Paper short abstract:

Serpent Groves are found in the west coast of South India. As religious refugia they play an important role in the conservation of indigenous flora and fauna, but today are under threat due to erosion of traditional beliefs, fragmentation of agrarian families, modernization and utilitarian ideology.

Paper long abstract:

Serpent Groves (Naga Banas) are traditional sacred groves in the west coast region of South India. These are religious refugia, the sites of the manifestation of early nature worship, which played important role in the conservation of indigenous flora and fauna and biodiversity elements. Such traditional groves were rich habitats of endemic species, including medicinal plants. The plant diversity had groups like herbs, climbers, plants and trees. 'Gnetum' is one such endemic climber which had multiple uses. Depending on the space, such serpent groves were the habitats of a number of species of local fauna as well.

At present, serpent groves are under threat for various reasons like rejuvenation-Sanskritisation, erosion of traditional beliefs, fragmentation of agrarian families, modernization and utilitarian ideology. The trees, shrubs and climbers of the traditional serpent groves are cut, and modernized cement structures are erected, thus resulting in decadence of biodiversity of nature.

This paper concentrates on three serpent groves in Meenja Village, situated in the Western Ghats of India, which is one of the hot spots of biodiversity of the world. Meenja is located at a distance of 5 kms to the east of the Arabian sea and about 35 kms south of the city of Mangalore. These serpent groves are studied here and an open solution is suggested from the point of view of conservation of endemic species in the revival of 'serpent groves' combining the traditional belief system of nature worship with flora and fauna at the center.