From the Editor’s Desk

CODE RED FOR HUMANITY

About a month back, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), under UN, released its report on climate change.

As per 234 scientists, from 66 countries, the human , due to Greenhouse effects, has warmed the climate at a rate that is unprecedented in at least last 2000 years. It says the global temperature is likely to rise by 1.5 degree C over next 20 years.

So, what does it mean for humanity in general, and India in particular? That means:

• Increase in frequency and severity of hot extremes.
• Incidents of forest fires to go up.
• Increase in severe rainfall in southern India.
• This can cause glacial lake outbursts, floods and landslides.
• Decline in glacial volumes.
• Rise in Mean Sea Levels.
• And much more.

The greenhouse effect is the way in which heat is trapped close to Earth’s surface by “greenhouse gases”, namely Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and Nitrous Oxide, etc.

Under normal circumstances, this layer of greenhouse gases tend to make the earth “livable”. But we humans have been interfering with this level by producing more Carbon Dioxide, thus trapping more heat within earth, than needed. This has led to increased temperatures.

So, what can we do to help reduce GHG effects? By producing less Carbon Dioxide, to put it simply.

First, try to find out one’s carbon foot print. Take for example, one is fond of eating lamb. Try to imagine all the carbon dioxide that is used in raising the lamb to getting it in the supermarket and on your table: right from raising it in the farmland 100 kms away from your home, to transporting it till your table, and cooking it. Your Carbon Foot Print would be far too less, if you have a vegetable grown at your backyard. Likewise, You save that much of damage to our earth if we choose to pedal, rather than using petrol-fueled bike.

Following are the ways, in which we can help our planet by producing less of GHGs.

• So, eat low in food chain.
• Use less of carbon fuels, like petrol, diesel etc.
• Use less of ACs.
• Reduce, recycle and re-use.
• Drive smart, and less.
• Take care of your car.
• Plant few trees. Grow veggies in your backyard.
• Conserve water.
• Adopt re-usable energy sources, like wind, solar etc. And so on.

These and many other options are the ones that we can contribute towards a bright future for our next generation.

And we have already vowed to be with you in our efforts to make it a cleaner, greener earth.

Jai Hind!

INSECTS, PESTS & DISEASES TO LOOK FOR THIS WINTER

The gardener’s biggest enemy is pests and diseases which a gardener has to deal with everyday.

Asked if they would prefer to grow their vegetables in a winter vegetable garden or in a summer vegetable garden, many gardeners would opt for the first, for one obvious reason: there are far fewer pests and pest-related problems in the winter. Compared to spring, winter is a much quieter time, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still plenty of dangers lurking in and above the ground. Caterpillars, snails, wildlife, and other problematic insects remain active in the cooler weather, eating anything from leaves to seedlings and fruit. Let’s take a look at some of the most common pests you are probably going to stumble upon in your garden this winter.

How pests and disease occur??

Any disturbance that interfere with normal growth development, function, economic value, or aesthetic value of the plant

Plant Disease can be caused by two general groups of agents: Biotic (pathogens) and Abiotic

The control of insects and pests depends on the application of common sense, methods based upon special knowledge of the insects and organisms concerned and of any particular circumstances under which they occur.

The various means of control may be considered under four headings:-

1. Agricultural
2. Mechanical
3. Insecticidal
4. Special

• Agricultural methods aim at checking any undue increase of diseases at actual control after they have attained destructive magnitude. They include :

          a) Clean practices

          b) Crop rotation of plants

          c) Irrigation and drainage management

          d) By practicing stimulation of plant growth by means of manures

          e) Selection of resistant varieties

          f)  Ploughing/digging of the soil to solarise the soil and disinfecting

          g) Removal & destruction of infected plant material.

• Mechanical methods are intended to check increasing attacks of diseases and pests.

