100 kms beyond Alwar in Rajasthan in the Oran, or sacred grove, of Jugrawar Roondh, covering an area of 165 hectares and dedicated to Mehendipur Balaji (In North India, Balaji may refer to God in general or Hanuman in particular. Occasionally, it even refers to Shiva). In arid Rajasthan, where summer temperatures regularly go up to 50°C, Orans pro

- Shubhobroto Ghosh

Photographs by Nanditha Krishna

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M. Amirthalingam

In the year 1995, when I started surveying the sacred groves of the various districts of Tamil Nadu including the Nilgiris, I came across a magnificent shola in the village of Benagudi which is situated about halfway between Kotagiri and Coonoor. My curiosity was aroused and I determ

M. Amirthalingam

At Periyakumatti village in Cuddalore district of Tamilnadu, there is a small grove about 2.5 acres in size, dedicated to the goddess Kili-aal-amman, on the state high way between Cuddalore and Chidambaram. The main deity is sheltered within a temple of brick and mortar. A perennial pond is situated in the forecourt

 Nanditha Krishna  &  Sharon St Joan

Five miles south of the city of Tiruvannamalai, southwest of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, is the Sacred Grove of Paavupattu.  An oasis of peace and beautiful trees, it was the first of 52 sacred groves restored by CPREEC (C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre). The

B. Tirumala As defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity, Article 8 (j): Traditional knowledge refers to the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities around the world. Developed from experience gained over the centuries and adapted to the local culture and environment, traditional knowledge is transmitted orally from generation to gene

Sharon St Joan

The water is not deep at Pichavaram, maybe two or three feet. It is dark green. Waterways run between the islands of mangrove trees. Pichavaram lies along the coast of the Bay of Bengal, in south India.In February, 2015, our rowboat sailed quietly along the waterways which came togeth

by Edward Wong

DUNHUANG, China In the cool shadows of Cave 98, Li Lingzhi watched as workers in blue suits inspected the Buddhist frescoes commissioned in this Gobi Desert cliff grotto more than a millennium ago by a local ruling family.