Sacred Groves - a rich abode of biodiversity in Kerala; now on the verge of extinction.

- stated a report over a year ago in March 2015, prepared by a Committee chaired by State Minister for Forest, Sports and Cinema Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan, which was tabled in the ongoing Assembly session then.

The report went on to state that , 'the sprawling patches of sacred groves; the rich abode of biodiversity seen in and around villages across Kerala, are on the verge of extinction due to large-scale construction following demographic changes.'

'Known as 'sarpakavu' or 'kavu' in local parlance, sacred groves are traditional places of worship with some of them having idols of snakes and goddesses.'

'The increase in number of construction of new buildings in the place of ancestral homes, which used to house sacred groves in their premises, have virtually led to the destruction of this biodiversity system.'
 
'The report also said indiscriminate grazing in the last few decades, uncontrolled felling of trees for firewood and changes in the pattern of worship (from nature worship to temple) have also contributed to the dwindling of groves.'

'Groves are home to a large number of rare flora and fauna, including those facing extinction threat. As many as 475 species of birds, 100 species of mammals, 156 species of reptiles, 91 species of amphibians, 196 species of fishes and 150 varieties of butterflies can be seen in the groves in the state.'

'Though there were about 10,000 groves in the princely state of Travancore before the formation of Kerala, only  1,200 of them remain now.'

'Coastal district Alappuzha has the highest number of groves, while high-range districts of Idukki and Wayanad have the lowest number.' 

'Iringorkavu", spread over 2.5 acres in Perumbavur in Ernakulam district, is the largest grove in the state.' it said.'

Some Observations:
1. The report failed to mention a law - 'The Kerala Joint Hindu Family System (Abolition) Act, 1975' which wrought havoc in joint Hindu families who were conserving most of the sacred groves and the flora and fauna in them, in Kerala. Partition deeds for share of the lands to be given to each family member- increased- much more than the species existing in these sacred groves.

2. Sacred Groves are precious assets. Only those who have worshipped in these glorious places can preserve them through traditional practices distilled with their rich traditional knowledge of nature.

3. Traditional knowledge which was passed from generation to generation mostly through women of the families was cruelly disrupted. 

4. Close relationships within most families were broken through 'The Kerala Joint Hindu Family System (Abolition) Act, 1975' law which only encouraged conflict between members to battle each other in courts of law.  

5. All sorts of predators... still prowl around vulnerable family members to draw one into ...prolonged court cases 

6.The snakes in the Hindu sacred groves were more trustworthy, dependable... than these *vile predators*.

7. The pattern of worship from nature to temples (that are now *controlled* by the Government (via the various Devaswom boards) bringing in much money (?) was a corollary.

8.The Marumakkathayam Law which gave inalienable rights to property and right to matrilocality to girls protecting them in the eventuality of a serious mental illness disability was abolished too as it is mentioned in 'The Kerala Joint Hindu Family System (Abolition) Act, 1975'

9. So many women with serious mental illness disability who could heal in the environment of the quiet peaceful rich sacred groves in Kerala were adversely impacted which is strangely overlooked by ...academics, historians.

Unusual occurrences of leaves of plants being scorched during the monsoons

Explanation - A *heat burst.*The monsoons showers started in Kerala some days ago. The temperatures have come down and the winds are cool.

In between unusual occurrences of hot winds blowing for short periods were observed - discussed by many who experienced it. These winds scorched leaves of plants, including the leaves of tall, standing, healthy coconut palms. Leaves of the hardy oleander plant were scorched too. The affected leaves were quickly pruned and checked out for the usual invasive beetles, insects...there were none.

This occurrence was recently reported in some sections of the media. One of the media reports is given below-

THRISSUR: A team of scientists from Peechi Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), which visited some coastal areas that witnessed wilting of plants last week, has reported that it could be the result of a phenomenon called heat burst. The scientists said heat burst was a rare atmospheric phenomenon characterized by gusty winds and a rapid increase in temperature and dip in dew point (moisture).

