Water bodies in Sacred groves of India
Water bodies in Sacred groves of India
Session Type:
Roundtable
Session Date and Time:
Thursday, 21 May, 2026 - 09:00 to 10:20
Primary Organizer/Session Chair:
SREELEKHA K
Email address:
The sacred groves are patches of land that preserved due to their cultural and religious affiliations. In the state of Kerala as in many other parts of India and across the world, sacred groves are also home to water bodies which are preserved in their pristine form due to belief systems. The Palliyane sacred grove in Vadanappily, Thrissur is home to 3 ponds which add to the wealth of flora and fauna in the 2.17 acre of land. The story goes that even when the family that owns the sacred grove had not laid claim to the land, the locals were still respectful of the well in the premise and were engaged in protecting and preserving it. The belief that a well in the sacred grove is as sacred as the grove itself and should not be defiled.
The water bodies present in the sacred groves are testimonials of the role of faith in ecological restoration. The round table examines various sacred groves in India and how cultural norms dictate their conservation adding to ecological wealth of the place.
Presentations
Abstract
09:00
Presentation Format:
Oral (virtual)
Sacred groves are patches of land attached to a deity and considered sacred. Sacred groves in Kerala are under threat due to various reasons. Primary among them is the lack of incentive for the owners to maintain them. While faith in the deity and fear of retribution by the gods and the ancestral spirits encouraged sacred grove mainteance. The rising cost involved, increasing demand for land and the changing belief systems have adversely impacted them. Many sacred groves include a small water body like a pond or a well which were accessed only for ritualistic purposes.Demographic demands on land have led to destruction of these ponds and wells.This paper looks into the stakeholder motivation to preserve water bodies in two sacred groves. Reverence to water bodies associated with sacred groves and the operating taboos play a role in water body conservation. Joint efforts of the government, community and the owners of the sacred groves is needed.
09:20
Presentation Format:
Oral (virtual)
Sacred groves, traditional forest patches protected by cultural beliefs rather than written laws, function as mini-ecozones and carbon repositories. These landscapes, which have existed since the era of shifting cultivation, are increasingly threatened by urbanisation, climate change, and the erosion of traditional practices. We explored selected sacred groves across Kerala to document their floral richness and carbon stock potential. The groves harboured up to 177 plant species, including vulnerable and threatened taxa, with carbon stocks ranging from 30.46 Mg ha⁻¹ to 318 Mg ha⁻¹. Major threats identified included changing community attitudes, overexploitation, uncontrolled growth of climbers and invasive species, increased land-use pressure, and improper waste management. Notably, groves containing waterbodies were less vulnerable to land-use conversion. Strengthening such nature-based, community-driven conservation practices, alongside scientific restoration of degraded ecosystems, can contribute significantly to climate mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainability goals.
09:40
Presentation Format:
Oral (virtual)
In India, rivers, mountains, forests, and water bodies are understood as sacred within living cultural traditions. Drawing on data from 405 sacred groves in Kerala, this paper explores the central role of ponds, wells, streams, and river edges within grove ecosystems. Most sacred groves are connected to at least one water source, forming integrated biocultural waterscapes. These water bodies are socially categorized. Some ponds are reserved exclusively for ritual occasions, others are protected as habitats for snakes, turtles, and aquatic species, and certain water sources remain completely untouched. Such customary norms function as traditional water governance systems that regulate access and sustain ecological balance. Grove water bodies contribute to groundwater recharge, soil moisture retention, and biodiversity conservation, while also providing clean water access to neighboring communities. The study highlights how sacred grove waterscapes embody culturally embedded conservation practices that enhance ecosystem services and strengthen socioecological resilience in the context of water insecurity and climate change.
10:00
Presentation Format:
Oral (virtual)
Himalayan waterscapes of Himachal Pradesh are living repositories of both biological and cultural heritage. Sacred lakes of Renuka, Rewalsar, and Nako represent unique interfaces where ecology, spirituality, and traditional knowledge coexists. These lakes embody biocultural landscape nurtured for centuries through local reverence, rituals, and sustainable resource use. Present study explores interlinkages between aquatic biodiversity, ethnobotanical traditions, and community belief systems, drawing upon field observations, local narratives, and existing ethnographic literature. Renuka Lake, associated with Goddess Renuka and Parashurama, sustains rich aquatic and riparian vegetation, with several ethnomedicinal plants used in local healing traditions. Rewalsar Lake, revered by Hindu, Sikh, and Buddhist, demonstrates pluralistic faith-based conservation, supporting lotus, Trapa and sacred groves that serve as micro-reserves of biodiversity. High altitude Nako Lake, located near Indo-Tibetan border, represents Trans-Himalayan Ecological Zone, where fragile aquatic flora exist with age-old Tibetan Buddhist practices of offering. Study highlights emerging challenges, tourism pressure, water pollution, and climate variability threatens these culturally embedded ecosystems.
