ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDIES ON TRIBALS OF CHHOTA-UDPEUR FORESTS DIVISION IN GUJARAT, INDIA Chavda Jayendra1, B. S. Desai2, S. K. Jha3, M. B. Tandel4 and D. P. Patel5 1M. Sc. Student (Specialization in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants) 2, 3, 4 and 5: ASPEE College of Horticulture and Forestry Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari – 396450, Gujarat
Email ID of the presenting author:
[email protected] Abstract: The state of Gujarat is known for its variation in ecosystems encompassing coastal to desert and not to forget the Eastern hilly belt of forests traversed by Aravalli and Satpuda ranges of mountains. Chhota-udepur forests division, in Central Gujarat is famous for its inhabitant tribes like rathawas, tadvi, dungrabhils and nayakas. The present communication aims at providing valuable information on herbal plants used by these tribes as ailments to combat diseases. Overall, 261 ethnobotanically important plants are reported from the region. The studies have also focussed to bring out the cross cultural ethno medicinal knowledge between the tribes of study area and other major tribes inhabiting forests in Gujarat. Multi ethnic – multi uses studies reveals nearly 115 common plants used by tribes of Chhotaudepur region to that of Dangs; 120 plants with tribes of Dharampur forests in South Gujarat and 103 plants commonly used by tribes of study area and Saurashtra region. Key words: Gujarat, Chhota-udepur, Rathawas, Ethno medicinal.
LIST OF WEEKLY TRIBAL MARKETS
INTRODUCTION SR. NO. Though the study of ethnobotany is primarly a part of taxonomy and floristic studies, the present day studies on tribal medicines has advanced much and has developed into many sub-disciplines.
DAY
LOCATION
RANGE
Schultes (1962) defined ethnobotany as the study of relationship that exists
17
7.05
KAWANT AND CHHOTAUDEPUR RESP.
North Gujarat
50
20.74
Ratanmahal
70
29.04
PANVAD
2.
MONDAY
KAWANT, TEJGADH
3.
TUESDAY
-
-
Saurashtra region
103
42.73
4.
WEDNESDAY
RANGPUR, SADHALI
RANGPUR
Dharampur region
120
49.79
TOTAL NO. OF ETHNO MEDICINAL PLANTS RECORDED FROM CHHOTAUDEPUR FORESTS DIVISIONS
261
5.
THURSDAY
THE STUDY AREA
DEVHANT, GADH BHIKAPURA
PANVAD
6.
FRIDAY
ZOZ
CHHOTA-UDEPUR
7.
SATURDAY
CHHOTA-UDEPUR TOWN
CHHOTA-UDEPUR
LOCATED ON THE EASTERN BORDER OF THE DISTRICT OF BARODA, GUJARAT. 0
– 11 ‘ AND 22
0
– 30 ‘ N LATITUDE AND 73
0
– 52 ‘ AND 74
0
– 15 ‘ E
Dangs
PERCENTAGE (%)
Rajpipla forests
PANVAD
between people of primitive societies and their surrounding plant environment.
BETWEEN 22 LONGITUDE.
NO. OF PLANTS
47.71
SUNDAY
the potential to unearth the numerous uses of plants and various aspects of tribal life.
ETHNO BOTANICAL PLANTS COMMON WITH REGION
115
1.
Ethnobotany, a multidisciplinary science comprises of many interesting and useful aspects of plant science, history, anthropology, culture and literature. It has
CROSS CULTURAL ETHNOBOTANICAL STUIDES WITHIN GUJARAT STATE AMONG TRIBALS OF CHHOTA-UDEPUR FORESTS DIVISION TO OTHER TRIBAL POCKETS OF GUJARAT
HILLY WITH EXTENSIONS OF SATPURA MOUNTAIN RANGES.
Break-up of Ethnomedicinal Plants under Habit categories CLIMBERS 13% TREES 40%
BARK OF IMPORTANT MEDICINAL TREES
SURROUNDED BY BARIA TALUKA OF PANCHMAHALS DISTRICT ON NORTH, ALIRAJPUR TAHSIL OF JHABAU DISTRICT (M. P.) ON EAST, NARMADA DISTRICT ON SOUTH, SANKHEDA TALUKA (VADODARA DISTRICT) ON WEST AND BY THE STATE OF MAHARASTRA ON SOUTH EAST.
SHRUBS 9%
ADMINISTRATIVELY DIVIDED INTO 08 RANGES VIZ., CUDEPUR, DOLARIYA, RANGPUR, PANVAD, KAWANT, PAVI-JETPUR, BORIYAD AND NASWADI.
HERBS 38%
FLORISTICS AND ETHNOBOTANY
SEASONAL VARIATIONS – AVG. MIN. AND MAX. TEMP. RANGES FROM 8 0 – 15 0 C AND 40 0 – 45 0 C. AVG HUMIDTY – 50 TO 55 %. AVG. RAINFALL – 30 INCHES. MINERAL DEPOSITS LIKE DOLOMITE MARBLES, DOLOMITE LIMESTONES, FLOURSPUR, QUARTZ, ORES OF MANGANESE AND CALCITE ARE COMMON. TOTAL AREA OF 3,390 SQ. KMS WITH FORESTS AREA OF 746. 68 SQ. KMS ACCOUNTING TO 22.02 %.
LIVELIHOOD OF TRIBALS
FORESTS TYPES – 5A / C3 SOUTHERN DRY MIXED DECIDUOUS FORESTS & 5A / C1b – DRY DECIDUOUS TEAK FORESTS. RICH IN ETHNIC DIVERSITY INHABITED BY A TOTAL OF 07 TRIBES. TRIBAL POPULATION ACCOUNTS TO 80.40 % OF TOTAL POPULATION.