• Insecticidal methods are used when insects have attained such numbers as to become a pest. Some insecticides are used as deterrents or repellents, but as a rule they should be used when damage is imminent or actually being done. Insecticides are usually applied in the form of powders and liquids; and they are divided into “Stomach-poisons” and “Contact poisons’’. For their correct application, knowledge of the insects concerned becomes essential. Stomach-poisons are applied to the plants in order they may be eaten by those having biting mouth-parts; contact-poisons are applied to the insects themselves and only incidentally to the plant, in order to suffocate insects with sucking mouth-parts.

• Organic product controls: Use horticultural oil, Insecticidal soap or neem-based insecticides

Common Insects which attack our winter annuals are:

1) Leaf-infesting insects (slugs, caterpillars, aphids)

• Caterpillars are a common occurrence in winter crops; they’ll eat your leafy greens in a heartbeat if you don’t pay attention to the first infestation signs: shredded leaves, premature defoliation, and fruit damage.

• Aphids are also a big fan of vegetables, preferring to feed on lettuce and celery, but will contaminate a wide range of plants including ornamentals, trees, weeds, and fruit crops. They not only cause physical damage, but also transmit viruses from weeds and other plants that put at risk the entire plant. They are tiny, pear shaped insects. They can be green, yellow, red, grey or black. They are both winged and non-winged aphids, depending on their species and life-stage. They are found on young leaves and flower buds. It sucks the sap of foliage and causes retarded growth of the plant with poor quality flowers.

Plants affected: Tomatoes, lettuce, kale, cabbage, beet, beans, potato, chard, bok-choy and Apple ETC.

Use horticultural oil, Insecticidal soap or neem-based insecticides to get rid of aphid infestations.

• Mites infect the annual flower plants. The infected plants give a dusty, dull and unhealthy look and the plant shows webbing on leaves , in the leaf axils or covering the entire plant. They are very minute and only visible through magnifying glass. You can spread diatomaceous earth around the soil, pots and the boundaries of the growing area. This dries and kills the bugs who try to cross it. Consequently, you will be creating a guard to prevent the mites from reaching the plants.

            You can also do the following:

1. Prune and Manual pick
2. Alcohol solution wash
3. Predators
4. Essential oil spray
5. Chemical pesticides by spraying Dicofol@.01%.

• Finally, snails and slugs will chew holes in the tender leaves of your vegetables, causing them to look unsightly and, at worst, even killing the entire plant.

Treatment: Take a bucketful of saw dust and moisten it with a mixture of 1 to 2 cups of phenyl and 10 to 20 cups of water, then spread the saw dust around the rows of plants or single plant. Ringing the earth around the stems with lime is also sometimes successful.

2) Fungal Diseases

The plants are affected by a number of fungal diseases which attack the plants and flowers. The most destructive diseases are botrytis, root rot and foot rot.

Botrytis: The plants have brown colour spots and are visible on the flower petals .It can be controlled by spray of Mancozeb @ 2.0gm /ltr of water.

Root rot is caused by the fungus pythium and it prefers moist conditions. Seedlings and young plants show typical signs of damping off. They rot at the base and fall over at the soil level. This disease may infect the base of stems of older plants. On the leaves are black or brown spots like circular ridges. The petioles may be directly infected and show girdled causing wilting of the parts above the diseased area.

Can be controlled by sterilizing soil, better circulation and decreasing the moisture content of growing media.

Use Captaf (0.1%) & Bavistine (0.1%). Seed treatment with Captaf 0.1% will reduce the occurrence of the disease.

Leaf spot and blight: Various pathogens cause leaf spot and blight in annual flowers. The symptoms appear as small brownish spots on leaves. These leaf spot disease can be controlled by Dithane M-45 @ 0.2% sprays.

Inflorescence blight: Inflorescence gives a burnt appearance in severe cases.This can be controlled by spray of Dithane M-45 @0.2%.

Powdery mildew: Whitish tiny spots appear on leaves initially. The entire plant shows white powdery appearance in severe cases. The disease can be controlled by Karathane (0.1%) or Clexane (0.03%)sprays.

