Chapter 8 How The Land Becomes Sacred

What Is ‘Sacredness’

The concept of sacredness implies finding something of profound religious or spiritual importance, deserving of deep respect, reverence, and considered holy or divine. This 'something' can be a specific location, a shrine, or even an entire geographical area that evokes such feelings or high thoughts. Sacredness is not limited to religious beliefs alone but is intricately connected with geography, various traditions, and, in the context of India, with a deeper sense of reverence for the land itself.

Almost all major schools of thought and religions in India, whether those that originated within the subcontinent or those that arrived from outside, have their own sacred places that are held in high regard.

Places revered by followers of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism in India, such as Dargahs, Churches, Synagogues, and Fire Temples, are visited for prayer and worship. These sites also often attract visitors from other faiths, demonstrating a tradition of interfaith reverence. People undertake pilgrimages, or journeys to sacred places, on special occasions to these shrines.

In religions originating in India, there are numerous sacred sites. For Buddhists, these are often places connected to the life of the Buddha or where his relics are preserved. Examples include the Great Stupa at Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh), which is a relic stupa, and the Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodh Gaya (Bihar), revered as the site where the Buddha attained enlightenment. These sites are significant pilgrimage destinations, attracting millions of visitors.

In Sikhism, Takhts are recognized as seats of spiritual authority, such as the Akal Takht in Amritsar or Takht Sri Patna Sahib. Sikhs aspire to make pilgrimages to these places, which are associated with the Sikh Gurus and hold special spiritual significance. Sikh tradition also records pilgrimages by several Gurus to various sacred sites across India and even some Muslim shrines, demonstrating a broad approach to sacred geography.

A Shrine is a place considered holy due to its connection with the divine, a sacred relic, or a spiritual figure. A Relic is a part of a spiritual figure's body or belongings preserved as an object of reverence.

Pilgrimages

The tradition of undertaking Tirthayatras (pilgrimages) to various sacred sites (Tirthas) is ancient and deeply ingrained in Indian culture. A Tirtha literally means a place to cross a body of water but symbolically represents a site where one can transition from ordinary worldly life to a higher, spiritual state. These places are considered highly sacred and are destinations for pilgrims.

For at least 3,000 years, long before modern transportation, people across India have been traversing the subcontinent on pilgrimages. This extensive travel has resulted in a sense of the entire geography of India being considered sacred.

Pilgrimages are not merely physical journeys but are also understood as internal spiritual journeys, often requiring pilgrims to adhere to a specified code of conduct. This continuous tradition has fostered a sense of shared identity and cultural unity across diverse regions of India.

In the Jain tradition, Tirthas are places where Tirthankaras (supreme preachers of dharma who guide others to higher life) attained liberation or where key events in their lives occurred. Natural features like trees, ponds, hills, and mountains associated with Tirthankaras are also considered sacred, such as Mount Abu, Girnar, and Shatrunjaya hill in Gujarat.

The pilgrimage to the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, is another example. This shrine, located on a hilltop, was traditionally reached by a challenging trek through forests and hills. This arduous journey is seen as symbolic of the difficulties on the inner spiritual path, with natural landmarks along the route also holding sacred significance.

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Becoming Aware Of Sacred Geography

The extensive networks of sacred sites across India contribute to a concept of sacred geography, where the entire land is imbued with spiritual significance. Many belief systems have established prominent pilgrimage circuits that cover the subcontinent's vastness.

In Hinduism, examples include:

• The Char Dham Yatra, a pilgrimage to four sites deliberately located near the four cardinal directions of India (Badrinath in the North, Rameswaram in the South, Puri in the East, and Dwarka in the West). Completing this journey provides a comprehensive sense of India's sacred space.
• The 12 Jyotirlingas, a network of twelve sacred shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva, spread across different states of India, each considered highly auspicious.
• The 51 Shakti Peethas, sites associated with the goddess Shakti, distributed across the Indian subcontinent (including parts of present-day Bangladesh and Pakistan). A legend explains their distribution as places where parts of the divine mother's body fell, symbolically turning the entire land into her sacred body.

