The Biobrio 13(1 & 2), 2026

Floristic survey of sacred grove of Basmata village in Dumka district of Jharkhand

Joyena Marandi

ABSTRACT:

The floristic survey and the study of biodiversity was conducted in sacred grove of Basmata village in Dumka district of Jharkhand. Sacred groves popularly known as Jaher or Jaherthan by Santals are the traditional communal sites of in-situ conservation. The indigenous people residing in this region are known as Santals, in local language they are known as 'Hor hopon'. A significant change has been noticed regarding its conservation in recent years. Field observation, secondary data and several interviews have been conducted with the prominent village people like Pradhan, the village head and Naeke, the village priest who carries out all religious rituals, and other elderly knowledgeable tribals to gather information. The phytosociological survey of Sacred groves, its association with Santals and the ecological importance have been discussed in this paper.

Keywords:    

Santals, Jaher, biodiversity, phytosociology, ecology

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