VARIOUS FLOWERS AND THEIR COMMON DISEASES

• Antirrhinum: Leaf spot and damping off.
• Aster: wilt
• Begonia: Bacterial leaf spot, Powdery mildew.
• Carnations: leaf spot, wilt or stem rot.
• Chrysanthemums; Leaf spot, Ray-blight. Powdery mildew.
• Dahlia: Powdery mildew, Root -knot.
• Geraniums: Blossom blight and leaf spot,stem rot .
• Gladiolus: Scab, Hard rot, storage rot, Gladiolus thrips.
• Hollyhock:Leaf spot,thrips.
• Iris: Scab and thrips.
• Larkspur: Powdery mildew, Bacterial Leaf spot, crown rot.
• Pansy : Damping off
• Phlox: Powdery mildew, crown rot.
• Rose: Powdery mildew, black-spot, Brown canker, stem canker,
• Sweet Pea: Powdery mildew, seedling root-rot.(The flower beds should not be manured).
• Sweet williams: Crown rot
• Verbena: Powdery mildew.
• Violet: Leaf spot, Root rot.
• Lawn grass: Brown spots.(Bordeaux mixture)

In the end I would like to suggest:

1. Sterilize the soil.
2. Treat seeds before sowing.
3. Buy disease resistant varieties.
4. Regular landscape inspections, pruning, and weed removal may decrease the extent of winter pests’ damage. There are a number of ways to protect the plants in your garden in order to eliminate and prevent pest damage. Plastic collars can be applied to the trunks of trees, especially the young ones, which are more vulnerable to wildlife attacks. Hardware cloth or chicken wire are other options you can consider, equally effective as long as they are properly installed. You can also use repellants and sprays, especially during warm spells, to keep invaders at bay.

Despite your best efforts, invaders may still sneak into your winter garden and wreak havoc. Some of the infestations are easier to detect than others, and you may be able to eliminate the entire pest population yourself, using homemade remedies and aerosol sprays.

Happy Gardening!!

Rama Tyagi
tyagirama@gmail.com

EVENT TO LOOK FOR

Do you also have to run to take care of your Adeniums from rains?

If so, then..

Book your date and time with us.

03 OCT, 10 AM

We bring you the event which will answer all your questions about Adenium.

INDIA CELEBRATES 02 OCT

HEALTHY CORNER

Hey lovely readers, October month is full of gardening activities. To relieve the stress, exertion and maintain health, here I share with you all 2 very yummy, easy and healthy recipes. These recipes are also good for those who are health conscious and are very particular with their weight, suffer with chronic diseases like blood pressure, diabetics etc. So, let us have a look at the recipes after all “HEALTH IS WEALTH”.

RECIPE 1:  CREAMY FOOD SALAD

Ingredients:

• 2 bowls of chopped mixed seasonal fresh fruits (banana, apple, grapes, strawberry, papaya, kiwi, mango, oranges cherries etc.)
• 1 bowl of hung curd
• Honey as per taste
• Chopped nuts like almonds, pistachios, cashew nuts, walnuts etc.
• Saffron soaked milk
• Mint and pomegranate seeds for decoration
• 2-3 tbsp Normal milk for consistency

Method:

Take hung curd in a mixing bowl. To adjust the consistency, add normal milk. Add chopped fruits, nuts (keep some for decoration), honey as per your taste and saffron milk. Mix well and decorate with chopped nuts, pomegranate seeds and mint leaf. Your tasty and healthy salad is ready to eat.

RECIPE 2: HEALTHY GREEN SMOOTHIE   

Ingredients:

• Some Spinach leaves
• 2 Cucumber
• 2 Small banana
• Small piece of ginger
• Half lemon
• Few Pudina leaves

Method:

Put all the ingredients in a blending jar. Add water to adjust the consistency and churn for few seconds. Pour into Glasses. Serve cold.

Happy gardening and Healthy Eating!!

