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very morning, Kamla Devi offers water to the tulsi plant in her courtyard. On Mondays, she trudges downhill to worship a giant banyan tree in Sumari, a mountain village about 175 km from Dehradun. When asked about the rituals, Devi says, “It gives me peace of mind. I have grown up watching my mother and grandmother do the same.” Unlike the tulsi which is found in Hindu homes, the banyan is a village property. Almost in every Indian village, people share a deep attachment with this tree. The banyan at Sumari has crystal clear water flowing near its roots. It is considered sacred, as its source is associated with the village deity. After marriages are solemnised, new brides are welcomed at this spot. They perform puja in the presence of the priest. Like Sumari, residents of Lupunguttu village in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district also revere a grove where natural springs flow out of tree roots. People believe that the water has therapeutic properties. “The water could be deriving its therapeutic property from Arjuna trees (Terminalia arjuna) that dominate the grove,” says Manisha Toppo, a post-graduate student at the Bhopal-based Indian Institute of Forest Management.

Whatever be the reason, tree worshipping signifies the human association with nature. There are sacred species, sacred groves, and sacred landscapes all around us. Spiritual ecology, through which human beings connect themselves with the cosmos, has evolved over time. Today, it is an emerging idea in ecological conservation. Growing interest in this concept may help address environmental issues.

A way to conserve the healer

Trees are intrinsically connected with Hinduism and felling them is generally discouraged. Even Ayurveda practitioners are advised to perform special rituals before gathering plants for treatment of diseases. Many medicinal trees and plants are considered sacred, symbolising deities. For instance, brahmakamal (Saussurea obvallata), peepal (Ficus religiosa), bargad (Ficus benghalensis), Bael (Aegle marmelos), tejbal (Zanthoxylum armatum), and tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) are considered sacred in Hinduism. Bael is an important species and used to prepare medicines in India. It is also used to make drinks and jam. Since it is used on a number of occasions, its overexploitation may endanger this species. This may have compelled people to associate it with Lord Shiva to ensure that devotees revere it. Over the years, offering bael leaves to Shiva has become an important ritual. There is a similar reason as to why rudraksha (Elaeocarpus sp) symbolises Rudra, another name for Shiva. Tejbal is also associated with Shiva. Hindus