Home >> Features >> Umanglai without Umang (Sacred grove without grove)

Sacred groves are the oldest protected areas of the planet. The institution of sacred groves is very ancient and once was widespread in most parts of the world. The sacred groves served as important repositories of floral and faunal diversity that have been conserved by indigenous communities in a sustainable manner. Many endemic, endangered and rare species find safe refuge in the sacred groves.

Generally sacred groves are believed to be a treasure house of medicinal, rare and endemic plants, as refuge for relic flora of a region and as centres of seed dispersal. The concept of sacred groves grew over time when some of the important ecological and economic species of plants or of animals were conserved (or protected) in a grove. Their plant wealth and conservation potential were impressive enough to acknowledge them as 'mini biosphere reserves'. Sacred groves serve as air purifier and carbon sink. The vegetation cover of the sacred groves improves the soil stability of the area and also prevents soil erosion. However, many sacred groves are at risk and they are subject to a wide range of pressures and threats, external and internal, such as illegal extraction of timber and wildlife, impacts encroachment, disrespectful tourism, degradation of neighbouring environments, reduction of the availability of lands and resources for traditional people.

Fast growing population and urbanisation has let to increase in the environmental pollution. Increase in the emission of carbon-dioxide has increased extensively over the last few decades. Environmental pollution had made a toll on the vegetation of the sacred groves. Sacred ponds inside the groves were also deteriorating due to gathering of garbage and plastic bags by the mindless devotees.

Threats to the Sacred Groves of Manipur

The threats to the sacred groves in the state due to human interference vary from one sacred grove to the other. However the common threats are:
1. Loss of the traditional belief systems, which were fundamental to the concept of sacred groves. These systems and their rituals are now considered mere superstition.
2. Construction of large community halls within the sacred groves.
3. Encroachment of sacred groves for human settlement has led to the shrinkage of sacred groves.
4. Illegal cutting of trees for timber and firewood.
5. Collection of medicinal plants in large quantities reduced the floral diversity of the sacred groves.

The decline of sacred groves can be attributed to the change in socio-cultural values and religious beliefs as a result of modernisation and urbanisation. The expansion of the market economy, which places heavy demand on resources such as timber, is another major cause. For most villagers, economics is easier to understand than ecology. Moreover, most of the sacred groves were open and did not have well-demarcated boundaries and they are vulnerable to illegal collection of medicinal plants, timber etc.

Therefore, it has become an urgent need to make an extensive inventory of the groves, their biodiversity and ethnobotanical importance, and analyse the role of associated cultural and religious beliefs, and taboos in their conservation. As deterioration of sacred groves and fragmentation of habitats have been rampant worldwide, preservation of natural habitats, however small they might be, has become imperative, along with the reorientation of the strategies for the conservation of biodiversity towards the sacred groves, and the cultural traditions associated with them. The floristic survey and identification of root cause of degradation of sacred groves would provide a strong basis for evolving measures for their protection. Involvement of local people and Umanglai committees would help in the long term sacred grove conservation programme in the state.