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In Rajasthan, Meena tribe represents 50 per cent of the total tribal population and majority of them spread over indistricts Udaipur, Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur, Karauli, Alwar, Kota and Chittorgarh. According to 1991 census, tehsil Sawai Madhopur has a total of 64000 tribal population, out of which 63800 are exceptionally Meenas. Hence, the present study focus on Meena tribe.

A review of ethnobotanical literature reveals that few studies have been made on magico religious beliefs in Rajasthan (Singh and Pandey, 1982; Sebastian and Bhandari, 1984: Kothari, 1984; Joshi. 1995 nd Khandelwal and Shrivastava, 1999 etc.). Vartak and Gadgil (1981) studied the beliefs about plants by tribal people of Maharashtra and Gao and Hajra (1981) among Khasis of Meghalaya. The role of magico beliefs and pracices among Meenas has not been investigated in detail so far, therefore, the present study is being undertaken.

The study covers six villages namely Sherpur-Khilchipur, Jheenapur. Chakeri,Khera, Neemli and Jhatwada Kalan, in which majority of the population is Meena tribe. The information was collected from the key informants like village head man, elderly people, Bhopas and Naths. The data collection methodology involved focus discussion, in-depth interviews, observation and photography.

Meena tribe oftehsil Sawai Madhopur consider following plants as auspicious and inauspicious.

Auspicious Plants

During the study, authors found that cutting of certain plants in the surroundings of Meenas was considered a sin and if someone tried to cut them, he was either punished or boycotted from the village. These plants are; Ficus religiosa (Peepal), Ficus benghalensis (Bad), Ficus racemosa (Gular), Madhuca indica (Mahuwa), Mitragyna parvifolia (Kadamb), Santalum album (Chandan), Musa paradisiaca (Kela), Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi), Mangifera indica (Aam), Phyllanthus emblica (Anwala), Azadirachta indica (Neem), Acacia catechu (Khair), Aegle marmelos (Bael), Datura metel (Dhatura), Nyctanthes arbor-tristis (Harsingar), Prosopis cineraria (Khejari) and Calotropis gigantea (Safed Aakra).

Inauspiciuous Plants

Meenas consider some of the plants as inauspicious mainly because of their strong belief regarding these plants as abode of ghosts and evil spirits. Secondly,due to morphological and physiological characters of certain plants which brings some or other type of disturbance in the family. These plants are:

Syzigium cumini (Jamun), Tamarindus indica (Imli), Phoenix sylvestre (Khajoor), Annona squamosa (Sitaphal), Cuscuta reflexa (Amarbel), Terminalia bellerica (Bahera), Holoptelea  integrifolia (Churil), Zizyphusnummularia (Chania bor), Dichrostachys cinerea (Goya Khair) and Bombax ceiba (Semal).

Magico Religious Beliefs And Practices

Meenas have many plant based folk beliefs which have originated from coincidence or accident. Many of them are common in other tribes as well. Following are the beliefs collected among Meenas.

1. Albizzia lebbeck: A tree of Albizzia lebbeck in the vicinity of the house is thought to lower the prosperity of the house.

2. Zizyphus nummularia : The curved stipular spines of this plant once entangled in the clothes are difficult to extricate and is believed to take away the pride of the family.

3. Ficus benghalensis and Calotropis procera: Both these plants are considered to bring about fued in the family, hence not planted in the compound of the house.

4. Artocarpus heterophyllus and Calotropis procera: These being later giving plants, are believed to bring problems of different kinds in the family.

5. Ocimum sanctum, Musa paradisiaca and Murraya koenigii: These plants are considered sacred and bring peace and happiness in the familly.

6. Calotropis gigantea: Meenas and all the natives of western Rajasthan worship this plant as abode of Lord Shiva and believe it to bring prosperity and happiness in the family. Its twigs are not allowed to be cut, being considered as arms of Lord Shiva. On Deepawali tribals make the idol of Lord Ganesha from its twigs and worship it.

7. Dalbergia sissoo: It is thought to reduce the economy of the house and bring sorrow in the family. Hence it is prevented from being grown near the house.

8. Prosopis cineraria, Gossypium sp. and Bauhinia variegata: All these plants bring wealth in the family.

9. Tamarindus indica: Its shadow is thought to be hazardous for health causing rheumatism and lethargy.

10. Syzigium cumini and Dendrocalamus strictus Both of them bring destruction is the family hence not planted in the compound of the house.

11. Capparis sepiaria: A twig of this plant is kept on the roof of the room of a new born baby to save the child from evil spirit and it is believed that along with the twig the emblical cord of the child gets dried up. Besides this, the twig also saves the mother against tetanus. A child of about two to five years suffering from boils on the body is given bath under this tree. Meenas never use its wood for burning.

12. Acacia catechu: A solid cylindrical pestle (Musal) made up of Acacia catechu wood wrapped in mothers lehenga is kept on the main door of a new born baby which is believed to bless the child with long life.

13. Ricinus communis : This tree is the compound of the house relieves the patient from rheumatism.

14. Calotropis procera: Mother of a new born baby is not allowed to cut the twigs of this plant under the belief that monther's milk get dried up with drying up of latex of the twig.

15. Achyranthes aspera: Bhopas brush their teeth with the twig of this plant for professional perfection.

16. Cassia fistula and Moringa oleifera : Meenas keep the pods of these trecs under the pillow to ward off nightmares.

17. Prosopis juliflora: Scorpion sting is cured if thorns of this tree after chewing are spitted on the injured protion.

18. Canna indica: Issueless women worship this plant for being blessed with a child.

19. Commiphora wightii: Bhopas drive off the evil spirit by making the victim inhale the fumes of the oleogum resin of this tree.

Many of the plants discussed above in the present investigation for Meena tribe have common auspicious and inaspicious bearing in other tribal communities like Kathodias and Bhils. Besides Meenas, Bishnois also worship Prosopis cineraria. Twigs of Achyranthes aspera are used as toothbrush for professional perfection byBhopas of Garasias and Bhils also. (Singh and Pandey, 1998). Datura metel auspicious to Meenas is equally considered scared by Chinese. Tribals of Rajasthan use pods of Cassia fistula to ward off nightmares, whereas tribals of Garo hills use Thysanolaena maxima a grass under the bed for the same purpose, (Hajra, 1986). The criterian employed for majority of the plants to be auspicious has a religious bearing. The other verdict being their domestic utility, as well as their importance in Ethnomedicine. Tribals on the basis of religious ground and their beliefs of dieties both good and evil residing on the trees, have resulted in the preservation of vegetation in the form of sacred groves.

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