Jammu & Kashmir

Sacred Groves in Jammu & Kashmir

Sacred groves are present all over Jammu and Kashmir, managed by religious bodies or management committees. The groves are known as Banis. 92 sacred groves have been documented in the state.

Baba Roachi Ram, Bua Sjawati ji, Bua Dati ji, Lord Hanuman, Mata Vaishno Devi, Peer Baba and Raja Mandlik ji are some of the deities to whom these groves are dedicated.

Mango, Banyan, Indian plum, Mountain ebony, Pipal, Three-leaved Caper, White Fig, Bengal quince and Neem are among the most commonly found plant species in the sacred groves.

In larger groves, normal forestry operations are carried out and the income goes to the shrine.  Small groves are highly protected and to remove anything from the grove is a taboo. People living around the groves voluntarily protect them.

List of Sacred Groves in Jammu and Kashmir

S.No Name of the Sacred Grove Place Dedicated to
1. Baba Qutubdin Naughazia Ziarat Dhanidhar Baba Qutubdin
2. Baba Sain Abdul Aziz Ziarat Nagrota (Palma) Sain Abdul Aziz
3. Boli Mata Mandir Dhanidhar Vaishno Devi
4. Chandershekhar Temple Dhangri Lord Shiva
5. Durga Mata Mandir Bathuni Shivling, Shiv Parivar, Durga
6. Jama Masjid Dhangri –
7. Markaz Idgah Bamakam Ziarat Dassal Gujjran Sain Bamakam
8. Panjpeer Ziarat Rajouri –
9. Peer Khewe Shah Ziarat Dhangri Peer Khewe Shah
10. Pracheen Shiv Mandir Rajouri Radha – Krishna
11. Pracheen Shiva Mandir Rajouri Lord Shiva, Ram Darbar
12. Ram Mandir Dhangri Ram Darbar, Radha – Shyam, Laxmi Narayan, Durga
13. Sain Challa Sahib Ziarat Pullulian Sain Challa Sahib
14. Sarv Dharam Sthal Dalogra Radha Krishna, Shivling, Guru Granth Sahib, Jesus Christ, Bible
15. Shri 108 Brahmarishi Barfaniji maharaj Ashram Chhachhara Shri 108 Brahmarishi Barfani ji Maharaj
16. Wali Rafiq Sahib Ziarat Chapprian Wali Rafiq Sabib

 

Source :

Bandana Gupta and Sanjay Sharma, 2013, “Role of Sacred Groves in Ply to diversity  Conservation in Rajouri  (JFK) Int, J. Science and Res.Vol 2, Issue 6, Rp 97-101.

 