Sugandha Singhania

sugandhacpsinghania@gmail.com

BULB PLANTING TIPS

Winter is the season when most of the popular spring-blooming bulbs are planted, which are as follow:

• Daffodils are a favorite because they are vole and deer-resistant.
• Jonquils have tiny blooms and naturalize. They’re one of the first flowers to bloom—and look especially lovely when planted in a grove or field together.
• Crocus is a spring-flowering favorite, and come in a range of colors.
• Snowdrop (Galanthus) are little white bells that bloom in early spring.
• Hyacinth (including grape hyacinths) are small blue clusters of tiny bell-shaped blooms which are good for naturalizing.
• Tulips look beautiful when planted en masse and bloom after the daffodils. They look great paired with grape hyacinth.
• Irises are hardy, reliable, and easy to grow, attracting butterflies and hummingbirds and making lovely cut flowers.
• Gladiolus have tall beautiful spikes and tend to bloom in late spring to mid-summer, depending on the variety.

TIPS:

Bulbs should be fresh and firm, not brittle or rotted or moldy. Also, choose bulbs with intact husks to better fight any disease.

When you receive bulbs, plant immediately or store in a cool, dark, dry place at around 60 to 65 degrees F. Temperatures above 70 degrees F. may damage the flower buds.

Most spring-flowering bulbs require a 12 to 16 week cold period in ventilated packages in the bottom of your refrigerator at 40 to 50 degrees F. before planting. Check with your bulb supplier to determine whether the bulbs you purchase have been pre-cooled or whether you may need to give them a cold treatment.

Also, in warmer climates, note that some bulbs will only bloom once and then they’re done for the season. For example, you will have to plant tulip bulbs again each year. Still, they are a beautiful sight to behold and well worth the effort! Other fall bulbs, such as daffodils, will act as perennials and come up year after year.

Planting time for fall bulbs is usually late September to mid-October in northern climate so that bulbs can grow roots before the ground freezes. Tulips are one exception–you can plant these as late as you can get them into the soil. This gives them ample time to grow roots during winter in preparation for the spring show.

In the lower South, you may not have a hard freeze; early November is a good time to plant. You can plant them as late as December but the later you wait, the less able the bulbs will be to establish themselves. In the warmer South, you may need to pre-cool some bulbs.

Temperature is an important factor to plant winter bulbs.  

Minimum temperature required is 25 to 35 degrees C for gladioli.

For others like Nargis, Freesias, sparix, Ixia, Chinchi, tritonia, Tulips and Hyacinth minimum   temperature required is 17 to 25 degrees C.

Oriental and Asiatic lily needs 12 to 18 degrees C.

Select a site where the bulbs will receive at least part sun throughout the spring.

Bulbs will need soil that drains nicely otherwise they will rot. Put  a few inches of compost or organic matter into the soil before planting for nutrients and drainage, especially if you have heavy clay soils.

Bulbs look great when planted en-masse. Treat bulbs with Bavistin/humic acid.

Potting mix

•             Garden soil 50%
•             Manure 40%
•             Coco peat Or Sand 10%
•             Bone meal 50gms, Neem khali 50gms, Fungicide 5 gm, Micronutrients 2gms

• In general, plant bulbs at a depth of three times the width of the bulb which means about 4 to 6 inches deep for small bulbs like snowdrops, crocuses, and grape hyacinths and about 8 inches deep for large bulbs like hybrid tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths.
• Plant bulbs generously in case some do not sprout.
• After planting, apply fertilizer low in nitrogen, such as a 9-6-6 formulation. If your soil is sandy, plant bulbs slightly deeper; in clay soils, slightly shallower.
• Apply fungicide and NPK every 15 days
• Water well after planting.
• Apply mulch to the planting area to keep the weeds down, hold in moisture, and avoid frosting and freezing during winter time.
• If you have squirrels, Consider planting your bulbs in a “cage” fashioned with chicken wire. Also, check out our tips for preventing squirrel damage or try planting some rodent-proof bulbs.
• Consider bloom time for each bulb (early spring, mid-spring, late spring) so you have blooms throughout spring!

