Sacred Waterscapes as Ecological Habitats for Endangered Animal Species at Sufi Shrines in the Indian Subcontinent

Presenter:

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Abstract

At Sufi shrines in the Indian subcontinent the valuable resource of water is often encoded with both spiritual and environmental meaning. This paper investigates the ancient practice of keeping ‘sacred’ animals in water sources associated with Sufi sanctuaries. It will focus on water ponds at the shrine of Bayazid Bistami at Chittagong in Bangladesh, and its association with the huge enigmatic black soft-shell turtle called Bistami Kasim; at the Shah Jalal Shrine at Sylhet in Bangladesh which has snakehead fish; and at the shrine of Sufi Pir Mangho, named after Hajji Seyyed Khawaja Hasan Sakhi Sultan, at Karachi in Pakistan, and the Khan Jahan Ali Shrine at Khulna in Bangladesh, both of which house enormous mugger crocodiles.

By offering a safe habitat and breeding ground for animals that are members of very rare and endangered species, the sacred water structures that form an important part of the sanctuaries’ topography, function as pivotal refuge. The animals are venerated, fed by hand and protected. They attract large numbers of locals and pilgrims of different religions who queue every day to seek blessings from these animals thought to have restorative properties and to be able to grant boons. Traditionally, they are believed to be the descendants of ‘spirits’ that were metamorphosed into these creatures.

The rationale for preserving sacred water sources as spatial habitat for these animals is based on religious beliefs passed down through generations. Drawing upon ethnographic research, local archives and folklore, I will discuss the ecological significance of such hydrological sites and the important role they play in local traditions.