Traditional conservation practices in India

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India has deep-rooted tradition of nature worship, which provide base for the conservation from the grass root. However, this tradition is collapsing very rapidly. The reasons behind these are mainly, dilution of the belief systems, composite impacts of development in the form of population pressure, resource crunch, market economy, etc. In the present day context, it is important to see the present status of the ‘folk conservation practices’ so as to devise the strategies of its renovation.

Contents

[edit] Material and Methods

Overall folk conservation practices of Mendha Lekha people documented.The conservation practices are documented under three headings species level conservation efforts, ecosystem level conservation efforts and new ways of nature conservation.

[edit] Species level conservation efforts

Species level conservation effort documented on following four heads viz. totemic species, species of the ritualistic or religious importance, other restraint on utilization and miscellaneous.

Totemic species In India out of 3000 communities 1/3, i.e. 1000 are endogamous groups practice totemism (Malhotra 2005 pers. Comm.). Among many tribal communities numbers of clans are named after plants and animals, which are conserved (Jain and Shrma 1996). In totemism, the tribesmen regard themselves as related or descended from the totem animal or plant. People will not injure the totem. Totemic species are not supposed to be hunted by the respective group. It means the particular species is made available to others to perish on. These totemic species are studied among Gond.

Species of the ritualistic or religious importance Various tribal mythologies as well as mythologies of the organized religion like Hindus have given importance to several individual species for ritual performance. Many festivals are also associated with specific species of plants or animals. Species of religious importance are studied among Gond.

Other restraint on utilization of certain species Local people apart from the above practices have followed various beliefs, which indicate regulated or sustainable harvest of plants or animals. Thus, in central India Pardhi people avoid hunting of the pregnant female during the hunting excursion (Pawar, 2003. Pers. Comm.). These beliefs have been studied among Gond.

Miscellaneous Those practices, which do not fit in the above standard categories, are included under this heading.

[edit] Ecosystem level conservation efforts

The ecosystem level conservation efforts mainly consists of sacred groves, sacred ponds etc. Here, only sacred pools along river Kathani discussed.

[edit] Newly adopted way of nature conservation at Mendha Lekha

As noted earlier people of Mendha adopted various new ways to conserve the biodiversity. These all neo management practices are discus in this section.

[edit] Results and discussions

[edit] Species level conservation efforts

[edit] Totemic species

Role of the tribal clans in the conservation of certain species has been studied earlier (Jain 1992). Every Gond clan has its own god. Most of the gods are animistic or plant in nature. The marriages between the families of same god are prohibited. People do not eat the animals or plant belonging to his or her god. For this study, information regarding 24 Gondi clans (which includes sub clans also) has been collected. Out of these 24 clans and sub clans information about 14 clans and sub clans are collected so far. Different taxa involved in the conservation as totemic species are trees, insects, reptiles, fishes and mammals.

1 Naitam: Hemul (Fresh water Tortoise)

2 Duga: Kadka Budhal (Snake)

3 Tofa: Hirkanda (?)

4 Kirangami: Bondgesaral

5 Narote: Kadka Budhal (Snake)

6 Hichami: Nulle mutte (Insect)

7 Halami: Bodi Min (Fish, Bagarius bagarius)

8 Gavde Maji Goat (Mammal, Capra hircus)

Koda Gavde: Goda nil (Mammal, Nilgai, Boselaphus tragocamelus).

9 Uike: Usya Mudyl (?)

10 Usendi: Goat (Mammal, Capra hircus)

14 Darro: Halayal (Mammal, Male Buffalo)

15 Kumoti: Dagad Dev (?)

In India, many tribes used certain species of plants and animals for religious and cultural purposes like in Tai Khamits tribe of Assam (Gogoi and Borthakur 1991). Tai Khamits tribe of Assam used lot of species of both plants and animals for religious and cultural purposes and they preserve the same.

1 Dahubidav Mahua (Madhuca longifolia var latifolia (Koen)) For the welfare of agriculture.

2 Bijori: Paddy (Oryza sativa) Celebration of the initiation of agricultural works.

3 Akhadi: All edible NTFP From this occasion utilization of forest produce of that particular season starts.

4 Jamur Awas: Bamboo (Bamboosa arundinacea)

5 Mata Puja: Mahua, Neem (Azadirachta indica). Worship of Gondi goddess.

6 Sanjori. Paddy (Oryza sativa) After crop matures this worship is performed among Gond.

[edit] =Other restraint on utilization of certain species

In certain age, people are not allowed to utilize species.

1 Before marriage, young people are not allow to eat Kariyal Usid (Indian Robin, Saxicoloides fulicata) Animal

2 Before marriage, young people are not allow to eat Behra Kider (Golden backed Lesser Woodpecker, Dinopium benghlensis) Animal 3 Before marriage, young people are not allow to eat Kakad (House crow, Corvus splendens) Animal

In certain period or before certain occasions people do not eat or utilize some species.

