On the occasion of World Environment Day, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya Bhopal will worship nature for better monsoon at the sacred forest of Tamil Nadu called Kovil Kadu, a sacred complex exhibit structure in the museum premises by the members of Tamil community residing in Bhopal.
In this regard, Museum officer K Sheshadri said that the main objective of the establishment of the exhibition Kovil Kadu is not only to keep museum complex green but also acquainted with the concept of sacred forest complex to the visitors of different age and community groups, so that concept of preservation and development of nature can be developed in the mind of general public.This structure was established in the year 1999 with the participation of concerned local community. To be held on 05 June 2024 at 11.30 am. In this ritual, people of the local Tamil community will together worship all the natural gods at Ayyanar dev sthanam.
Kovil Kadu – Sacred Groves of Tamilnadu Nature worship is an ancient Indian tradition. Sacred grove, which represents one form of nature worship, is a component of the village landscape in Tamil Nadu. Many groves have temples within them.
While the residing deity in most of the sacred groves is the snake god, ‘Ayyappan’, ‘Murugan’ and ‘Amman’ are also worshipped in some places. On full moon days, communities offer prayers collectively. The villagers believe that the groves provide livelihood directly or indirectly and restrict natural catastrophes. Trees, shrubs & herbs, climbers and lianas like Aegle marmelos Corr. (bel), Ailanthus malabaricaWall (gugul), Bassia latifolia Roxb (Mahua), Cocos nucifera L. (coconut), Erythrina indica Lam (parijata), Mangifera indica L. (mango), Terminalia spp. (harra), Cassia tora L. (chaksu), Ervatamia spp., Parviflora Rox. (maula), are grown in Kovil-Kadus.
Apart from natural sacred groves, where natural vegetation has been protected, there are sacred gardens, locally created. These are called Thirundavanas. These gardens are meant exclusively for growing flowers for the deity.