Presentations
| Abstract | |
|---|---|
| 09:00 |
Presentation Format:
Oral (virtual)
Sacred groves are patches of land attached to a deity and considered sacred. Sacred groves in Kerala are under threat due to various reasons. Primary among them is the lack of incentive for the owners to maintain them. While faith in the deity and fear of retribution by the gods and the ancestral spirits encouraged sacred grove mainteance. The rising cost involved, increasing demand for land and the changing belief systems have adversely impacted them. Many sacred groves include a small water body like a pond or a well which were accessed only for ritualistic purposes.Demographic demands on land have led to destruction of these ponds and wells.This paper looks into the stakeholder motivation to preserve water bodies in two sacred groves. Reverence to water bodies associated with sacred groves and the operating taboos play a role in water body conservation. Joint efforts of the government, community and the owners of the sacred groves is needed. |
| 09:20 |
Presentation Format:
Oral (virtual)
Sacred groves, traditional forest patches protected by cultural beliefs rather than written laws, function as mini-ecozones and carbon repositories. These landscapes, which have existed since the era of shifting cultivation, are increasingly threatened by urbanisation, climate change, and the erosion of traditional practices. We explored selected sacred groves across Kerala to document their floral richness and carbon stock potential. The groves harboured up to 177 plant species, including vulnerable and threatened taxa, with carbon stocks ranging from 30.46 Mg ha⁻¹ to 318 Mg ha⁻¹. Major threats identified included changing community attitudes, overexploitation, uncontrolled growth of climbers and invasive species, increased land-use pressure, and improper waste management. Notably, groves containing waterbodies were less vulnerable to land-use conversion. Strengthening such nature-based, community-driven conservation practices, alongside scientific restoration of degraded ecosystems, can contribute significantly to climate mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainability goals. |
| 09:40 |
Presentation Format:
Oral (virtual)
In India, rivers, mountains, forests, and water bodies are understood as sacred within living cultural traditions. Drawing on data from 405 sacred groves in Kerala, this paper explores the central role of ponds, wells, streams, and river edges within grove ecosystems. Most sacred groves are connected to at least one water source, forming integrated biocultural waterscapes. These water bodies are socially categorized. Some ponds are reserved exclusively for ritual occasions, others are protected as habitats for snakes, turtles, and aquatic species, and certain water sources remain completely untouched. Such customary norms function as traditional water governance systems that regulate access and sustain ecological balance. Grove water bodies contribute to groundwater recharge, soil moisture retention, and biodiversity conservation, while also providing clean water access to neighboring communities. The study highlights how sacred grove waterscapes embody culturally embedded conservation practices that enhance ecosystem services and strengthen socioecological resilience in the context of water insecurity and climate change. |
| 10:00 |
Presentation Format:
Oral (virtual)
Himalayan waterscapes of Himachal Pradesh are living repositories of both biological and cultural heritage. Sacred lakes of Renuka, Rewalsar, and Nako represent unique interfaces where ecology, spirituality, and traditional knowledge coexists. These lakes embody biocultural landscape nurtured for centuries through local reverence, rituals, and sustainable resource use. Present study explores interlinkages between aquatic biodiversity, ethnobotanical traditions, and community belief systems, drawing upon field observations, local narratives, and existing ethnographic literature. Renuka Lake, associated with Goddess Renuka and Parashurama, sustains rich aquatic and riparian vegetation, with several ethnomedicinal plants used in local healing traditions. Rewalsar Lake, revered by Hindu, Sikh, and Buddhist, demonstrates pluralistic faith-based conservation, supporting lotus, Trapa and sacred groves that serve as micro-reserves of biodiversity. High altitude Nako Lake, located near Indo-Tibetan border, represents Trans-Himalayan Ecological Zone, where fragile aquatic flora exist with age-old Tibetan Buddhist practices of offering. Study highlights emerging challenges, tourism pressure, water pollution, and climate variability threatens these culturally embedded ecosystems. |