The team, comprising S Sandeep of KFRI's department of soil science, sustainable forest management division, ecologist K A Sreejith and economist V Anita, had visited areas like Purakkad in Alappuzha and coastal areas of Kollam and Thrissur. They have submitted their preliminary findings to the state council for science, technology and environment (KSCSTE), which ordered the study. "We have also collected samples of soil and water besides the weather data of these areas for detailed studies," Sandeep said. "Heat bursts typically occur during night and are associated with decaying thunderstorms. They are characterized by extremely dry air and very strong, even damaging, winds."

He said earlier reports suggested that temperatures could rise by 11°C or more within a few minutes during heat bursts and this could lead to a rapid evaporation of water from leaves and subsequent wilting. He, however, said no damage to human beings had been reported. KSCSTE executive vice-chairman Suresh Das said similar phenomenon had been reported in other parts of the world. No trace of acid or other chemicals was detected anywhere, he said. The council has also asked the centre for water resources development and management to conduct studies in the northern areas.
Links: 'Heat burst led to wilting of leaves' -The Times of India
'No convincing answers yet on scorching wind phenomenon' The Hindu

On World Oceans Day...

...when the waves reach out...

...in Kerala, India

When the waves come lapping closer to places where people have been living for years...

...the tides are moving in closer...

A Physalia physalis washed ashore

Not easy to put a Physalia physalis with its poisonous stings back into sea without getting hurt by its toxic poison. Hands have to be covered with thick gunny bags. 

Physalia physalis moves only with the wind and sea currents

Hortus Malabaricus:Did Itty Achutan Vaidyar, scholar and co-writer return to his family?

...his descendants say he never came back. 

The Hortus Malabaricus is a treasure trove for plant lovers. It was reportedly compiled in 1600s by a team of botanical experts put together by Hendrik van Rheede, governor of the Dutch Malabar. Scholar and physician Itty Achuthan Vaidyar from Dutch Malabar is mentioned as a co-author.

A media report

Fifty-two-year-old Umayamma from a small village near Cherthala had never heard the name ‘Hortus Malabaricus’ till a scientist told her about it 20 years ago. But she remembers stories she had heard as a toddler about how her ancestor, a local medicine man, went to the Netherlands over 300 years ago to work on a catalogue of flora of the Malabar.

The doctor from Kadakkarappally here, Itty Achuthan Vaidyar, was a key force behind the completion of ‘Hortus Malabaricus,’ a 17 century treatise on the characteristics of over 700 plants found in the Malabar. The ‘Vaidyar’ (doctor) was one of the leaders of a team of botanical experts put together by Hendrik van Rheede, governor of the Dutch Malabar in the 1670s.

When van Rheede, also a botany enthusiast, set about recruiting experts who could help catalogue the flora of the region, Itty Achuthan was one of the top names on the list. “He learnt about medicinal plants from his ancestors and achieved great prominence at a very young age,” says Umayamma. After his work identifying plants of the region, Achuthan left with the Dutch to help complete the 12-volume ‘Hortus Malabaricus.’ The book later became world-famous as one of the earliest authoritative works of botany.

“But Itty Achuthan Vaidyar never came back home,” says Umayamma. “Some people say his ship sank when it was returning. But I don’t know these things.”

Achuthan left behind his mother and sister, who later moved out of Cherthala. Little that belonged to the Vaidyar remains at Kadakkarappally today.

A small wooden structure called the ‘kuriala,’ said to have been in existence since the time of the Vaidyar, now stands here as a memorial to the doctor. The figures inside the ‘kuriala’ resemble a Shiva idol and Umayamma and family light a lamp here every evening. “Many people from the area light a lamp here dedicating it to ‘appooppan’ (grandfather) whenever there is an auspicious occasion in the family,” says Umayamma.

Vaidyar’s garden of valuable medicinal plants has been reduced to a small grove (‘kavu’) full of trees and plants whose names no one knows.

The place is a temple of sorts for researchers studying ‘Hortus Malabaricus’ or the history of the Dutch in the Malabar. “Many people, even those from the Netherlands, come here with their books or movie cameras to see the grove and the ‘kuriala,’” according to Umayamma.

While visitors come and go, Umayamma and her two children struggle to protect Vaidyar’s land. They have had no help from the authorities in protecting the rare plants here or the memorial to the Vaidyar. “The government had expressed their willingness to take over the land and the memorial. But my uncle insisted that a road be built here first so that the people have at least the basic facilities. We have heard only empty promises from everyone after that,” says Umayamma. 