1 People do not eat Chichoda Bhaji (Oxalis corniculata), before churna (December - January). Plant

2 People do not eat Amla (Emblica officinalis), before churna (December - January). Plant

3 People do not eat Karwool mati before churna (December - January). Plant

4 People do not eat Parswel before Akhadi (July – August).

5 People do not eat Warali (a wild vegetable) before Akhadi (July – August). Plant

6 People do not eat chaha dodo (A plant species) before Akhadi (July – August). Plant

7 Collection of Mahua seeds started after Polo only. Plant

8 People do not eat Kohola (Melon fruit) before Dashara. Plant

9 People do not start eating mango before Gudhi Padva.

Miscellaneous

1 People do not kill Hulal (gray musk shrew – Suncus murinus) believes that if it is in home snake do not enter. Animal

2 People do not kill snakes on Nagpanchmi Animal

3 People do not take any agriculture work from ox on Pola. Animal Table 8.5 - Table showing miscellaneous species level conservation practices at Mendha

[edit] Ecosystem level conservation efforts

In different parts of India, patches of forest and tanks are preserved by attaching religious values to them (Chandran et al. 1998). At many places, along Kathani River, some social taboos are found to be attached which regulates the use of particular habitats for resource extraction. Devur Kundi, Dev Doh and Wadadin are the places along Kathani where fishing is not allowed.

[edit] Newly adopted way of nature conservation at Mendha

Mendha is a celebrated example of the community based participatory resource management. Gramsabha or village council is a supreme body of local people. All people of the Mendha are the member of the Gramsabha. All the decisions related with the forest are taken with full consensus in the Gramsabha. Regarding prudent use of the natural resources people took many decisions, which help them to sustainabaly use and conserve the natural resources. Some of the examples of initiatives taken by the local people given in following table 8.6.


Initiative taken by the local people

1 Use of herbal as well as chemical fish poisons has been banned in Mendha as well as whole Ilakha.

2 Encroachment of forestland banned.

4 Ban on cutting fruit trees.

5 Implemented GOBAR gas (Biogas) scheme to lower the pressure on fuel wood from the forest.

6 Implementation of the Ahimsak honey extraction method. In this method, the honey is extracted by a very novel technique so that honeybee population not harmed.

7 Ban on the bamboo cutting by the paper mill. It was observed by local people that the method of the bamboo extraction by paper mill workers was not sustainable. After a prolonged struggle people banned paper mill.

8 Construction of 1000 gully plugs in the village area through Shrumdan (Voluntary labor) by local people in order to check the erosion.

9 Daily forest vigilance, carried out equally by men and women members. Offenders and poachers are brought back to the village and fined.

10 Outsiders have been stopped from commercial extraction from forest, e.g. paper industry.

11 Initiation and implementation of JFM (Joint Forest Management) in the village. Under this scheme, both local people and forest department work together to conserve the forest.

12 Ban on rab (cutting small branches and trees near farms, to burn before planting vegetables and paddy).

13 Ban on padka (burning the wood and using the ash to grow cucumbers and other vegetables.)

Table 8.6 – Some of the important initiatives taken by the local people of the Mendha for biodiversity conservation

[edit] Conclusions

The study of the conservation practices of Gond people suggests that, intentionally or unintentionally people have given very good protection to many species of importance. All measures studied are related to certain kind of taboo or rituals. There is an inextricable link found between resource extraction, utilization and culture. The utilization of certain species is found to be ritualistic and conservation oriented mainly because of the traditional system. For many species, maturity time is considered for harvesting. For the harvesting of certain species people follow tradition of Polo. Polo is a community religious function in which, on one pre decided day all forest or agriculture work were stopped and worship of the god is done. From the Polo only, certain harvesting process is started. The system of Polo in this area allow species to mature thus avoid early harvesting. From this system of the prudent harvesting, it is clear that people are aware about the phenology and seasonal cycle of the life supporting species. Totemic species involves all the major taxa like fishes, insects, reptiles, mammals and trees. For some species without considering the actual value, they are conserved. Along Kathani River, certain places are banned for fishing. These places act as refuge for the fishes. Now a day, the system of the folk conservation is vanishing. It was observed that, new generation is unable to tell their totemic animals and / or plants. Apart from the above said traditional practices, Mendha people are adopting many new ways of the nature conservation and its sustainable use. These new ways are due to the positive interventions of the outsider agencies and research oriented attitude of the local people. In present day context, it is very much essential to renovate traditional practices.

[edit] References

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Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2007)
  • Heda N. (2007):Some Studies on Ecology and Diversity of Fresh Water Fishes in the Two Rivers of Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra (India). A Thesis submitted to Sant Gadgebaba Amravati University, Maharashtra (India).