Question

Which sacred groves are located in Maharashtra?
A. Devrai
B. Iringole Kavu
C. Sarnas
D. Oran

Answer 1

Hint: The sacred groves in Maharashtra are located in the Mulshi district. The Mulshi district is also a key site for conservation action.

Complete answer: The sacred groves located in the Mulshi district of Maharashtra are locally called Devrai. They are located in the western ghats and are key hot spots of biological diversity. ‘Dev’ means God and ‘Rai’ means Forest. Hence the word ‘Devrai’ comes from two local words.
Sacred groves are patches of primaeval forest which are protected by rural communities who consider them as abodes of deities.
Option B - Iringole Kavu - It is the sacred grove located in Ernakulam, Kerala. It has a temple dedicated to Mother Goddess.
Option C - Sarna - Sarna Sthals are sacred groves which are located in the Chota Nagpur Plateau and they are present in many states like - Jharkhand, Bihar, Assam and Chhattisgarh.
Option D - Oran - It is the sacred grove located in Rajasthan. It is dedicated to Mehendipur Balaji. Orans are very useful because they provide shade, fuelwood, fodder and even food. It even provides livelihood to humans.
Therefore the correct answer is option A.

Note: Himachal Pradesh in the north and Kerala in the south these two states are specifically known for their large number of sacred groves. Rural communities, that live near-sacred groves, greatly value nature for the services provided by it and draw livelihoods from nearby resources.