Reference: The Hindu

Miniature ecosystems like Lichens need clean air...

...are very sensitive to pollution.

Lichens are ecosystems of algae fungi microbes insects, live long for years; can survive inhospitable conditions like periods of drought, but not pollution in the air. 

Bark of Azardicta Indica (Neem) with lichens in a homestead in Thiruvananthapuram

Cat napping with Lichens on a tiled roof of an old house in Thiruvananthapuram

Some of the chemicals in air particulates which destroy lichens are Nitrogen di oxide, Sulphur di oxide, Hydrogen Fluoride, Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PANs), metals like nickel cadmium iron lead emitted by smelters and mines, radioactive elements…

Parmelia perlata,the stone flower lichen known as Kalpoovu in Malayalam, Shilapushp in Sanskrit is used as a spice in cooking and in many kashayams (concoctions of various ingredients) in many homes - some where traditional knowledge was passed from grandmothers, mothers to daughters.

Parmelia perlata was a common sight growing on rocks, stones… under the shade of the tall Artocarpus hirsutus trees in the sacred Hindu groves of many homesteads in Kerala.

Parmelia Perlata is now found mostly in the forests.

Evergreen Trees of the rain forest in Western Ghats and the sacred Hindu groves

...Artocarpus hirsutus, the wild Jack, known as *Ayani*, *Angilly* in Malayalam. 

There were about 10,000 sacred groves, a rich abode of biodiversity in the princely state of Travancore before the formation of Kerala, only over 1,200 of them remain.

Artocarpus hirsutus trees in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

Pepper (Piper nigrum) growing up a tall Artocarpus hirsutus in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

Higher temperatures, falling fruit of Artocarpus hirsutus

Days of heavy rainfall before the scheduled South West Monsoon

… and unusual blossoms.

The South West monsoon which hits Kerala is scheduled to begin in 1st June or end of May. A map of this year’s monsoon by the Indian Meteorological Department is given below.

 

The website of the Indian Meteorological Department is very interesting and informative.

This year the season rainfall from 1 March to 20 May was much higher than the normal rainfall in all the districts of Kerala. Thiruvananthapuram district recorded 598.1mm of rainfall . The normal rainfall during this period is 277 mm. The percentage departure is 116% -an excess

Last year in 2014 the premonsoon rainfall was normal in all the districts of Kerala except in Thiruvananthapuram and Wynad which showed an excess percentage of departure.

The excess rainfall in all the districts of Kerala, this year has brought flooding of rainwater into homes. Many roads and streets are still waist-deep with water. There is coastal erosion causing  havoc to human life, much before the scheduled monsoon.

The laterite soil sprung some wonders after the first heavy downpour.

Fire Ball Lily / Foot Ball Lily (Haemanthus multiflorus)

Where did the bulbs come from ? 
There was a surprise from an old coconut tree. An Ipomea growing from within its narrow hollow gave forth blossoms. The lichens still linger on the old coconut trees.

An Ipomea growing from within an old coconut tree, blossoms

Reference: 
1. Indian Meteorological Department (Ministry Earth Sciences, Government of India)

A resident baby chameleon on a Hibiscus sapling

More to chameleons than just social signalling when their presence could indicate a bio diverse environment. Growing shrubs attract chameleons. Found that they liked to sit on short growing shrubs, in undisturbed areas in the night time.

A resident baby chameleon climbing up a Hibiscus sapling in the night

It takes some time when you are young to climb a Hibiscus sapling

Looking for a suitable place for food?

Trying out a spot to catch the night fliers? 

More to chameleons than social signalling

Strange that humans who are not trustworthy, inconsistent with unsavoury qualities are still being compared to chameleons when these humans can survive in very toxic environments whilst chameleons cannot. 

After removing toxic substances from the surroundings over a period of three years, an observation: to have gardens with chameleons avoiding use of pesticides and growing shrubs for them to climb on helps. Also chameleon friendly gardens attract butterflies, bees,dragonflies,frogs...

Did Charles Darwin mention anywhere that chameleons are least stressed when they are green in colour?

There is more to chameleons than social signalling. Their presence could indicate a bio diverse environment.

  A resident chameleon climbing up a vine...mindfulness