Sacred groves and local gods : religion and environmentalism in South India Introduction: sacred groves and local gods: religious environmentalism in South India Fierce gods and dense forest: sacred groves near Madurai A road runs through it: changing meanings in Malaiyali sacred groves in Tiruvannamalai district Mixing botany and belief: guardian deities and their forests in the Pondicherry region Soteriology and stake holders: the greening of the Auroville plateau 1973 2007 Sacrifice and sacrality: sacred grove restoration projects near Chennai