Importance of Sarppakkavu, the Sacred forests of Kerala
Sarppakavu or sacred forest were build, conserved and preserved by our ancestors from ancient times. Each and every family maintained their own Sarppakkavu within their compound. But our "care for nothing" attitude and materialistic living have all made us ignore these sacred forest. The families which had preserved Sarppakavu felt it as a burden to preserve it and wanted to get rid of it if they could. The trees that were preserved in Sarppakkavu are not good for wood, they were not used in making furniture, and they were not fruiting trees either. For any typical human being, the trees used inside sarppakkavu are like good for nothing trees. People don't grow them inside there compound as they don't find it of any use at all.
Then why did our ancestors consider these trees sacred and wanted to preserve it?
Our ancestors were super genius and they foresaw our future. They knew how important each and every tree is for the sustenance of ecosystem and nature. They knew that the chosen trees of Sarppakkavu possess ability to improve the quality of air than any other trees around (Generates more Ozone than other trees). They also knew that the materialistic human of the future will only preserve the trees that are good for wood and useful for their needs and would just chop the trees that they don't find useful. They tried to protect the trees by placing the idol of the "Sarppas" or "King of Snakes" believing that we would conserve the forest and would not destroy it. All what they did was for our own good. They wanted to make the air we breath as pure as it can be and they wanted us to live in a pleasant climate within a comfortable temperature. But we ignored there ideology and become more materialistic that we even found loop holes to get rid of the trees and forest and started dig our own grave.
Sarppakkavu is one of the prime source of attractions at Mango Meadows Agricultural theme park. Sarppakavu is conceived and preserved at the world's first agricultural theme park with a vision to pass on importance of Sarppakkavu to the future generations. Sarppakkavu is actually a gift that Kerala gave to this world to protect every one of us from the miseries of global warming and climate change. Forgetting our roots is like digging our own grave.