Happy Planting!!

D. K. Sharma

   sharmadk.703@gmail.com

Vegetable Gardening in October

Vegetable gardening plays an important role in today’s scenario. It has become an essential requirement rather than a mere hobby. It is a sustainable method to improve the quality of life.

Winter is the best time to grow many leafy vegetables and salad vegetables which can be eaten when raw. Raw vegetables are best when they are fresh and pest free and organic. This you can get when you grow yourselves at your home.

Reminder: Select a place which is sunny and open.

If you are a beginner than start with small and easily growing vegetables like Lettuce, Spinach, Fenugreek Radish, Beet roots, Onions, Garlic etc.

Soil should be well drained so that all surface water may drain quickly.

Harvesting vegetables at the right time taste good and are rich in nutrients. Their quality is also good. The more you harvest, the more you will get the produce. 

Vegetables planting /seed sowing ( North India)

Beet root

1. Sowing Season: October-Nov   Sow directly.
2. Sowing Depth -1inch
3. Sowing Distance – 4inches
4.  Days of maturity – 80 to 90 days

Broccolli

• Sowing Season – Sept to Oct, Sow by transplanting
• Sowing Depth –1.5inches
• Sowing Distance 1ft plant to plant. Plant 1 only in a 10inches pot.

Cabbage

• Sowing Season – Sept to Oct
• Sowing depth- 0.25 inches,  Sow by transplanting
• Sowing distance – 1ft. Plant 1 only in a10 inches pot.
• Days of maturity- 90 to 100 days.

Carrots

• Sowing season – Aug to Oct
•  Sowing Depth –0.25 inches, Sow Directly
•   Sowing Distance – Between Seeds – 2inches
•   Days of maturity- 75 -80 days.

Lettuces

• Sowing season – Sept –Oct Sow Directly
•  Sowing Depth – Sow on surface and cover lightly with soil.
•  Days of maturity – 45-55 days.

Spinach

• Sowing Season- Sept -Nov Sow Directly
• Sowing 0.5 inch apart
• Days of Maturity – 60 days.

General Precautions

• You can plant Beet, Brinjal, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Peas, Radish, Spinach, turnip and tomatoes.
• Vegetables must have proper light, moisture and nutrients to grow.
• Do plant companion plants like marigold, pansy, Nastratium near them. (Reason discussed in previous articles)
• Nutrients you get from compost, manure. If plants are not growing well ,fertilizing them will help them grow well.
• Fertilizers can be organic and inorganic. Organic manures are manures from poultry, cow or horse, Bone meal ,cotton seeds and oil cakes of mustard ,neem, peanuts and cotton.
• Vegetables absorb these essential nutrients from soil which improves health, growth and productivity.
• There are different ways to apply fertilizers and grow vegetables.

a) Apply as side dressing which means sprinkling around the plant and then with the use of hoe mixing into the soil.

b) Foliar spray -Adding fertilizer to water and then spraying on the leaves.

c) Top Dressing -When you apply fertilizer over the surface of the soil.

• Vegetable gardens need a lot of nutrients to grow healthy and delicious vegetables. So whether you grow vegetables on ground or in pots, proper management will yield desired results.

Happy Gardening!!

Rama Tyagi
Tyagirama1@gmail.com

SIGNIFICANCE OF SHARAD PURNIMA

• Sharad Purnima, also known as Kumara Purnima, Kojagiri Purnima, Navanna Purnima or Kaumudi Purnima is a harvest festival celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu lunar month of Ashvin (September to October), marking the end of the monsoon season.
• On this auspicious day, many divine pairs like Radha Krishna, Shiva Parvati, and Lakshmi Narayan are worshipped along with the moon and are offered flowers and kheer (sweet dish made of rice and milk). Deities in temples are usually dressed in white color signifying the brightness of the moon.

