Sacred Groves in Arunachal Pradesh

| Last Updated:: 07/07/2023

Sacred Groves - Arunachal Pradesh

In Arunachal Pradesh, a few of the sacred groves managed by Lamas and the Mompa tribe, are attached to the Buddhist monasteries: they are called Gompa Forest Areas (GFAs). 101 sacred groves have been documented in the state. These sacred groves are dedicated to local deities such as Ubro or Ubram and Thouw-gew. The monasteries with sacred groves are mainly located in West Kameng and Tawang districts of the State. 58 GFAs were reported from these two districts and a few sacred groves from Lower Subansiri and Siang district of the State.

Various ethnic groups have preserved and protected forest patches and even individual trees or animals due to their traditional beliefs and respect for nature.

Banyan, Pipal, Ashoka, Bela and Harada are among the most commonly found plant species in the sacred groves.

List of Sacred Groves in Arunachal Pradesh

Map courtesy: http://www.india.gov.in/maps/)

Table : 1 Sacred Groves of Arunachal Pradesh

S. No	Location	Name of Sacred Grove	Area (in Sq.Km.)
District – Papumpare
1	VIP Colony, Vivek Bihar	Kyong Thervada Gumpa forest	Not Known
2	Bank Tinali	Siddhartha Vihar Gumpa forest	1.20
District – Tawang
3	Tawang	Regilling Gumpa forest	Not Known
4	Neharu Colony	Neharu Gumpa forest	Not Known
5	Chambu Village	Chambu Gumpa forest	0.50
6	Chambu Basti	Youngmang sacred forest	0.75
7	Chambu Village	Yang sacred forest	3.00
8	New Lebrang Basti	Parnkhats New Lebrang Gumpa forest	0.30
9	Lebrang Basti	Yidgachoszin Gumpa forest	0.50
10	Lebrang Basti	Lebrang Gumpa forest	0.70
11	Sheyo Basti	Ganden Namgyal Lhatse Gumpa forest	1.50
12	Sheyo Basti	Shevo sacred forest	1.00
13	Khinmey Village	Khinmey Gumpa forest	0.50
14	Tawang	Kakaling Gumpa forest	0.30
15	Khirmu Village	Khartung Gumpa forest	1.10
16	Khirmu Village	Khirmu sacred forest	1.50
17	Namet Basti	Namet sacred forest	0.50
18	Namet Basti	Singsur Ani Gumpa forest	0.50
19	Namet Basti	Sharmang Gumpa forest	0.30
20	Namet Basti	Thespa Gumpa forest	0.50
21	Khirmu Village	Thongmen Gumpa forest	0.40
22	Lhou Village	Brakar Gumpa forest	0.30
23	Lhou Village	Arkidung Gumpa forest	0.25
24	Sangdok Palri Basti	Sangdok Palri Gumpa forest	1.00
25	Namazing Basti	Dungarmani Gumpa forest	0.50
26	New Kharsa Basti	Dungirmoon Gumpa forest	0.30
27	Jung Zero Point	Jung Zero Point Gumpa forest	1.20
28	Khartung Basti	Khartung Basti Dudstang forest	0.01
29	Kulangaus Basti	Kulangaus Basti Dudstang forest	0.01
30	Namazing Basti	Namazing Basti Dudstang forest	0.01
31	Kharsa Basti	Kharsa Basti Dudstang forest	0.01
32	New Kharsa	New Kharsa Basti Dudstang forest	0.01
33	Khraling Basti	Khraling Basti Dudstang forest	0.01
34	Jung Bara Basti	Jung Bara Basti Dudstang forest	0.01
35	Jung Bara Basti	Nuranang Dudstang forest	0.01
36	Jung Bara Basti	Jung Bara Basti Pharmang forest	1.50
37	kharsa Basti	Kharsa Basti Pharmang forest	0.50
38	Khartang Basti	Khartang Pharmang forest	0.60
District - West Kameng
39	Bomdila Old Bazar	Bomdila Bazarline Gumpa forest	Not Known
40	Bomdila Bazar	Gontse Gaden Rabgyeling -1 Gumpa forest	0.50
41	Bomdila Bazar	Gontse Gaden Radgyeling-2 Gumpa forest	1.10
42	Jyoti Nagar	Jyoti Nagar Gumpa forest	0.50
43	Jyoti Nagar	Kalchakar Gumpa forest	1.20
44	Saksem Basti	Kepsingmu sacred forest	3.00
45	Richong Basti	Yangfaundi sacred forest	2.00
46	Burchi Basti	Sunlingnang sacred forest	0.55
47	Dirang Basti	Khadun Gumpa forest	0.75
48	Yang Village	Manidungur Gumpa forest	0.30
49	Yang Village	Grang sacred forest	2.60
50	Youang Basti	Sangeechulen Gumpa forest	3.00
51	Lieung Basti	Palvul Jangechub Dhargvelling Gumpa forest	3.00
52	Young Basti	Youngnang sacred forest	0.50
53	Lieung Basti	Lieung sacred forest	1.20
54	Dirang Basti	Rimpopha Gumpa forest	0.50
55	Dirang Basti	Gazangphrang Gumpa forest	0.40
56	Dirang Basti	Gomluk Gumpa forest	0.70
57	Dirang Basti	Dupphang Gumpa forest	0.25
58	Dum Dirang Basti	Mani sacred forest	1.50
Source: http://www.ncbi.org.in/

