Oudala Sacred Grove
Guides: Vinesh Hegde and Devu Marathe
Visited on May 23rd, 2011
1) Located North of Hulekal in Uttara Kannada
2) Size: 20 Hectares
3) Originally a Sacred Grove
a) Now legally, a Reserve Forest
b) With one Forest Guard for entire Forest
c) Real enforcement comes from community run “Forest Protection Comity” and for fear and reverence of the god
i) We were told a story about two men who started digging for buried treasure around the shrine. They died in a dynamite blast to build their wells years later.
d) A trench acts as a border for the forest
4) The God of the grove is Hulidevary, a tiger God
a) If something goes wrong inside, a tree is cut or the earth dug, the tiger will call for help and the priest from the village must come and appease the god with a sacrifice or puja
b) One of our guides used to see tigers here as a boy
5) The shrine
a) Before ascending the steps, we removed our shoes
b) We cleaned the leaves from the steps
c) Traditionally one would bring and offer terracotta pots to the god to ask for something and then go
d) The stone figure embodying the god traditionally sat on a stone platform
i) three years ago, tiles were added that are traditionally used in kitchens or bathrooms to a simple structure which now covers the stone platform
e) Hindufication
i) A female goddess called Ashoka Davy. She embodies an energy power.
(1) Named after the Ashoka trees which surround the shrine
ii) An Aum symbol is now on the shrine
iii) Along with an image of the local Guru
(1) The Sonda Guru would not come to bless the Grove until he found out that the Ashoka Davy resided there as well
6) The Maratris have been here for 100’s of years
a) Traditionally they would take certain supplies from the forest, always careful to select the least damaging
i) Now you may not take anything for fear of punishment from the God
ii) Leaves of only touched to clear a path for puja five times a year
(1) Annual puja will offer just after the start of the rains
b) Under the Forest Department, part of the grove was clear cut to plant Acatia
i) One of our guides voiced his opinion that they needed to do that to relieve the pressure from the forest for economic material
7) Sacred Trees
a) Indian Ashoka
i) Used for Ayurvedic medicine
ii) Endangered species
b) Cane Palm
i) Climbing vine
ii) Used for furniture
iii) Being over exploited elsewhere
