Arunachal Pradesh

Sacred Groves – Arunachal Pradesh

 

In Arunachal Pradesh, a few of the sacred groves managed by Lamas and the Mompa tribe, are attached to the Buddhist monasteries: they are called Gompa Forest Areas (GFAs). 101 sacred groves have been documented in the state.

These sacred groves are dedicated to local deities such as Ubro or Ubram and Thouw-gew. The monasteries with sacred groves are mainly located in West Kameng and Tawang districts of the State.

58 GFAs were reported from these two districts and a few sacred groves from Lower Subansiri and Siang district of the State.

Various ethnic groups have preserved and protected forest patches and even individual trees or animals due to their traditional beliefs and respect for nature.

Banyan, Pipal, Ashoka, Bela and Harada are among the most commonly found plant species in the sacred groves.

 

Table : 1 Sacred Groves of Arunachal Pradesh

 

S. No Location Name  of Sacred Grove Area (in Sq.Km.)
District – Papumpare
1 VIP Colony, Vivek Bihar Kyong Thervada Gumpa forest

 

 Not Known
2 Bank Tinali Siddhartha Vihar Gumpa forest 1.20
District – Tawang
3 Tawang Regilling Gumpa forest Not  Known
4 Neharu Colony Neharu Gumpa forest Not  Known
5 Chambu Village Chambu Gumpa forest 0.50
6 Chambu Basti Youngmang sacred forest 0.75
7 Chambu Village Yang sacred forest 3.00
8 New Lebrang Basti Parnkhats New Lebrang Gumpa forest 0.30
9 Lebrang Basti Yidgachoszin Gumpa forest 0.50
10 Lebrang Basti Lebrang Gumpa forest 0.70
11 Sheyo Basti Ganden Namgyal Lhatse Gumpa forest 1.50
12 Sheyo Basti Shevo sacred forest 1.00
13 Khinmey Village Khinmey Gumpa forest 0.50
14 Tawang Kakaling Gumpa forest 0.30
15 Khirmu Village Khartung Gumpa forest 1.10
16 Khirmu Village Khirmu sacred forest 1.50
17 Namet Basti Namet sacred forest 0.50
18 Namet Basti Singsur Ani Gumpa forest 0.50
19 Namet Basti Sharmang Gumpa forest 0.30
20 Namet Basti Thespa Gumpa forest 0.50
21 Khirmu Village Thongmen Gumpa forest 0.40
22 Lhou Village Brakar Gumpa forest 0.30
23 Lhou Village Arkidung Gumpa forest 0.25
24 Sangdok Palri Basti Sangdok Palri Gumpa forest 1.00
25 Namazing Basti Dungarmani Gumpa forest 0.50
26 New Kharsa Basti Dungirmoon Gumpa forest 0.30
27 Jung Zero Point Jung Zero Point Gumpa forest 1.20
28 Khartung Basti Khartung Basti Dudstang forest 0.01
29 Kulangaus Basti Kulangaus Basti Dudstang forest 0.01
30 Namazing Basti Namazing Basti Dudstang forest 0.01
31 Kharsa Basti Kharsa Basti Dudstang forest 0.01
32 New Kharsa New Kharsa Basti Dudstang forest 0.01
 33 Khraling Basti Khraling Basti Dudstang forest 0.01
34 Jung Bara Basti Jung Bara Basti Dudstang forest 0.01
35 Jung Bara Basti Nuranang Dudstang forest 0.01
36 Jung Bara Basti Jung  Bara Basti Pharmang forest 1.50
37 kharsa Basti Kharsa Basti Pharmang forest 0.50
38 Khartang Basti Khartang Pharmang forest 0.60
District – West Kameng
 39 Bomdila Old Bazar Bomdila Bazarline Gumpa forest Not Known
40 Bomdila Bazar Gontse Gaden Rabgyeling -1 Gumpa forest 0.50
 41 Bomdila Bazar Gontse Gaden Radgyeling-2 Gumpa forest 1.10
 42 Jyoti Nagar Jyoti Nagar Gumpa forest 0.50
 43 Jyoti Nagar Kalchakar Gumpa forest 1.20
 44 Saksem Basti Kepsingmu sacred forest 3.00
 45 Richong Basti Yangfaundi sacred forest 2.00
 46 Burchi Basti Sunlingnang sacred forest 0.55
 47 Dirang Basti Khadun Gumpa forest 0.75
 48 Yang Village Manidungur Gumpa forest 0.30
 49 Yang Village Grang sacred forest 2.60
 50 Youang Basti Sangeechulen Gumpa forest 3.00
 51 Lieung Basti Palvul Jangechub Dhargvelling Gumpa forest 3.00
 52 Young Basti Youngnang sacred forest 0.50
 53 Lieung Basti Lieung sacred forest 1.20
 54 Dirang Basti Rimpopha Gumpa forest 0.50
  55 Dirang Basti Gazangphrang Gumpa forest 0.40
  56 Dirang Basti Gomluk Gumpa forest 0.70
  57 Dirang Basti Dupphang Gumpa forest 0.25
  58 Dum Dirang Basti Mani sacred forest 1.50
Source: http://www.ncbi.org.in/