Total plant reported from the area
483
Total Genera
349
Total Species
483
Total plant families represented
109
Families represented by single genera
45
Ethnobotanically important plants repored
261
NON ETHNOMEDICINAL USES
MAP OF THE STUDY AREA
ETHNOBOTANY AND SACRED GROOVES
CULTIVABLE CROPS
METHODOLOGY FOLLOWED THE AREA WAS SURVEYED FROM THE YEAR 1998 TILL 2001. INITIAL VISITS TO THE AREA WERE MAINLY AIMED AT MEETING LOCAL PEOPLES, TRIBAL WITCH DOCTORS, FOREST OFFICIALS, OFFICIALS AT TALUKA PANCHAYATS FOR KNOW HOW OF THE AREA AND ALSO SITE SELECTIONS IN DIFFERENT FOREST AREAS. MAINLY THE VISITS LASTED FOR 5-10 DAYS. FIELD WORK COMPRISED OF COLLECTION OF PLANTS, ETHNOBOTANICAL DATA WITH OTHER DETAILS OF TRIBAL COMMUNITIES LIKE SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS, COLLECTION OF NTFP’S, SURVEY OF LOCAL MARKETS, TRIBAL MUSEUM AND TRIBAL FAIRS. THE INFORMATION WAS MAINLY OBTAINED BY INTERVIEWING ELDERLY TRIBAL PEOPLE, VILLAGE MUKHIS AND INTERACTIONS WITH LOCALS AS AND WHEN REQUIRED. DATA ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF FORESTS, NTFP’S COLLECTION, TRIBAL POPULATION, TRIBAL LIFESTYLES, WORSHIP, RITUALS AND FAITHS WERE OBTAINED FROM THE FOREST CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY, FOREST DEPARTMENT WORKING PLANS, ENCYLOPEDIC DISTRICT GAZETTEERS AND RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS IN LOCAL LANGUAGES. ETHNOBOTANICAL IMFORMATION WAS COLLECTED BY INTERVIEWING TRIBAL WITCH DOCTOR LOCALLY CALLED AS “BADAVAS” AND ALSO BY PERSONAL OBSERVATION. VISITS WERE ALSO MADE TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE “SHROFF FOUNDATION” AND “BHASHA KENDRA” AT RANGPUR AND TEJGADH RESPECTIVELY. COMPARATIVE ETHNOBOTANICAL DATA WERE ANALYZED MAINLY FROM RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS ON ETHNOBOTANY OF GUJARAT STATE BY VARIOUS WORKERS.
IMPORTANT ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANTS TRIBAL FESTIVALS AT CHHOTA-UDEPUR FORESTS DIVISION
TRIBALS AND FORESTS SR NO.
PLACES/ REGION
NAME OF THE FESTIVAL
TRIBALS: The major tribal communities of Chhota-udepur forests are Rathawas and Dhankas, although the minor communities like Dungrabhils, Nayakas, Tadvi and Naninat tribes also inhabits some parts of the area.
1
VILLAGE KAWANT.
BHANGORIYU
2
VASANTGADH
BHANGORIYU
3
VILLAGE RANGPUR
BHANGORIYU
4
VILLAGE DEVHANT
BHANGORIYU
Out of the six tribes mentioned above, the Rathawas (more than 3 lakhs) and Dhankas (nearly 2 lakhs) are also one of the dominant tribes of Gujarat state.
5
CHHOTA-UDEPUR TOWN
BHANGORIYU AND CHUL FESTIVAL
6
KAWANT VILLAGE
GHER FESTIVAL
7
VILLAGE PANVAD
BHANGORIYU
8
VILLAGE PANIBAR
CHUL NO MELO
9
VILLAGE CHHOTA-UDEPUR
HOLI FESTIVAL
10
VILLAGE VAGASTHAL.
CHUL NO MELO
11
VILLAGE ZOZ
CHUL NO MELO
12
VILLAGE TEJGADH-RAISINGPURA.
CHUL AND HOLI FESTIVAL
Among the ST population of the district, Rathawas (20 %), Bhils (16 %), Dhankas (8 %) and Nayakas (6 %) are dominant accounting for nearly half of the tribal population of the district. While reviewing the old texts and district gazetteers, it has been revealed that previously Chhota-udepur forest division was known by the name “Rath Pradesh” and hence the local inhabitants therein came to be called as “Rathawas”. FORESTS: OPEN FOREST: Kawant range has the highest open forest area covering 45 % of the total area of the range. DEGRADED FOREST : The Kawant range has 21.8 % of the study area is under degraded forests. HIGHLY DEGRADED FOREST The highly degraded forest has been observed in Chhota-udepur range.
MAJOR FESTIVALS OF CHHOTA-UDEPUR’S TRIBALS
CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that though there has been a decrease in forest areas with an increase in population, the forests in the study area are still well protected. The area is rich in floral as well as cultural diversity. The forests officials as well as the local tribal communities through Joint Forest Management have been working hand to hand to save and maintain the forest ecosystem of the area. The development of locals through tribal museums and other bodies like “Bhasha Kendra” and “Shroff foundation” have thrown light on the issues pertaining to tribal development and tribal welfare which are closely linked to the forest development and planning. The objectives and the goals set out at the beginning of this work have been fulfilled. It is hoped that the information presented in the thesis will be useful to botanists, medical men, plant collectors and cultivators, foresters as well as anthropologists and sociologists and all those who are interested in becoming a part of preserving, maintaing and utilizing the natural resources of this area for the betterment of the quality of life of tribal.
MAJOR TRIBALS OF CHHOTA-UDEPUR
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ICOMP – CIMAP, LUCKNOW, INDIA (20-03-2015 TO 22-03-2015)
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