Plants Used to Worship Lord Mahasu Devta In Jaunsar-Bawar Region In Dehradun District Of Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

Uttarakhand state is popularly known as “Land of Gods” (Devbhumi) because the people here are keeping the high religious reverence on plants from ancient time. Religious practices or ceremonies are performed on various auspicious occasions to seek blessing of Gods. Various plants and their products which are being used by human day to day need to use in Havan (burning of herbal Ingredients (Kumar, et al., 2007) and other religious activities like Katha, Vrat, festivals, Pathpuja, Pitrasharadha ceremony. Our ancestors followed old folklores. Survival and sustenance in Garhwal depended on vegetation near the place of residence. Illnesses or medical disorder were thought to be curses by gods, goddesses, and evil spirits. So, the treatment frequently involved prescription of herbal drugs accompanied by religious practices liking fasting, worshiping to purify evil spirits. Present work is an attempt to identify the plants which are being used in religious activities. According to various legends different plants and their parts (i.e. root, stem, leaves, seeds and fruits) are used in different places for various worships.