element of the sacred grove is
much essential to its existence. Hence, deity installation and the pujas and
other rituals should be finalized and conducted.
 Once after planting the trees and the installation of the deities and as the
trees and plants have grown sufficiently big, completely leave that area to
nature for natural vegetation to happen and for the animals and birds to
inhabit.

Conservation of Sacred Groves

In our country, many communities and cultures have traditionally developed

strategies for conservation of these nature essentials. These strategies were

harmonious to the way of life of those communities. It is time we look back

honestly at our ancestral way of harmonious living and find some way to integrate

it in the present day of technology. A few things that can be done to help conserve

the sacred groves are:

While cutting down the trees and destroying a sacred grove, the presiding deity

of that ‘Kavu’ is normally moved to some temples. After moving the deity, people

feel free to destroy that sacred area and sell it for money or to erect

houses/buildings there. Earlier it was not possible to move the deity to anywhere

else and hence it remained a responsibility of the land owner to conserve the

sacred area. It is to be made obligatory that the temples cannot home the deity

from sacred groves and wherever ‘Kavu’ are still remaining, it should not be cut

down at any cost. The different temple board members should proactively discuss

on this growing issue and come to a consensus not to receive and house the deities

moved from sacred groves.

It should be made a mandate legally that the people who owns ‘Kavu’ shouldn’t

be allowed to destroy it or sell it. The government should be able to provide a

small emolument to the ‘Kavu’ owners so that they find no financial trouble in

maintaining it. Not to mention here that the Kavu maintaining is no big task as

we completely leave it to nature.

The government should come up with reward plans to appreciate the efforts of the

people who owns and maintains ‘Kavu’ in their lands. These plans could motivate

others also to construct ‘Kavu’ in their premises.

In every ancient civilization, their culture and belief systems aided them to live a

life in tune with the nature. Nature worship ultimately l ed to a system where the

conservation of this bio-diversity automatically happens. These traditional

worship practices symbiotically connected human beings to nature. The local

inhabitants protected these rich diversity on grounds of their firm belief in

cultural and religious values. Most of the communities considered specific plants,

animals, rivers and mountains as manifestation of divinity and protected them.

Nobody would spit or urinate in a river when you identify that river as your

mother, for instance Ganga Ma (Mother Ganges). Nobody would cut down a

banyan tree when you identify that tree with a God and likewise. The evidence of

these can be seen even today in the prayers and rituals of forest -dwelling

communities. As we progress rapidly towards a more technological era, it’s time

to take a break and ponder over the crevice we developed on our relationship with

Nature. If we continue in the same ‘consumeristic’ attitude with which we reached

the present day, within some more years, all green would vanish, ponds would

dry up, animals and birds would go extinct, rainfalls will be scarce and Earth

would be a hard place to live for future generations.

There was a colloquial usage in Kerala known as ‘Kaavutheendal’ (polluting the

sacred grove). The wise men of Kerala never allowed their descendants to pollute

the groves by warning them that if ‘Kaavutheendal’ occurs, it’s going to be a

worse time facing us. Scientifically it can be said that as we cut down the trees,

it effects the climate and decreases the rain fall density which in turn decreases

the amount of water level received and stored in earth which further effects the

vegetation which ultimately effects the people who consume it. So if we

heedlessly ignore and destroy our natural heritage, with time, it’s going to

reciprocate harshly to our future generation itself. Understanding this synergetic

relation between human beings and nature, we have to take firm steps to solve

things. We should honestly focus our attention on conservation techniques and

acknowledge, and appreciate and encourage the efforts of the people who help

with the conservation of sacred groves.

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