Meghalaya, the Abode of Clouds, is a state in the northeast region of
India. About one-third of
the state is forested.Meghalaya experiences
the two seasons, of winter and monsoon, and is characterized by a cool climate
throughout the year. The Cherrapunjee-Mawsynram belt in the southern slopes of
Khasi Hills records the heaviest rainfall in the world. Numerous rivers flow
through Megahalaya, although none of them are navigable, due to rocky beds and
strong currents.
The sacred groves in the state cover an estimated
area of about 10,000 hectares. Most of the major sacred groves are located on
the catchment areas of important rivers and streams of the state. About 60 of
them, with an area of about 6,500 hectares are located at the source of
perennial streams.
Predominantly tribal, the original inhabitants
of this state are Khasis, Jaintias and Garos. Khasis and Jaintias trace their
ancestry to the Mongolian race, while the Garos belong to the Tibeto-Burman
race. Their cultural trails and ethnic origins remain distinctive, mainly due
to their geographical isolation. The Khasi language spoken here is believed to be
one of the few surviving dialects of the Mon-Khmer family of languages, in
India.
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| Garo |
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| Khasi |
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| Jaintia |
The tribal
communities of Meghalaya have a tradition of environmental conservation based
on various religious beliefs, which have been passed on from one generation to
the other. Based on these beliefs, certain patches of forests are designated as
sacred groves under customary law and are protected from any product extraction
by the community.
In Meghalaya, the
traditional religion in the East and West Khasi Hills districts is Niam Khasi
or Seng Khasi, and in the Jaintia Hills district is Niam Tre. According to
traditional beliefs of the region, a forest deity resides in the sacred groves.
For example, labasa is the name for the god of the
Mawphlang sacred grove, described by interviewees as taking the form of a tiger
or leopard. There is a strong belief that this deity inhabits the sacred grove
and offers protection to the community. Similarly, Basa or Ryngkew
Basa is the sacred grove
deity, which is benevolent and provides for the wellbeing of the people in the
village. In general, protecting a sacred grove is a form of respect for its
deity.
It is an unpardonable crime to cut down trees or
even pick flowers and fruits from these sacred groves except for cremation and
religious purposes, that too, with the permission of the ‘Lyngdoh’ (Priest).
These sacred groves are divided into three
categories, depending on the places where they are located. In places ruled by
the Lyngdoh (Priest) the sacred groves were called Law Lyngdoh. In place where
the traditional religion (Niam trai) plays a major role, the sacred groves were
called ‘Law Niam’ and in places where the village is ruled by a village
Headman, the sacred groves were called ‘Law kyntang’.
All these sacred groves
have the same status although their names are different. These sacred groves
are closely related to the social and cultural life of the people and a number
of rites, rituals and religious ceremonies have been associated with them.
These sacred groves are
very rich in biological diversity and harbor many endangered plant species
including rare herbs and medicinal plants. The sacred-groves, which have been
preserved since time immemorial, are in sharp contrast to their surrounding
grasslands.
These groves are generally rimmed by a dense growth of Castanopsis
kurzii trees, forming a protective hedge, which halts intrusion of Pinus kasia
(Khasi pine), which dominates all areas outside the sacred groves. Inside the
outer rim, the sacred groves are virtually Nature's Own Museum. The heavily
covered grounds have a thick cushion of humus accumulated over the centuries.
The trees in every sacred grove are heavily loaded with epiphytic growth of
aroids, pipers, ferns, fern-allies and orchids. The humus-covered grounds
likewise harbor myriad varieties of plant life, many of which are found nowhere
else.