 

 Table 2. List of sacred groves in the different districts of Arunachal Pradesh 

 

Sl.

No.

 Name of the sacred grove Location Deity (s) Area

(km2)
1 Regilling Damnian Basti Buddha 0.13
2 Urgilling Urgelling Basti Buddha 0.10
3 Tsangpu Tsangpu village Buddha 0.11
4 Bomdila Bazar Line Bomdila Bazar Buddha 0.01
5 Kyong Thervada Vivek Bihar Buddha 0.50
6 Siddhartha Vihar Bank Tinali Buddha 1.20
7 G. G. Rabgyeling Bomdila Bazar Buddha 0.50
8 G. G. Rabgyeling Bomdila Bazar Buddha 1.10
9 Upper Shera Basti Shera Basti Buddha 0.80
10 Lower Shera Basti Lower Shera Basti Buddha 1.60
11 New Bomdila New Bomdila Basti Buddha 0.03
12 Jyoti Nagar Jyoti Nagar Buddha 0.50
13 Kalchakra Jyoti Nagar Buddha 1.20
14 Maishing Maishing Basti Anonymous 0.50
15 Kepsingmu Saksem Basti Sunkarma 3.00
16 Yangfaundi Richong Basti Dudsang 2.00
17 Sunglingnang Burchi Basti Drakpa-sungling 0.55
18 Khadun Dirang Basti Buddha 0.75
19 Manidungur Yang Village Buddha 0.30
20 Grang Yang Village Lamaray 2.60
21 Sangechulen Youang Basti Buddha 1.50
22 P. J. Dhargyelling Lieung Basti Buddha

14th D’Lama

 3.00
23 Youngnang Young Basti Athumbs-ang 0.50
24 Lieung Lieung Basti Leikichu-gho 1.20
25 Rimpopha Dirang Basti Buddha 0.50
26 Gazangphrang Dirang Basti Buddha 0.40
27 Gomluk Dirang Basti Buddha 0.70
28 Dupphang Dirang Basti Buddha 0.25
29 Mani Dum Dirang Basti Anileiky 1.50
30 Neharu Neharu Colony Buddha 0.20
31 Chambu Chambu Village Buddha 0.50
32 Youngmang Chambu Basti Dhupe 0.75
33 Yang Chambu Village Drungpho 3.00
34 P. New Lebrang New Lebrang Basti Buddha 0.30
35 Yidgachoszin Lebrang Basti Buddha 0.50
36 Labrang Lebrang Basti Buddha/ 14th Dalai lama 0.70
37 Regilling Urgelling Basti 14th Dalai lama 3.00
38 G. Naymgal Lhatse Sheyo Basti Mera Lama