S.No Name of Sacred Grove Name of the Deity Place Area (hect) – Location
1. Kaliveer Kaliveer Ji Sunjwan 0.1 – Rural
2. Jhiri Baba Jitto Jhiri 0.75 – Rural
3. Bahufort Kali Mata Bahufort 1.0 – Urban
4. Raghunathan Temple Ramji Old City 0.25 – Urban
5. Peer Kho Caves Jamwat Old City 0.1 – Urban
6. Ranbireshwar Temple Lord Shiv Old City 0.5 – Urban
7. Baba Bhutto Baba Bhutto Rathoa 0.15 – Rural
8. Mahamaya Mahamaya Mahamaya 268 – Rural
9. Sehaj Nath Baba Sehaj Nath Ji Talab tilo 1.2 – Urban
10. Peer Baba Rah Baba Rah Gandhi nagar 0.2 – Urban
11. Peer Baba Zakir Shah Ali Science College 0.15 – Urban
12. Peer Baba lli Baksh Baba lli Baksh Bakhi nagar 0.01 – Urban
13. Panch Peer Panch Peer Ram Nagar 0.15 – Wildlife Sanctuary
14. Peer Baba Budhan Ali Shah Satwari 0.05 – Rural
15. Mathwar Baba Bulla Mathwar 6.5 – Rural
16. Raja Mandlik Ji Raja Mandlik Ji Baran 0.3 – Rural
17. Jewel Peer Baba Saraf-ud-din Rehmat Ulla Jewel 0.12 – Urban
18. Karwanda Lord Shiv Karwanda 0.05 – Rural
19. Kailash Kallakh Nath Ji Thathar 2 – Rural
20. Rajpura Sid Ji Maharaja Rajpura 0.01 – Urban
21. Drora Bua Dati Ji Rajpura 0.01 – Urban
22. Prachin Shiv Temple Lord Shiv Sunjwan 1 – Rural
23. Badigal Badigal Dev Ji Kargar Morh 0.75 – Rural
24. Pandav Temple Nagrota 0.02 – Rural
25. Chawadi Bua Dati Ji Chawadi 0.35 – Rural
26. Temple Katal Batal Lord Shiv Katal Batal 0.1 – Rural
27. Maharani Charki Radha Krishna Birpur 0.05 – Rural
28. Nagbani Nagdevata Nagbani 0.4 – Rural
29. Rani Ki Samadia Ranbireshwar Gumat 0.07 – Urban
30. Panchbakhtar Lord Shiv Old City 0.4 – Urban
31. Mahalakshmi Temple Mahalakshmi Pacca Danga 0.02 – Urban
32. Chirki Baba Rochi Ram Ranjan 1.75 – Rural
33. Hanuman Temple Hanuman Amb 0.25 – Rural
34. Bua Kaliakh Nath Baba Kaliakh Amb 0.093 – Rural
35. Bua Sarawati Nath Bua Sajawati Amb 0.087 – Rural
36. Baba Geonath Geonath Aghore 0.25 – Rural
37. Bua Sjawati Bua Sjawati Ranjan 0.12 – Rural
38. Baba Khan Dev Baba Khan Dev Aghore 0.12 – Rural
39. Sarorver Swapatra Bua Sajawati, Baba Sar Swa Patta 0.25 – Rural
40. Baba Sua Baba Sua Nargarda 2.215 – Rural
41. Pairawali Mata Mata Vaishno Devi Amd 0.25 – Rural
42. Kaliveer Kaliveer Aghore 0.37 – Rural
43. Bua Sajawati Bua Sajawati Ranjan 0.12 – Rural
44. Peer Baba Peer Baba Jandial 0.12 – Rural
45. Birpur Sati Temple Dati Sheilvanti Birpur 0.4 – Rural
46. Aap Shambu Temple Lord Shiv Roop Nagar 0.3 – Urban
47. Baba Pairh Pairh Devta Katal Batal 0.5 – Rural
48. Bua Dati Temple Dati Ji Paloura 0.15 – Urban
49. Peer Mitha Mitha Peer Old City 0.1 – Urban
50. Ram Temple Lord Rama Purani Mandhi 0.05 – Urban
51. Hanuman Temple Hanuman Purani Mandhi 0.05 – Urban
52. Baldeo Temple Baldeo Ji Old City 0.12 – Urban
53. Kol Kondoli Temple Mata Nagrota 0.17 – Urban
54. Satya Narayan Temple Narayan Nagrota 0.15 – Urban
55. Kali Mata Temple Kali Mata Nagrota 0.03 – Urban
56. Manhas Dilip Singh Manhas Paloura 1.75 – Urban
57. Peer Baba Gumat All Gumat 0.05 – Urban
58. St. Mary’s Church Jesus Christ Satwari 0.8 – Urban
59. St. Paul Church Jesus Christ Old City 0.6 – Urban
60. Lakshmi Narayan Lakshmi Narayan Gandhi Nagar 0.5 – Urban

Source:

Krishna Priya and  Dr. Sanjay Sharma, 2014 “Deteriorating Condition of Sacred Groves in Jammu City and its Surroundings, J&K”,  International Journal of  Scientific Research,  Volume : 3 | Issue : 4 | April 2014  ISSN No 2277 – 8179.

Si .No Name of the Sacred Groves Name of the  Deity Village Area (Hectre)
1 Baba Chirki Temple Baba Roachi Ram Ranjan 1.75
2 Bua Sjawati Temple Bun Sjawati ji Ambh 0.087
3 Baba Kalakh Nath Temple Baba Kalak Nath ji Ambh 0.093
4 Baba Jiyonath Temple Baba Jiyonathji Aghore 0.25
5 Baba Kaliveer Temple Baba Kaliveerji Jandial 0.375
6 Bua Sjawati  Temple Bua Sjawati ji Ranjan 0.125
7 Bua Dati Temple Bua Dati ji Ranjan 0.125
8 Baba Kaan Dev Temple Baba Kaan Dev Aghore 0.125
9 Baba Mathwar Temple Baba Ballo ji Mathwar 3
10 Baba Sua Temple Baba Sua ji Nargada 2.215
11 Hanuman Temple Lord Hanuman Ambh 0.25
12 Paira Wali Mata Temple Mata Vaishno Devi Ambh 0.25
13 Peer Baba Temple Peer Baba Jandial 0.125
14 Raja Mandlik Temple Raja Mandlik ji Baran 0.75
15 Pata Sarovar Baba Sar and Bua Sjawati Showa-Pata 0.25
16 Shiv Temple Lord Shiva Karwanda 0.25

 

Source:

Sanjay Sharma, Rajni Devi (2014), “Sacred Groves: Traditional Way of Conserving Plant Diversity in Block Bhalwal of Jammu District (J&K)”, Vol 3 (2).

Related posts:

  1. Assam
  2. Bihar
  3. Chhattisgarh
  4. Goa

Leave a Reply