Sacred Groves – A wealth of diverse and rare species
Nature worship is an age old tribal belief based on the premise that all creations of nature have to be protected. Such beliefs have preserved several virgin forests in pristine form called Sacred Groves (the forests of God and Goddesses). These patches of forest or parts of large forests have been left untouched by the local people and any interference with them is banned.
Certain societies revere a particular tree which they have preserved from time immemorial. The Mundas and the Santhal of Chota Nagpur region worship mahua (Bassia latifolia) and kadamba (Anthocaphalus cadamba) trees, and the tribals of Odisha and Bihar worship the tamarind (Tamarindus indica) and mango (mangifera indica) trees during weddings. To many of us, peepal and banyan trees are considered sacred.
Indian society comprises several cultures, each with its own set of traditional methods of conserving nature and its creations. Sacred qualities are often ascribed to springs, mountain peaks, plants and animals which are closely protected. You will find troops of macaques and langurs around many temples. They are fed daily and treated as a part of temple devotees. In and around Bishnoi villages in Rajasthan, herds of blackbuck, (chinkara), nilgai and peacocks can be seen as an integral part of the community and nobody harms them.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:05 · grounding stimulus
Model Answer
(35.1) Nature worship is an age-old tribal belief that all creations of nature must be protected. This belief led to the preservation of virgin forests in pristine form, known as Sacred Groves, where any interference is strictly banned.
(35.2) Communities revere certain trees and have preserved them since time immemorial. For example, the Mundas and Santhals of Chota Nagpur worship mahua and kadamba trees, while tribals of Odisha and Bihar worship tamarind and mango trees during weddings.
(35.3) Indian cultures ascribe sacred qualities to springs, mountain peaks, plants, and animals, ensuring their protection. Macaques and langurs near temples are fed daily and treated as devotees. In Bishnoi villages, Rajasthan, blackbuck, chinkara, nilgai, and peacocks are treated as part of the community and nobody harms them, showing deep human-nature coexistence.
Source: Geography Textbook, Chapter – Forest and Wildlife Resources
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Explanation
- (35.1) Directly links the tribal belief (premise) to the outcome (Sacred Groves). One crisp sentence is enough.
- (35.2) Requires an example — always name the community AND the tree(s) for full marks.
- (35.3) This is 2 marks, so cover two distinct cultural values: temple animal care + Bishnoi community practice. Both examples are in the passage — use them.
- Always answer strictly from the passage in source-based questions. No outside information needed.