• Of all the purnimas of the Hindu calendar, Sharad Purnima is the most popular. The night of Sharad Purnima holds immense spiritual and religious significance. This day is special as it is believed that on this chosen day, the moon possesses all the sixteen Kala(s). In Hinduism, each Kala denotes a specific human quality and Lord Krishna was the only one born with all these 16 Kala (s). Hindu devotees therefore worship Chandra Dev (Moon God) with full devotion.
• Also according to astrology, it is considered that the moon is closest to the Earth on this day and the moon rays possess nourishing elements. Therefore, on the day of Sharad Purnima, people spend their evenings under the moonlight to get benefit from the curative properties of the moon rays.
• At some places, it is forbidden to view the moon directly and it is seen as a reflection on a vessel containing boiled milk.
• According to the Hindu mythological stories, this day holds special significance for Shri Krishna followers as it is believed that on this auspicious day Sri Krishna performed the ‘Raas Lila’ in Vrindavan with Radha and other Gopis. For this reason, Sharad Purnima is also referred to as ‘Raas Purnima’. The night of Sharad Purnima is henceforth considered to be the night of love and couples express their love in the moonlight.

• Sharad Purnima is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi as well. On this day, the devotees offer prayers to Goddess Lakshmi to seek her divine blessings. They also stay awake all night as it is believed that Goddess Lakshmi descends on Earth on the day of Sharad Purnima and blesses all those whom she finds awake with prosperity and wealth.
• In some parts of the country, people prepare poha kheer, puffed rice or other sweets and leave it under moonlight. The preparations are then consumed later as it is believed that they absorb the curative properties of moon rays in them.
• Sharad Purnima is also celebrated as ‘Navanna Purnima’, ‘Kaumudi Puja’, ‘Kumar Purnima’ or Kojagiri Purnima. Women draw Alpana in the front of their homes on the day of Kojagara Puja. The ‘Alplana’ symbolizing the feet of Goddess Lakshmi.
• The celebration of Kojagara Puja also coincides with the harvest festival in the northern parts of the country.

     Hope all the readers enjoyed reading the article and are enlightened with the siginificance of Sharad Purnima.

 Happy Reading!!

Sangita Chaterjee

sangitacjee@gmail.com    

LET’S CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN

Halloween has been derived from the word “HOLY” and is celebrated mostly in western countries specially US and Canada on 31^St October every year. It is believed that in order to pay respect to people who have left us, Christians celebrate All Saints Day on November 1 and an eve before that is celebrated as HALLOWEEN. As per ancient theories, it also marks the end of summer season and beginning of winter season. Pumpkin is the symbol of Halloween as it symbolizes harvest, rebirth and fertility.

During its celebration people wear dresses that depict supernatural powers as they believe that the souls of dead roam on earth around that time.

It is that part of the year where one can show their creativity too. Let’s check out some decoration ideas based on Halloween theme:-

1. WINTER FLOWER HANGING BASKETS

Winter flowers like petunias, begonias, chrysanthemums etc. can be used in hanging baskets to flaunt your winter annuals. Mark the baskets with catchy word like harvest etc.

• USE DRIED HYDRANGEAS

Use dried hydrangeas(abundantly grown in J&K and North East States)  to make wreath or decorate them in vases and put some contrast coloured pumpkins around them.

• USE HAY BALES

Decorate the area using hay bales along with several other items like foam, used leather belts, fresh  seasonal blooms, dried flowers, fancy ropes etc.

• USING CUTOUTS OF BATS, SPIDERS, SKELETONS,WITCH CAPS ETC.

Place the cutouts and other items in such a way that the area looks supernatural. One may use spiderwebs as well.

• CARVED PUMPKINS

Used carved pumpkins and put lights in them to add the Halloween feel.

• USE SIGNBOARD WITH WORDS RELATED TO HALLOWEEN

Halloween slogans, catchy words along with some witchy pictures will add to the décor.

• USE PUMPKINS WITH CHRYSANTHEMUMS TO GIVE A SIMPLE YET ELEGANT LOOK

Decorate the space with pumpkins arranged in lines and place chrysanthemum pots on sides to add in colour.

