KOCHI: There is a surreal sense of serenity as one steps into the Ponnakudam Kaavu. As if someone switched off the blazing heat and blaring hubbub of city life.
This sacred grove is a hidden oasis of biodiversity on the outskirts of Kochi, about 6km from Kakkanad. With its centuries-old trees and dense thickets, it stands as a symbol of ecological resilience in a region increasingly under pressure from urban sprawl.
Recognising this, the State Biodiversity Board recently chose Ponnakudam Kaavu for the ‘Best Sacred Grove Conservation’ award.
The journey to Ponnakudam Kaavu takes you through quiet roads lined with rubber plantations. Just 50m from the entrance, the dense greenery reveals the quaint Ponnakudam Bhagavathy Temple.
The temple’s surroundings create a world apart. “This virgin forest is a green lung of our city,” says P K Ramachandran, a botanist and the grove’s custodian, as he guides us towards the ‘Nakshatravanam’. Here, each tree has a correlation with stars in the Hindu astrological constellation.
Ramachandran’s family has protected this sacred land for generations, and he continues to oversee its preservation as part of the Sree Ponnakudam Bhagavathy Devaswom Trust.
The former Rubber Board official recalls lighting the lamp at the grove as a child, and marvelling at the natural diversity. “That perhaps eventually led me to become a botanist,” he smiles.
There are about 600 species of flora here. Researchers have so far identified about 400 of them, including 272 indigenous plants, 49 endemic ones and 79 exotic variants.
“The kaavu is home to 19 species listed on the IUCN Red List, including critically endangered and vulnerable plants. There are many medicinal plants as well,” says Ramachandran.
At least 63 species of birds and 23 of buttertlies have also been identified here, he adds.
“Our forefathers connected the protection of these kaavus with religious duty,” says Ramachandran. “They understood the destruction mankind can cause due to its greed long before we did.”
The main problem the sacred grove faces at present is the abundance of invasive plants like mikania and flagellaria, he notes. “The Trust is seeking technical as well as financial assistance from the forest department to get rid of them,” he adds.
Ramachandran’s passion for nature conservation is infectious. Though not everyone who visits the grove leaves ready to lead conservation efforts, he hopes to inspire a deeper connection with nature. “Visitors often include students, researchers, and nature lovers. The trust organises seminars and workshops on biodiversity.”