Table 2. List of sacred groves in the different districts of Arunachal Pradesh

Sl. No.	Name of the sacred grove	Location	Deity (s)	Area (km²)
1	Regilling	Damnian Basti	Buddha	0.13
2	Urgilling	Urgelling Basti	Buddha	0.10
3	Tsangpu	Tsangpu village	Buddha	0.11
4	Bomdila Bazar Line	Bomdila Bazar	Buddha	0.01
5	Kyong Thervada	Vivek Bihar	Buddha	0.50
6	Siddhartha Vihar	Bank Tinali	Buddha	1.20
7	G. G. Rabgyeling	Bomdila Bazar	Buddha	0.50
8	G. G. Rabgyeling	Bomdila Bazar	Buddha	1.10
9	Upper Shera Basti	Shera Basti	Buddha	0.80
10	Lower Shera Basti	Lower Shera Basti	Buddha	1.60
11	New Bomdila	New Bomdila Basti	Buddha	0.03
12	Jyoti Nagar	Jyoti Nagar	Buddha	0.50
13	Kalchakra	Jyoti Nagar	Buddha	1.20
14	Maishing	Maishing Basti	Anonymous	0.50
15	Kepsingmu	Saksem Basti	Sunkarma	3.00
16	Yangfaundi	Richong Basti	Dudsang	2.00
17	Sunglingnang	Burchi Basti	Drakpa-sungling	0.55
18	Khadun	Dirang Basti	Buddha	0.75
19	Manidungur	Yang Village	Buddha	0.30
20	Grang	Yang Village	Lamaray	2.60
21	Sangechulen	Youang Basti	Buddha	1.50
22	P. J. Dhargyelling	Lieung Basti	Buddha 14^th D’Lama	3.00
23	Youngnang	Young Basti	Athumbs-ang	0.50
24	Lieung	Lieung Basti	Leikichu-gho	1.20
25	Rimpopha	Dirang Basti	Buddha	0.50
26	Gazangphrang	Dirang Basti	Buddha	0.40
27	Gomluk	Dirang Basti	Buddha	0.70
28	Dupphang	Dirang Basti	Buddha	0.25
29	Mani	Dum Dirang Basti	Anileiky	1.50
30	Neharu	Neharu Colony	Buddha	0.20
31	Chambu	Chambu Village	Buddha	0.50
32	Youngmang	Chambu Basti	Dhupe	0.75
33	Yang	Chambu Village	Drungpho	3.00
34	P. New Lebrang	New Lebrang Basti	Buddha	0.30
35	Yidgachoszin	Lebrang Basti	Buddha	0.50
36	Labrang	Lebrang Basti	Buddha/ 14^th Dalai lama	0.70
37	Regilling	Urgelling Basti	14^th Dalai lama	3.00
38	G. Naymgal Lhatse	Sheyo Basti	Mera Lama & 5^th Dalai lama	1.50
39	Sheyo	Sheyo Basti	Anonymous	1.00
40	Khinmey	Khinmey Village	Buddha	0.50
41	Kakaling	Tawang	Gelong Keprey	0.30
42	Khartung	Khirmu Village	Lama Langa	1.10
43	Khirmu	Khirmu Village	Anonymous	1.50
44	Namet	Namet Basti	Susumgruk	0.50
45	Singsur Ani	Namet Basti	Ani Umze Nima Lhamu	0.50
46	Sharmang	Namet Basti	Lama Tsangpa	0.30
47	Thespa	Namet Basti	Rimpoche	0.50
48	Thongmen	Khirmu Village	Lama Gorpu	0.40
49	Brakar	Lhou Village	Lama Phurpa Dorjee	0.30
50	Arkidung	Lhou Village	Lama Phurpa Tashi	0.25
51	Sangdok Palri	Sangdakpalri Basti	T.G. Rimpoche	1.00
52	Dungarmani	Namazing Basti	Buddha	0.50
53	Dungirmoon	New Kharsa Basti	Buddha	0.30
54	Jung Zero Point	Jung Zero Point	Buddha	1.20
55	Khartung Basti	Khartung Basti	Dudstang	0.01
56	Kulangaus Basti	Kulangaus Basti	Dudstang	0.01
57	Namazing Basti	Namazing Basti	Dudstang	0.01