• DECORATIVE WREATH

Create decorative wreath symbolizing Halloween using pumpkin cutouts, witch hat, broom, skull, bones, ribbons etc.

Hope the readers will get some good ideas to décor the space on Halloween theme.

Enjoy the festivals!!

Sugandha Singhania

sugandhacpsinghania@gmail.com

ATTRACTING BUTTERFLIES & BEES TO YOUR GARDEN

KEEP THE SUN IN MIND: If your garden gets good sun, it helps butterflies.

CREATE BUTTERFLY SPAS: A great way to have butterflies is to have flat rocks, tables, or chairs for them.

CHOOSE RED, ORANGE, PINK, PURPLE: Butterflies like bright colours. Having flat topped and short tubes is an advantage.

LEAVE FALLEN FRUIT UNDER THE TREES: Butterflies feed on fruit juices in fallen over-ripe fruits. Let them be there.

PLANT WILD FLOWERS AND NATIVE TREES: Wild flowers provide bees with an excellent source of pollen and nectar.

CREATE HABITATS: Provide good nesting habitat by preserving a small brush pile areas with dry grasses, reeds and dead wood.

CHOOSE BLUE, PURPLE AND YELLOW: Bees find these colours most appealing.

SINGLE FLOWERS ARE THE BEST: Single flowers offer more nectar and pollen than double flowers.

NO PESTICIDES: Butterflies and Bees hate pesticides. Keep your garden free of chemical-laden pesticides

(information and pics: courtesy internet)

Sushil Bhatia

sush16534@gmail.com

Tales of Trees in Indian Culture

Bael /Bilva Tree

Scientific name: Aegle marmelos Family: Rutaceae

Order: Sapindales Kingdom:Plantae Genus: Aegle

 Indian Names

Bengal : Bel Gujarati : Bili

Hindi : Bael,Bilva,Sriphal

Marathi :Bael

Sanskrit : Shriphala ,Bilva Tamil: Vilvum

Telugu : Muredu

Aegle marmelos, commonly known as Bael, also Bengal quince, golden apple, Japanese bitter orange, stone apple or wood apple, is a species of tree native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is present in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand, and Malaysia as a naturalized species.

• According to Greek Mythology, Aegle, one of the Hesperides, one of the three sisters who were helped by a dragon, guarded the golden apples of goddess Hera.
• Marmelos comes from the Portuguese word marmelosde meaning marbled.

 STRUCTURE

• The Bael tree is a medium sized deciduous tree. It has grey bark and light brown branches with long thorns.
  • The leaves are trifoliate and alternate.
  • The leaves are oblong in shape.
  • The flowers are greenish -white and sweet -scented.
  • The fruit is large and round. It is green with a woody shell. The pulp inside is orange with many seeds. Seeds are covered with fibrous hair.

Bael is considered sacred to Lord Shiva and it’s leaves are a compulsory offering when worshipping him. That is why we find bael trees near Shiva temples.

 MYTHOLOGICAL & RELIGIOUS REFERENCE

• Bilva Tree is considered to be a very sacred tree in Hinduism because of its sacrificial importance. Tree is considered to be divine and propitious. The tree has been mentioned in many Puranas and other Indian scriptures too.
• As per Skanda Purana, it is believed that Goddess Parvati’s perspiration, which fell on the mountain Mandara while she performed penance, gave birth to the Bael Tree. According to Hindu mythology, various incarnations of Parvati reside in different parts of the Bael Tree. People believe that various Goddesses like Girija live on the root of the tree, Maheshwari on its shoulder, Dukshayani on its branches, Parvati on it’s leaves, Katyani on its fruits, Gauri in its flowers while many other shaktis dwell in its thorns.Hence, those who worship Lord Shiva and Parvati will be blessed with divine powers. Since every part of Bilva tree is said to contain Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva loves being worshipped with Bel patra .It is said that by touching Bel patra one is freed from all negativity, sins and ailments.

