Sacred Fig

Location in BHU campus:Location in the campus: BHU campus has a large number of different fig trees which are found growing along the roadside and at different road crossings ,temple complexes, department premises, houses ,Botanical and Ayurvedic gardens.

Botanical name : Ficus religiosa L.

Family : Moraceae

Vernacular / local Name : Bengali-Ashathwa,Gujarati-Jari,pipro,pipul; Hindi-Pipal,pipli; Kannada-Arali, ashwattha; Malayalam-Arachu, arayal, ashvatham; Marathi-Asvatha, pimpala; Oriya-Jari; Sanskrit-Ashwatha, pipala; Tamil-Arasu, aswattham; Telugu-Ashvatthamu, bodhi;

English /Trade names : Sacred fig tree,Peepal,Pipal,Bodhi or Bo tree (bodhi = being awake, enlightened, supreme knowledge)

Ashwattah sarva vrikshanaam (Ashwatta the tree of trees)

A large deciduous tree, epiphyte when young with spreading branches. Bark grey with brownish specks,smooth. Leaves are rotund or broadly ovate,base cordate ,rounded or truncate,apex long and acuminate, more or less pendulous. Leaf-stalk slender and long which causes leaves to sway in a breeze.Flowers minute ,unisexual. Male flowers stalkless,scanty at the mouthof the fig,sepals 3,stamen 1. Gall and fertile flowers stalkless or stalked, sepals 5. Insects associated with figs of pipal are very small as compared to other figs.

Flowering : February-April

Fruiting: Ripe during May-July

Each species of Ficus usually has its association with a particular insect species.The insect cannot live without that particular Ficus species and that particular Ficus species cannot produce seed without that particular insect species.The insects enter through a hole at the tip of the fig and lay eggs in the flowers ,which are known as gall flowers.The eggs hatch and mature into new insects which on leaving their figs become dusted with pollen from male flowers.Then they enter another fig and the process is repeated,thus ensuring pollination of other female flowers.

Fruits(figs) sessile in axillary pairs, depressed,globose about ½ inch in diameter, black or purple when ripe.The figs are much sought by birds like starlings, green pigeons etc.

• Shloka on Ashwath


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• Sacred value

In Bhagavat Gita lord Krishna while declaring his own glories says “Of all trees I am Asvattha”.

It is one of the most sacred trees of India,Nepal and Sri Lanka.It is venerated by Hindus and Buddhists and planted near temples.Hindus do not fell this tree Buddha received enlightment under a pipal tree in Bodh Gaya.So Bodhi trees are commonly found growing in Buddhist centres all over the world. During the annual celebration of Vesak, thousands of people from all over India would gather at Bodh Gaya to anoint the roots of the holy tree with perfumed water and scented milk, and to offer flowers and music. To this day, worshipers place gifts of flowers at the base of its trunk.

The famous panchavati garden where Sita stayed had Aswattha planted on the east side, the vilva on the north, the banyan on the west and amla on the south and Asoka on South-east .Peepal tree has been mentioned in various old texts like Kata Upanishad,Taittiriya Upanishad ,vedas,Mahabharata etc .

Barren women worship pipal or bar tree to obtain offspring .

The planting of pipal tree is considered meritorious.

Hindus venerate peepal as the female of the banyan.The tree is worshipped especially on every Saturday of Shravan and on every Somvati amavasya.The tree is believed to be inhabited by Brahma,Vishnu and Shiva.It is also considered a Brahmin tree!

For the star Pusam/Pushya/Pushvamee (the chameleon) Ficus religiosa (Peepal)is recommended to be worshipped and the presiding deity is Guru . Peepal is auspicious in West of the house but inauspicious in east.

• Uses

It is very useful shade tree and planted in places where main requirement is to provide shade for weary travellers. Ladles are made out of peepal wood to pour ghee in the sacred fire .A peepal leaf is essential part of sacred thread ceremony and foundation laying ceremony of building .

The leaves are used as fodder.Hardened latex is used to fill up cavities in hollow ornaments.It is also a source of bird-lime.Wood is used for making packing cases.

Ayurvedic medicine recommends the use of a concoction made with its astringent milky sap of peepal to arrest miscarriages. Therefore, the tree is associated with healing, protection, sensitivity, reliability and generosity.