Sacred forest groves and auspicious springs in the Eastern Himalayas: Community biocultural conservation of forests and water in the India-Nepal transboundary Khangchendzonga region [Fieldwork synthesis - Abriti Moktan]
Field Work at the transboundary villages in Darjeeling
The sites covered so far include Makaibari, Sepi, Maneydara, and Daragaon in
Darjeeling, India. These villages lie outside the Singalila National Park and were
predominantly inhabited by the Rai ethnic community. These study sites feature
different sacred groves, including devithans, manghims, and gumbas. We have been
able to implement all our data collection instruments, including in-depth interviews,
resource mapping, transect walks within the villages, and structured interviews at the various sacred sites visited.
We have conducted Resource Mapping exercises at various sites in Makaibari, Sepi,
Maneydara, and Daragaon.