&  5th Dalai lama

 1.50
39 Sheyo Sheyo Basti Anonymous 1.00
40 Khinmey Khinmey Village Buddha 0.50
41 Kakaling Tawang Gelong Keprey 0.30
42 Khartung Khirmu Village Lama Langa 1.10
43 Khirmu Khirmu Village Anonymous 1.50
44 Namet Namet Basti Susumgruk 0.50
45 Singsur Ani Namet Basti Ani Umze Nima Lhamu 0.50
46 Sharmang Namet Basti Lama Tsangpa 0.30
47 Thespa Namet Basti Rimpoche 0.50
48 Thongmen Khirmu Village Lama Gorpu 0.40
49 Brakar Lhou Village Lama Phurpa Dorjee 0.30
50 Arkidung Lhou Village Lama Phurpa Tashi 0.25
51 Sangdok Palri Sangdakpalri Basti T.G. Rimpoche 1.00
52 Dungarmani Namazing Basti Buddha 0.50
53 Dungirmoon New Kharsa Basti Buddha 0.30
54 Jung Zero Point Jung Zero Point Buddha 1.20
55 Khartung Basti Khartung Basti Dudstang 0.01
56 Kulangaus Basti Kulangaus Basti Dudstang 0.01
57 Namazing Basti Namazing Basti Dudstang 0.01
58 Kharsa Basti Kharsa Basti Dudstang 0.01
59 New Kharsa Basti New Kharsa Basti Dudstang 0.01
60 Khraling Basti Khraling Basti Dudstang 0.01
61 Jung Bara Basti Jung Bara Basti Dudstang 0.01
62 Nuranang Jung Bara Basti Dudstang 0.01
63 Jung Bara Basti Jung Bara Basti Anonymous 1.50
64 Kharsa Basti Kharsa Basti Anonymous 0.50
65 Khartang Khartung Basti Anonymous 0.60
66 Pumin Pubiang Hari Rante Village Sai/Tajhe 0.50
67 Dilang Posa Mudan Tage Vill. Khalo 0.05
68 Suthii Pache Ko Hari Rante Village Suthii Pache Ko 0.02
69 Yapun Yapyo Hari Rante Village Yapun Yapyo 0.05
70 Sree Moro Doji Yapung Reru Village Sree Moro 0.50
71 Takae Sacred Forest Bump Village Geka 0.15
72 Iduli Basti Iduli Village Anonymous 0.12
73 Iduli Bruppa Iduli Village Anonymous 0.35
74 Imuli Basti Imuli village Anonymous 0.10
75 Imuli Basti Imuli village Anonymous 0.05
76 Khinjuli Basti Khinjuli Village Anonymous 0.10
77 Ara Ara camp Village Anonymous 0.11
78 Cheta Bruppa Cheta Village Anonymous 0.50
79 Akashi Ganga Likhabali Parvati/Sati 0.51
80 Malinithan Likhabali Malani 2.00
81 Lapnan Lapnan Jauban/Jongban/ Tesong 0.05
82 Deomali Deomali Anonymous 0.03
83 Old Chanaglang Basti Old Chanaglang Anonymous 0.01
84 Old Chanaglang Basti Old Changlang Anonymous 0.01
85 Tirap River North Bank Changlang Basti Anonymous 150
86 Tirap River South Bank Changlang Basti Anonymous 100
87 Namsai Pariyatti Sasana Buddhist Bihar Namsai Buddha 0.35
88 Juna-I Juna village Buddha 0.02
89 Juna-IV Juna village Pt-IV Buddha 0.05
90 Lathow Lathou Village Buddha 0.01
91 Naya Lathow Naya Lathow Buddha 0.02
92 Solongtu Solongtu Village Buddha 0.02
93 Manmow Manmow Village Buddha 0.05
94 Chongkham Buddha Vihara Chongkham Village Buddha 0.55
95 Chongkham Pagoda Chongkham vill. Buddha 1.15
96 Momong Momong Village Buddha 0.15
97 Nalung Nalung Village Buddha 0.30
98 Dosup Dosup Village Buddha 0.11
99 Manna Intem Manna Intem Village Buddha 0.01
100 Manfai Sing Manfai Sing Village Buddha 0.02
101 Manhofai Manhofai Village Buddha 0.01
Source:

Dr. M. L. Khan, Dr. A. Arunachalam and Dr. A. R. Barbhuiya, 2007, “Web-GIS Digital Atlas of the Sacred Groves of the North-East India: Pilot study with Sacred Groves of Arunachal Pradesh”, Department of Forestry North Eastern Regional Institute of Science & Technology, For the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research  Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India.

 

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