Puducherry

Sacred Groves in Puducherry

Selli Amman Sacred grove, Oorani

The sacred groves in Puducherry are locally known as Kovil Kaadugal and Ayyappan Kaavu.

123 patches of sacred groves varying in size from 0.2 to 5.0 ha in around the temples have been documented in the state. Aiyanar, Pachaivazhiamman, Poraiyathamman, Pachaivazhiamman, Celliamman, Kaliamman and Maduraiveeran are some of the deities to whom these groves are dedicated.

Lebbek Tree, Indian Atalantia, Neem, Caper bush, Bush Plum, Indian-Laburnum, Indian black plum and Jackal coffee are among the most commonly found plant species in the sacred groves.

These sacred groves are often dedicated to local spirits or deities and the people attach sanctity to them. Religious practices and cultural traditions have been spun around them to deter people from exploiting the biodiversity contained within them.

List of Sacred Groves in Puducherry

Sl.No. Sacred Grove Name Name of the deity Area (Hectares)
District – Pondicherry
1 Kothapurinatham Aiyanar 1.00
2 Abeshagapakkam Madhuraiveeran 0.70
3 Agaram Aiyanar 0.30
4 Aranganoor Aiyanar 1.50
5 Arumbathapuram Aiyanar 0.20
6 Bahoor Pillayar 0.40
7 Bahoor Aiyanar 2.40
8 Cettipattu Aiyanar 0.80
9 Chellipettu Aiyanar 1.50
10 Edayarpalayam Sivalingam 0.40
11 Edayarpalayam Aiyanar 0.50
12 Ellaipillaichavady Aiyanar 0.20
13 Embelam Aiyanar 0.75
14 Eripakkam Poraiyathamman 3.00
15 Erulansandai Aiyanar 0.80
16 Iyyan Kuttipalayam Aiyanar 0.70
17 K.Manaveli Aiyanar 1.30
18 Kaduvanur Aiyanar 0.60
19 Kalmandapam Aiyanar 0.70
20 Kambilikarankuppam Aiyanar 2.20
21 Kanniakovil Pachaivazhiamman 0.75
22 Kanuvapet (Villianur) Aiyanar 1.00
23 Karaiyanputhur Aiyanar 0.70
24 Karasur Aiyanar 0.60
25 Karasur (KS) Pachaivazhiamman 0.25
26 Karikalampakkam Aiyanar 0.30
27 Kariyamanikkam Aiyanar 0.70
28 Karuvadikuppam Aiyanar 0.60
29 Katterikuppam Aiyanar 0.90
30 Shanmugapuram Aiyanar 0.70
31 Sembipalayam Aiyanar 1.00
32 Sembedapettai Aiyanar 0.80
33 Seliamedu Aiyanar 0.70
34 Sedarapet (ST) Aiyanar 0.23
35 Sarathambal Nagar Aiyanar 0.30
36 Sanniasikuppam Aiyanar 1.20
37 Sanniasikuppam Selliamman 1.00
38 Sadhikuppam (SK) Neelavazhiamman 1.12
39 Ramanathapuram (RP) Aiyanar 0.66
40 Puranasingupalayam Aiyanar 0.60
41 Poraiyur Aiyanar 1.20
42 Pooranankuppam Aiyanar 1.45
43 Pillaiyarkuppam Aiyanar 2.70
44 Pillaichavadi Aiyanar 0.40
45 Pichaveerampet Aiyanar 1.00
46 Perungalore Aiyanar 0.50
47 Periya Arachikuppam Aiyanar 0.30
48 Pannithittu Kaliyammun 0.60
49 Pandashozhanallur Aiyanar 0.80
50 Oraliyampet Aiyanar 0.20
51 Odiyampattu Aiyanar 0.30
52 Keezhur Aiyanar 1.00
53 Kirumampakkam Aiyanar 0.50
54 Kobalankadai Kali Amman 0.40
55 Kombakkam Aiyanar 0.30
56 Koodapakkam Aiyanar 0.50
57 Koonichampattu Aiyanar 0.40
58 Korkadu Anjaneyar 0.40
59 Korkadu Periyapalayathuamman 1.00
60 Kottaimedu (Ariankuppam) Aiyanar 0.20
61 Kudiyiruppupalayam Aiyanar 1.00
62 Kuruvappanaikkanpalayam Aiyanar 0.50
63 Kuruvinatham Aiyanar 0.40
64 Lawspet Aiyanar 0.45
65 Madhagadipet Aiyanar 1.00
66 Manalipettu Aiyanar 0.60
67 Manappattu Aiyanar 1.20
68 Manaveli (Ariyankuppam) Aiyanar 1.00
69 Manaveli (Embalam) Aiyanar 1.25
70 Manaveli (Villianur) Aiyanar 0.50
71 Mangalam (MM) Aiyanar 0.96
72 Melparikkalpattu Aiyanar 0.40
73 Melsathamangalam Aiyanar 0.40
74 Mettuppalayam (Uzhavarpet) Aiyanar 0.80
75 Molapakkam Aiyanar 0.80
76 Moorthikuppam Aiyanar 0.30
77 Muthiraiyarpalayam Aiyanar 0.70
78 Nallavadu Aiyanar 3.80
79 Nallur Aiyanar 0.80
80 Nattamedu (Embalam) (NM) Aiyanar 1.50
81 Nettappakkam Aiyanar 1.00
82 Nonankuppam Aiyanar 0.80
83 Silkaripalayam (SL) Aiyanar 0.75
84 Sivaranthagam Aiyanar 0.60
85 Solai Nagar Aiyanar 0.50
86 Sompattu Aiyanar 0.40
87 Sooramangalam Aiyanar 2.00
88 Sorappattu Aiyanar 0.60
89 Soriankuppam Aiyanar 1.45
90 Soriankuppam Aiyanar 2.50
91 Suthukkeni Aiyanar 0.80
92 Thanampalayam Aiyanar 0.45
93 Thanikuppam Aiyanar 0.70
94 Thattanchavadi (Gorimedu) Aiyanar 0.40
95 Thattanchavadi (Villianoor) Aiyanar 0.80
96 Thavalakuppam Aiyanar 0.70
97 Thengaithittu Aiyanar 0.50
98 Thirukanji Viswanathar 0.80
99 Thirukkanur Aiyanar 0.70
100 Thirupanampakkam Aiyanar 0.40
101 Tollgate Kanniakoil Pachaivazhiamman 0.50
102 Ulaivaykkal Aiyanar 0.40
103 Usudu Aiyanar 0.30
104 Vadhanoor Aiyanar 0.60
105 Vambupattu Aiyanar 1.20
106 Velrampattu Aiyanar 0.80
107 Villianoor Kasanthoppu Eswaran 2.50
108 Vinayagampattu Aiyanar 0.70

(Source: Dr. V.Krishnan, Plant Biodiversity, Bio-cultural Perspectives of Sacred Groves of Pondicherry and its environs)

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