The document provides an overview of Mangar Bani, Delhi's last sacred forest grove located near the Aravalli mountain range. It describes the village of Mangar near the forest, including its population of 5,000 people, daily activities, and traditions. The forest is under threat from illegal mining and construction projects, despite efforts from local committees and NGOs to protect it. While the forest provides livelihoods for some through livestock, many youth lack stable employment. The document shares photos that illustrate village life and the natural beauty of Mangar Bani.

1. A G L I M P S E I N T O T H E S A C R E D L A N D
Mangar Bani

2. Mangar Bani is Delhi’s
last sacred forest grove.
Bani means forest and
Mangar is the name of
the village where it is
located. Mangar Bani
literally means the forest
of villagers of Mangar.
Seen here: A roadside
sign on the Gurgaon-
Faridabad highway for
the Bani Dham temple.
People from various
parts of Delhi-NCR visit
the temple of the local
legend of Gudariya Baba
whose soul, people
believe, still exists in the
forest.

3. Located near one of the
oldest mountain ranges
in the world, The
Aravalis, Mangar Bani is
fighting a battle for its
existence as Delhi’s last
water recharge zone. In
this pic: A view of the
Aravalli hills from the
Government High
School, Mangar,
Faridabad. Illegal
mining in the Aravallis
has deprecated the water
table in the NCR region
tremendously .

4. The Bani Dham temple
where the deity of
Gudariya Baba is
worshipped by not just
the local Gujjar
community but people
from other regions of
Delhi as well. It is
believed that Gudariya
Baba vanished in a cave
inside this temple.

5. The Mangar village has
an approximate
population of 5000
people. According to
one of the village locals
Gajraj (seen smoking the
pipe in this pic), men in
Mangar smoke the
hookah and socialize on
a daily basis as there are
no major forms of
recreation.

6. A usual day in Mangar
Bani lasts approximately
from 3 am to 6 pm.
People usually sleep
early, on most days
before 8pm. In this pic,
villagers enjoy a peaceful
sleep on charpoys in
their verandahs. Though
electricity reaches
almost all households in
Mangar, it is disturbed
by long hours of
indefinite load shedding.

7. Dinner is served quite
early in the evening in
the village, usually
around 5 pm. The
women of the household
serve hot chapatis to
male family members
gathered around the
earthen stove. The
household tasks are
usually performed by the
women.

8. Local women cover their
heads with a duppatta
as a sign of paying
respect to the elderly
and to their husbands.
Marriage for girls
usually takes place at the
age of 18-20. In this pic,
from left t right.

9. A young girl from
Mangar village flips
through her painting.
The state of education in
the village is quite
dismal and there is a
dearth of teaching staff
at the local school.

10. Many local committees
as well as NGOs have
extended a helping hand
to the people of Mangar
village. Seen here, local
women engaged in a
small initiative taken by
an NGO wherein they
are helping to crush
spices and grains.
Whether or not they
would be paid is yet to
be decided as it is a
relatively recent
initiative.

11. Young men in Mangar
sitting idle on a charpoy.
Majority of the youth
there do not have a
stable form of livelihood
and hence many support
the decision of real
estate development in
the region.

12. Like the local legend of
Gudariya Baba, there are
many other stories of
local legends and
mystics that have been a
part of the local folk lore.
Seen in the pic, the white
horse of a local mystic in
Mangar village who is
greatly revered by the
villagers.

13. A heron inside the
MangarBani forest. The
forest is known for its
rich flora and fauna.
Various species that are
not spotted elsewhere in
the country have been
seen here like the black
eagle.

14. Despite various protests
by some local
committees as well as
NGOs, construction
activity has been allowed
in Mangar Bani. During
one such period a few
years ago, the Arts and
Crafts hotel was
constructed there. Many
villagers thought it
might be a source of
livelihood for them but
they just employed one
local villager. Today, it
stands lonely without a
signage.

15. Eleven-year old Ajay
spends the day taking
care of his flock of
almost 100 goats. The
rural Gujjar community
relies heavily on
livestock for their daily
bread and butter.

16. A view of the forest from
Gudariya Baba’s shrine.
The Dhau tree
dominates the green
cover and grows laterally
if grazed by cattle. The
entire forest is made up
of a single DNA from an
ancient Dhau tree. It is
believed that the forest
has a soul of its own and
it would bring wrath
upon anyone who tries
to destroy it.