58	Kharsa Basti	Kharsa Basti	Dudstang	0.01
59	New Kharsa Basti	New Kharsa Basti	Dudstang	0.01
60	Khraling Basti	Khraling Basti	Dudstang	0.01
61	Jung Bara Basti	Jung Bara Basti	Dudstang	0.01
62	Nuranang	Jung Bara Basti	Dudstang	0.01
63	Jung Bara Basti	Jung Bara Basti	Anonymous	1.50
64	Kharsa Basti	Kharsa Basti	Anonymous	0.50
65	Khartang	Khartung Basti	Anonymous	0.60
66	Pumin Pubiang	Hari Rante Village	Sai/Tajhe	0.50
67	Dilang Posa	Mudan Tage Vill.	Khalo	0.05
68	Suthii Pache Ko	Hari Rante Village	Suthii Pache Ko	0.02
69	Yapun Yapyo	Hari Rante Village	Yapun Yapyo	0.05
70	Sree Moro Doji Yapung	Reru Village	Sree Moro	0.50
71	Takae Sacred Forest	Bump Village	Geka	0.15
72	Iduli Basti	Iduli Village	Anonymous	0.12
73	Iduli Bruppa	Iduli Village	Anonymous	0.35
74	Imuli Basti	Imuli village	Anonymous	0.10
75	Imuli Basti	Imuli village	Anonymous	0.05
76	Khinjuli Basti	Khinjuli Village	Anonymous	0.10
77	Ara	Ara camp Village	Anonymous	0.11
78	Cheta Bruppa	Cheta Village	Anonymous	0.50
79	Akashi Ganga	Likhabali	Parvati/Sati	0.51
80	Malinithan	Likhabali	Malani	2.00
81	Lapnan	Lapnan	Jauban/Jongban/ Tesong	0.05
82	Deomali	Deomali	Anonymous	0.03
83	Old Chanaglang Basti	Old Chanaglang	Anonymous	0.01
84	Old Chanaglang Basti	Old Changlang	Anonymous	0.01
85	Tirap River North Bank	Changlang Basti	Anonymous	150
86	Tirap River South Bank	Changlang Basti	Anonymous	100
87	Namsai Pariyatti Sasana Buddhist Bihar	Namsai	Buddha	0.35
88	Juna-I	Juna village	Buddha	0.02
89	Juna-IV	Juna village Pt-IV	Buddha	0.05
90	Lathow	Lathou Village	Buddha	0.01
91	Naya Lathow	Naya Lathow	Buddha	0.02
92	Solongtu	Solongtu Village	Buddha	0.02
93	Manmow	Manmow Village	Buddha	0.05
94	Chongkham Buddha Vihara	Chongkham Village	Buddha	0.55
95	Chongkham Pagoda	Chongkham vill.	Buddha	1.15
96	Momong	Momong Village	Buddha	0.15
97	Nalung	Nalung Village	Buddha	0.30
98	Dosup	Dosup Village	Buddha	0.11
99	Manna Intem	Manna Intem Village	Buddha	0.01
100	Manfai Sing	Manfai Sing Village	Buddha	0.02
101	Manhofai	Manhofai Village	Buddha	0.01
Source: Dr. M. L. Khan, Dr. A. Arunachalam and Dr. A. R. Barbhuiya, 2007, “Web-GIS Digital Atlas of the Sacred Groves of the North-East India: Pilot study with Sacred Groves of Arunachal Pradesh”, Department of Forestry North Eastern Regional Institute of Science & Technology, For the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India.

CPREEC - EIACP Programme Centre, Resource Partner on Ecological Heritage and Sacred Sites of India

Sacred Groves - Arunachal Pradesh

Table 2. List of sacred groves in the different districts of Arunachal Pradesh