Local News

Madikeri district set an example for other districts among promotion of Devara Kadu known in English as sacred grove

L.Raghunanda
Madikeri

If Madikeri district bears India’s largest and world one of the best Devara Kadu or sacred grove, it is because of community involvement, along with few other initiatives

“But here the role of Karnataka forest department, college of forestry located at Ponnampet, need to mention very much” said Dr Kushalappa Botany professor ,researcher on Devara Kadu, or sacred groves, at Forestry College, Ponnampet, Madikeri District.

Madikeri district which has 1214 sacred groves under 296 revenue villages, there are instance where nearly 4 sacred groves can be found in one village, this sacred groves are in 300 acres of land in three major taluks of Madikeri district that is Virajpet, Somwarpet, and Ponampet.

And within sacred groves, many varieties of sacred groves are found, something not found in in other districts and the varieties of like sacred groves are –Pavithra katte, Suggi devaravana, Hole devarakadu, Mutti kadu, Palli Kadu.

The good reason why sacred groves, was nicely functioning in this Madikeri Kushalappa said “ one is that, the tradition is very old, and more than that because the so called ‘coorg model’ is followed .

“In the sense starting from 2001-2002, under Joint Forestry Planning Management Department policy framed then under conservator of forest Mr Anur Reddy a formula was worked out, where sound village committee was constituted in each of the village where there were sacred groves.

“Where community sensitisation of those community living bordering or next to sacred groves was done, something now you can see in other districts where sacred groves are in place, they are following our practice.

“Temple committee was constituted, and if suppose a tree falls, and if the fallen tree comes within the jurisdiction of the sacred grove, and under the control of the village committee , the tree was given for temple for their use.

“Schools were engaged, those schools proximity to sacred grove, the school children were educated on importance of sacred grove, the flora and fauna of the sacred grove, even they were asked to plant a tree, that which we identified was part of the sacred grove plantation programme, with some of plants under the edge of extinction, were favoured.

“Fertiliser, or manure regeneration from within sacred grove was also explored, where villages and community centred farm cultivation benefited

“Intense research was also carried on the different aspects of sacred grove with focus on Madikeri alone, where nearly 10 master degree graduates in forestry took up their field study.

“Also in this regard 8 Ph.d was honoured under the auspice of the College of Forestry Ponammpet, whose suggestion on research was taken and given to forest department in Madikeri and even to this day, we have been improving and developing on it.