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Ajodhya Hill Sacred Groves (Santal, regional)
Ajodhya Hill region, Purulia district, West Bengal
India
Active
Regional cluster
- Location
- Ajodhya Hill region, Purulia district, West Bengal
- Coordinates
- ~23.2°N 86.1°E
- Size
- Varies
- Age / Founded
- Traditional (Santal/indigenous)
- Status
- Active
- Deity & Religion
- Nature/ancestral worship; Santal & tribal religion
- Community & Guardians
- Santal & indigenous Purulia communities
- Vernacular name
- Than (Garamthan/Jaherthan)
- Record type
- Regional cluster
Cultural practices & uses
Natural worship; oral-tradition protection; sustainability
Plant species
24 plant families + animals, birds, invertebrates; higher NDVI/veg-growth than non-sacred clusters
Biome & fauna
Chotanagpur fringe dry forest
Threats & protection
Very low deforestation in groves vs surroundings (30-yr NDVI)
Source
Podder & Bhui 2025, Int. J. Social Science Research 2(2):15-30