“Investigating the Ethnobotanical Relevance of Unique Sacred Plants in North Western Himalaya: A Case Study of MandiDistrict, Himachal Pradesh, India.”

Abstract

Sacred or magico-religious plants have been always remain integral in the ritual, cultural and spiritual practices of many different communities throughout history. Furthermore, there is no part of the world where plants are not held in particularly high regard. Numerous indigenous groups maintain this custom via oral history and honour their gods during all stages of life, from celebrating a child birth to lamenting a death. Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh also referred as ‘Choti Kashi’, is known for its traditions and religious culture. Hence, the present study has been carried out to document the unique traditional knowledge of sacred plants used by the folklore of Mandi district. The present study documented 17 plant species belonging to the 13 families that were being used in numerous religious ceremonies. The use of sacred plants contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage. Therefore, it is important to use these plant species in a sustainable manner that have both cultural significance and ecological integrity.