A review on the sacred groves: Its conservation and protection in Chhattisgarh

This review article attempts to study and analyze biodiversity and conservation, including exploring and implementing the so-called protected area by the small communities “Sacred Groves” declared by a group of people over a century ago. Sacred groves show that these small forest patches are important in biodiversity conservation. Additionally, natural sacred sites are preserved through traditional community-based conservation methods that do not require government involvement. Numerous anthropological studies on tribal communities provide insight into the tradition of SGs (Sacred groves) in Chhattisgarh. These sacred groves are crucial for preserving countless rare, endangered, and threatened species. Most sacred groves are deep within forests or at the top of dense plateaus. In the Bastar region, there are three kinds of SGs: Matagudi, Devgudi, and Gaondevi. Different tribes have their specific deity referred to as Mata or Gaondevi, which is honored in Devgudi. The current review article studies various types of sacred groves in three regions of Chhattisgarh – Sarguja, Kanker, and Bastar. Emphasizing their cultural and ecological importance. Of the total, six groves (approximately 26%) are found in Sarguja, seven groves (around 30%) in Kanker, and 10 groves (about 44%) in Bastar.