These pilgrimage networks, along with countless regional ones, crisscross India's geography, connecting diverse regions and fostering a sense of interconnectedness. As pilgrims travel these routes, they encounter the subcontinent's diverse languages, customs, clothing, and foods, while simultaneously experiencing the underlying commonalities of shared cultural narratives and sacred places.

Beyond religious motivations, people in ancient India traveled for various purposes, including trade (merchants), philosophical debates (scholars, seekers), and learning from eminent teachers. These different travel routes often converged, leading to interactions where goods, ideas, experiences, and stories were exchanged. This complex process of interaction and sharing, facilitated by travel to sacred sites and trade centers, was a major factor in the cultural integration of the Indian Subcontinent.

The idea of sacred geography emphasizes that the land itself, with its natural features and specific locations, holds spiritual value, contributing to a shared cultural identity across the subcontinent.

Sacred Ecology

In many belief systems across India, especially in Hinduism and various folk and tribal traditions, the natural landscape itself is perceived as sacred space or punyakshetra (holy ground). This includes mountains, rivers, forests, trees, plants, animals, and sometimes even specific stones.

This perspective of the land being sacred fosters a sense of interconnectedness between humans and nature and has historically contributed to practices aimed at protecting and preserving the natural environment. In these traditions, geography, culture, and spirituality are deeply intertwined.

Rivers And Sangams (Confluence Of Rivers)

Rivers hold a particularly sacred place in India, worshipped since Vedic times. The Nadistuti Sukta in the Rigveda is a hymn praising various rivers of ancient northwest India. Even today, rivers are invoked and revered in rituals, and many are personified as goddesses (devis). The recitation of names of major rivers like Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Sarasvati, Narmada, Sindhu, and Kaveri during rituals underscores their pan-Indian sacredness. The sources of rivers, their tributaries, and places where rivers meet (sangams) are often considered highly sacred pilgrimage sites. People refer to rivers with respect, adding suffixes like 'ji' (e.g., Ganga ji, Yamuna ji).

The Kumbh Mela is a massive pilgrimage festival held cyclically at four sacred sites (Haridwar, Prayagraj, Nashik, Ujjain) where drops of the immortal nectar (amrita) are believed to have fallen. Prayagraj is located at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Sarasvati rivers. Taking a dip in the river at these sites during the prescribed period is considered highly auspicious. The Kumbh Mela is recognized by UNESCO as an 'intangible heritage of the world' and attracts hundreds of millions of participants, highlighting the deep connection between rivers, sacred sites, and human spiritual practices.

These sacred places are also connected with people's economic lives, as they attract large numbers of pilgrims and visitors. This creates opportunities for local communities through trade, provision of accommodation, food services, sale of religious items, and other related activities. The economic activities surrounding these sacred sites contribute to the local and regional economy, linking spiritual traditions with material sustenance.

Mountains And Forests

Mountains are often perceived as sacred across cultures worldwide, sometimes seen as symbolic connections between the earthly realm and the divine or celestial. In India, many Tirthas and temples are located on hilltops or mountains, symbolizing the arduous but rewarding inner journey towards the divine. Pilgrims traditionally undertook challenging treks through mountain trails to reach these shrines, testing their physical and mental resilience. Examples include pilgrimages to Vaishno Devi Temple, Lord Balaji Temple in Tirumala hills, Mount Kailash, and sites in the Tiruvannamalai hills. While modern transport facilitates access today, the symbolic significance of the elevated journey remains.

Trees, Forests And Sacred Groves

Certain trees are considered sacred in India and are often adorned with offerings. The Peepul tree (*Ficus religiosa*) is particularly sacred across Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, partly due to its association with significant spiritual events (like the Buddha's enlightenment under a Bodhi tree) and its ecological value (providing food and shelter). Even ancient artifacts, like seals from the Indus-Sarasvati civilization, depict the Peepul tree, indicating its long-standing cultural importance.

