Kavu (sacred grove) to me is an epitome of everything that is rooted in the idea of human civilization and faith. Since I was bought up in the northern part of Kerala, the Malabar region, it is known for the presence of Western Ghats, which meant thick forests then and the idea of Kavu was never new to me. I knew that the concept of Kavu must have come with human settlement inside the forests - the indigenous tribes; because I could see that it was different from temples and kavu was more close to nature. Our parents always restricted us to go inside in the sarpa kavu which was right in front of our houses. But the turmeric bathed snake idols, the intoxicating smell of Karpooram (camphor) and flowers, the ripen Njaval pazham (Jamun fruit) and thick creeper stems of the banyan trees always tempted us to go inside. Right when we would enter, someone would call from behind saying “kavu theendalle makkalle”, which means do not disturb the grove. The belief was that if you trespass and disturb the groves, the water source in the grove would dry off.

I had a lot of memories there. Last year when I visited that place after 18 years I understood that the Kavu was in its dilapidated form with a Brahmanised temple in the vicinity. I was not shocked because I have seen it happen to several groves but to this one; it made me disheartened. People don’t react until and unless it happens to them. It was a proof of how power structures of materialistic concepts work in our society. This made me want to work on this project and another factor was that I was always fascinated by the mystery that these places held. It was so full of energy and life and I always wanted to know more about it, and I thought this would be the right time. To my understanding, religion/faith is one of the most important components of human life. Since life is uncertain and restless for people in the margins, faith in something is the thing they have that they can hold close to them, apart from their bodies which is perishable. Thus, disregarding them would mean, disenfranchising these communities from their own lives.

For far too time immemorial, the lives of indigenous people has been closely integrated with the not just their culture revolving around them but also the conservation of natural resources. These Sacred Tracts were not just belts of thick forests that harbored rich biodiversity, protected by the indigenous people with their acquired knowledge but were repositories of rare and endemic species. With the increasing population and demand for land, we are not only letting these natural resources go away, but letting the cultural practices like music, dance, food, festivals, clothing die with them. Strong beliefs and the element of fear is what drive the society to maintain the existing groves, and the enthusiasm of some families to continue traditional practices. Ergo, the concept of Kavu to me is the idea of everything that we were and we could have been. From non-hegemonic religious practices to feeling rooted to our own Earth.

My aim is to bring a conscious awareness that our existence is linked with the existence of everything else inanimate or animate.Through this project, i would like to support the long-term protection, conservation and revitalization of sacred natural sites and their bio-cultural significance.   As these sites don’t have a vocal way of expressing their needs, I am trying to bring their voices to a wider audience to collaborate with the guardians of existing sacred groves for nature conservation as well as cultural preservation.