Paper short abstract:

The anthropological understanding of Sacred Grove helps as a concise and authoritative guide for biodiversity conservation. The study concludes that the sacred grove is an inextricable part of the social institutions and organizations of The Baiga and the Paudi Bhuiyan and other commonalities.

Paper long abstract:

Sacred Grove as a landscape has significant scope for biodiversity conservation through the traditional Knowledge of Local communities. The present paper endeavors to understand the interface between the Sacred Grove and social institutions that help the PVTGs (particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups ) sustain their social organization. The cosmologies and worldviews of the Baiga and the Paudi Bhuiyan are interlinked to their beliefs, rituals, clan and kinship system, and institution of religion and marriage.

Based on the exploratory study and qualitative tools and techniques of FGD, case study and interview methods, and folk taxonomy, the study found many commonalities between these two PVTGs of Odisha and Madhya Pradesh relating to their Sacred Grove, whose livelihood is sustained on shifting cultivation, Kaman for Paudi Bhuiyan and Bewar/ donger kheti or Daaba by the Baiga respectively.

The study found the cosmology and worldviews that reflect their totemic belief, clan, and kinship system are associated with their own sustenance, which is also an inextricable part of the rituals and beliefs in Sacred Grove. Among the Baiga, the sacred Grove is called Thakur Dev ki Patra, or Maharani; among Pudi Bhuiya, the same is known as Sanipat Mela are associated with their totemic belief in rivers, animals or villages are considered sacred and also a part of their Sacred Grove. The study concludes that an anthropological understanding of Sacred Grove provides concise and authoritative guidance for understanding biodiversity conservation.

Key Words : PVTGs , cosmology , worldviews , totemic belief , Biodiversity