RITUALS AND OSADHI VIDYA OF BHARAT: SACRED PLANTS AND TRIBAL SYMBOLISM

Abstract

Bharat’s (India) ethnobotanical landscape is not limited to medicinal and ecological value but extends deeply into ritual,
spiritual, and cultural domains. This paper explores the sacred and symbolic significance of plants in India, spanning
mainstream Hindu and Buddhist practices as well as tribal and regional traditions. By synthesizing literature from
ethnobotanical surveys, anthropological studies, and scriptural sources such as the Rigveda, Atharvaveda, and Charaka
Samhita, this study documents the role of plants in rituals, ceremonies, and folk practices. Tables present regional and tribal
ritual plants, their symbolic meanings, and applications. The study emphasizes the importance of biocultural conservation,
linking ecological preservation with cultural heritage.