Typology of sacred groves and their discrimination from sacred sites

Inadequate awareness on the typology of sacred groves is perceived to be the major cause for misinterpretation of some unnoticed, naturally preserved, deep-seated and concealed sacred sites established within the thickets of the Himalayan mountains and forests as 'sacred groves'. This results in an invalid typification and incorrigible documentation of the priceless virgin ecosystems generating surplus sacred groves and creating a chaotic and debatable situation which may hamper their development for sustainable benefits. A more rationalized definition encapsulating the typological porameters of sacred groves is given here and the major criteria of differentiating them from sacred sites are provided.