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Anon, “Vrindavan Conservation Project”,
Dhrni Printers, New Delhi.
The sacred garden, Vrindavan is considered as a living
temple of sacred nature. It is believed that God himself blessed the place
with his presence. Today, the famous forests and groves of Vrindavan have vanished.
Its sacred river and ground water reserves have depleted and are now contaminated
with sewage. In order to restore this sacred garden steps are being taken which
involves the community in Vrindavan.
Karnataka Forest Department, "Sacred Plants - A Book on Vratas Gardens and the Connected Plants Described
in our Vedas and Puranas",
1988.
The
book ""Sacred Plants" is an innovative reference work on sacred plants
and it described the role of trees in religious rituals endeavours to furnish
a dimension to the linkage between religion and science. The is an attempt
to identify and describe the large number of trees, shrubs, herbs and climbers
associated with the Vratas for offering, described in our puranas. The
book will be useful to those who are involved in raising Pavithra Vanas.
Krishna, N.,
“Retreat
of the Gods”, Hindu Folio, pp.
18-20, June 2000.
Information on sacred gardens is found in literature,
history and epigraphy. Each garden is associated with mythology. It became
an essential part of every temple. Ashokavan, Brindavana, Sambathi vana and
Kuvera vana are the important sacred gardens discussed in detail here.
Mitra, A., and Chakraborty,
S., “Saying it With Flowers”, Down To Earth, 1995.
Flowers have a very special role in different cultures
and traditions. Flowers are used for aesthetic, religious and medical purposes.
Pandey, D.N, “Birds, Sacred Gardens and Management
of Multiple Use Forests”, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Vol.
11, No.1, March 1999.
The sacred garden or baug is an ethno-silvi-horticultural
grove traditionally planted near settlements or amidst forests for fruit, fodder,
fuel wood, medicine, non-wood forest products and shade. Every garden has a
sacred place dedicated to a deity. This gives a new dimension for the conservation
of biological diversity through community involvement.
Riti, M.D.,
“Pious
Plants”, The Week, Vol. 12,
No. 34, pp. 60-60, August 14, 1994.
Shri Lakshmi Thathachar maintained two sacred gardens
such as Deivavana and Udayana vana in an area of 15 acres at Melkote in Mysore
district. The gardens have 27 varieties of jasmine and 200 species of birds.
Viji, C.,
“Tirunandavanam
at Srirangam”, The Hindu, September
3, 1995.
Andal Tirunandavanam at Srirangam provides flowers
for garlands, which enhance the beauty of the deity. In Madhurakavi nandavana,
every tree is reverentially named after the grate saints and acharyas.
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