• Shivpuran says the greatness of this divine tree and that is very difficult to understand by Gods also.
• Bilva is also considered to be symbol of Lord Shiva. For those who worship the Lord in the form of Linga offer the leaves to him. Those who worship the roots of bilva become purified soul and sure to attain the God’s feet. It is also believed that taking bath under Bilva tree is equal to taking bath in sacred rivers. Lord Shiva Showers his blessings to those all who do so. Bilva Tree is also worshipped by lighting Diyas near roots of the tree which in turn is bestowed with knowledge of truth and the person comes out of sins and curses when they worship the tree.
• It is also said that if any Shiv Devotee is fed under the tree, the feeder is blessed with riches and prosperity.
• On the seventh day of Dussehra ,the Rajput Kings performed the’ Invitation to Bael tree’,and is considered the most important of Dussehra rites.A Bael fruit is picked from the tree and offered to Goddess Chamunda to ask for protection.
• In Bengal,the goddess Durga is aroused from sleep by touching a twig from a Bael tree growing in the North -East direction during Durga Puja.
• In a folklore of Bihar a proverb centres round the tree. Phir mundlo Bel tar ( Bald head will not venture the Bael tree again  ).
• Another proverb says ,Bel pakal,kawa ke baap la ka.The crow cannot penetrate the hard shell of the Bel so its ripening is immaterial to it.
• It is said the presence of Bael and Ber tree together indicates a spring underground.
• According to one folklore, Goddess Lakshmi came to earth in the form of cow. Bilva tree grew from its dung. In Bhuvaneshwari Tantra Goddess Lakshmi holds a Bilva in her lower hand. This signifies to deliver fruits of one’s actions.
• People also go round Bael tree before starting any new ventures.It is said the king of Videhas, ,Vasuman regained his lost kingdom by going around the tree at the temple of Tiruvidaimarudur.
• As per one story of Skanda Purana when Brahma created Earth and Man, he created a tree. A man sat under this tree and started worshipping the God Vishnu. God Brahma named him Bilva. Lord Indra asked Bilva to look after the administration of earth. Bilva built his house under the tree and ran the Earth.
• The Bael tree is supposed to be the abode of Goddess Lakshmi too.

 LEAF PATTERN

• Bael leaves are generally trifolic – a leaf that’s divided into three leaflets which are believed to represent the ‘trinetra’ or three eyes of Lord Shiva.
  • The leaf also represents the holy trinity–Brahma,Vishnu,and Mahesh i.e. Shiva.
  • Shiva Purana regards this leaf as one of the six articles that are used to worship Lord Shiva.

 MEDICINAL VALUE

• Hindu texts and scriptures mention healing and medicinal properties of Bel patra.
• Bel leaf functions as natural antibiotics and antifungal and is extremely beneficial for humans and in Agriculture too. Aegle marmelos have many health benefits which include anti-cancer (George, Radhakrishnan, & Balaram, 2014), anti-hepatic-carcinogenesis (Verma, Bahorun, Singh, Aruoma, & Kumar, 2013), antifungal (Balakumar, Rajan, Thirunaal Sundari, & Jeeva, 2011), anti-microbial (Rejiniemon et al., 2014), and anti-inflammatory properties (Kumari, Weerakoon, Handunnetti, Samarasinghe, & Suresh, 2014).

• The leaf extract lowers cholesterol level in blood.
• Bel Sherbet made from the tree’s fruit provides relief in summers and has medicinal value. Bel Murraba and Bel candies are available in the market.
• It is used to cure dysentery.
• Leaves are used to make poultice for the eyes. Roots are used for treating fever.

 OTHER USES

• Pulp is mixed with lime to make cement and also used in paints for glossy finish. The unripe rind is a natural dye and used in calico printing.
• The wood is also used in house construction, tool handles and making carts.

There are a few more stories connected with the Bael tree which I will share in the near future. Now you know the importance of Bael Tree and why it holds an important position in our culture and rituals.

Happy Reading!!

Rama Tyagi

tyagirama1@gmail.com

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