Authors:Chandrashekara U.M, Pavan Tikhile, Sruthi Subbanna, Syam Viswanath
Abstract:In India, bamboo, its growth and its usage for different day to day and other activities has been in existence since long. The importance of bamboo in Indian culture and region is also reflected in texts of Vedic age (1500 B.C. to 1000 B.C.) and other texts like Arthashastra. It is believed that it is only in the 4th century A.D. that cultivation of bamboos reduced. Its usage in medicines and food products have been highlighted in many of these texts. Socio cultural significance of bamboos have however continued to remain in many parts of India. These cultural significance have been highlighted in the study. They are a combination of empirical field work and literature review. Certain communities for instance have sacred bamboo groves either as a symbol that wards off evil spirits or as an integral part of their worship in West Bengal. They are an integral component of religious gratification in temples as in Kottiyoor temple located in Kannur, Kerala. While in certain locations of Maharashtra they are used during festivals, in other places in the state bamboo products are integral to their religious ceremonies like marriage. The traditional knowledge is not merely limited to its use, it also expands to better growth and management of bamboo. Khana (505 A.D. to 587 A.D) suggested to enrich the soils with paddy husk around bamboo clumps for better yield of bamboo along with many other suggestions, many of which have been reiterated in more recent scientific studies. Through this study, we have elaborated on these unorthodox but relevant aspects of bamboo from its use historically in medicine, a socio- cultural significance and traditional knowledge on growing bamboos, while simulaneously discussing its implication on conservation and management of this valuable bioresource in India
Keywords:Ancient literature, bamboos, conservation, management, socio-cultural significance, traditional knowledge