India's epics, the Mahabharata and Ramayana, contain vivid descriptions of sacred rivers, forests, and mountains visited by heroes. Many rural and tribal traditions across India have localized versions of these epics, claiming that the epic heroes passed through their areas, often marking such locations with shrines. This integration of epic narratives into local geographies and traditions has helped diverse communities connect with and make these texts their own, fostering cultural unity.

Many rural and tribal communities have traditionally protected certain natural forests, treating them as sacred groves (e.g., *kavu* in Malayalam, *devrai* in Marathi, *sarna* in Jharkhand). These forests are revered as abodes of deities (like Niyam Raja for the Dongria Khond tribe or Ryngkew/Basa in Meghalaya). Activities like hunting, tree felling, or mining are prohibited within sacred groves as a sign of respect for the deities and the natural environment. This sacred status has helped preserve the biodiversity of flora and fauna within these groves. They also play a role in water conservation, often containing small water bodies.

Although facing challenges from encroachment, sacred groves continue to be protected in many regions, reflecting a worldview that sees the ecosystem as interconnected with the divine and human well-being, where deities, nature, and people exist in a harmonious relationship.

From Pilgrimage To Trade

There is a historical overlap between pilgrimage routes and trade routes in India. Pilgrims and traders often utilized the same paths across the subcontinent, leading to frequent interactions. Pilgrims, needing various supplies during their long journeys, provided a market for traders. Some traders also undertook pilgrimages themselves, combining business travel with visits to sacred sites. This mutual interaction benefited both groups.

The major trade routes of ancient India, such as the Uttarapatha (connecting northwest to east) and the Dakshinapatha (connecting north to south), passed through numerous cities and regions that also contained important Tirthas. The movement of people, goods, ideas, and stories along these shared routes facilitated economic exchange and contributed significantly to the cultural integration of the Indian Subcontinent. This highlights how sacred geography and economic activity were intertwined, with pilgrimage networks acting as pathways for cultural diffusion and trade.

Sacred Geography Beyond India

The concept of sacred geography is not unique to India; it exists in various forms across different cultures worldwide. Ancient Greece, for instance, had sacred landmarks, including mountains and groves, associated with deities and myths. Many indigenous cultures globally, such as Native Americans and the Maoris of New Zealand, have a deep spiritual connection to Nature and view specific landscapes (mountains, rivers, forests) as sacred, often considering them living entities or ancestors.

A notable example is the Maori tradition regarding the Taranaki Maunga mountain as their ancestor, leading to recent legal recognition of the mountain's rights and responsibilities as if it were a human being. This approach, where community elders represent the voice of the sacred natural entity, aims to protect these places from exploitation and degradation and highlights a worldview that values nature's inherent sacredness and integrity.

Restoring And Conserving The Sacred

Historically, a harmonious relationship between people and their sacred geography underpinned Indian civilization, fostering shared values and contributing to environmental preservation. However, this relationship is currently under strain due to factors like neglect, pollution, and conflicting ideas of development.

Many sacred natural sites in India, such as revered rivers, mountains, and groves, face pollution and degradation from human activities. Rivers like the Yamuna, Mahanadi, and Kaveri, traditionally considered sacred, have become heavily polluted. This pollution and degradation raise questions about collective responsibility for preserving the sanctity of our national heritage, as mandated by the Constitution.

Despite the challenges, the principles of sacred geography remain relevant. In instances where a river is overexploited, a sacred mountain is threatened by development, or a sacred grove is encroached upon, communities often speak up to protect their environment, their deities, and their values. At a time when sustainability and environmental protection are global concerns, a worldview that recognizes and embeds the sacredness of the land offers a significant perspective and contributes to efforts to restore and conserve the natural world.