Elengi tree or Maulshree
in Hindi was one of the few trees that I had read about in a book, but
had never seen it. This book mentioned almost all the trees that are widespread
and grow naturally on Indian soil. Maulshree was one of the few about which I
had never heard before. But my recent trip to Himachal gave me the opportunity
of seeing not just one but two trees, both of them outside temples.
Not a very tall tree, occasionally reaches a height of 12-18
metres . it is the thick canopy of the
tree that is a standout feature. Evergreen, lush, dense, shining green foliage
of the tree offers a welcoming shade on hot sweaty days. Flowers are small, fragrant and fill the air around with their
smell.
The first one was spotted at the Jwala Devi temple in
Kangra. Mostly we see Peepal or Banyan trees in temple complexes. So I was sure
this must be a sacred tree. I asked a priest sitting beneath its shade who told
me that it was a Maulshree.
The second one was seen growing in front of the Brij Raj
Swami temple in Nurpur Fort. This one was bigger. Its two main branches were
quite thick and covered a large area under its shade. It is said that along
with the idols of this temple, the sapling of this tree was a gift from the
king of Chittor in Rajasthan to the king of Nurpur.
Botanical name : Mimusops elengi
Family : Sapotaceae
Common names : Maulshree, Bakula in Hindi
Family : Sapotaceae
Common names : Maulshree, Bakula in Hindi
Elengi in Malayalam
Indian medlar,
Spanish cherry, Bulletwood in English
Distribution : a native of India grows well in subtropical rainforests.
Also found in other parts of south and south- east Asia.
Description : a medium sized tree, occasionally
reaches a height of 12-18 metres. The
trunk is covered with deeply fissured grey or brownish bark. Branches emerge
some distance off the ground and spread out evenly in all directions thus
giving the tree a rounded, umbrella shaped canopy.
Foliage is dense and evergreen. Leaves are
simple, oblong, dark green, glossy, thick with wavy margins.
Flowering is from March
to July. Flowers are inconspicuous owing to their small size and subtle colour
but highly fragrant. Hairy and cream
coloured, flowers are star shaped arranged in small clusters. Sepals are eight
and petals are arranged in two series. Stamens are eight in number.
Fruit is a
berry that turns orange- red on ripening and encloses one black seed.
Uses : The tree
finds a mention in various religious texts as well as ancient Sanskrit
literature. In ayurvedic texts it is referred under the name Bakula. Since time
immemorial, various parts of this tree owing to their medicinal properties have
been used to treat diseases effectively. It is known for its tooth
strengthening properties. The bark and fruits are used to treat dysentery.
Edible fruit is pickled.
Below is a picture of the Maulshree tree growing at Mangala Gauri Temple in Gaya, Bihar which is another Shaktipeeth like the Jwala Devi Temple in Kangra.
Below is a picture of the Maulshree tree growing at Mangala Gauri Temple in Gaya, Bihar which is another Shaktipeeth like the Jwala Devi Temple in Kangra.
Thanks for the information.
ReplyDeleteAm glad you found it useful.
ReplyDeleteWHich book is this, that you refer to?
ReplyDeleteWHich book is this, that you refer to?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteMy name is Maulshree, thanks to this article/blog I came across only to know more about maulshree.
ReplyDeletebaakyi tere muma papa ne tera naam rakh kar tujhe amar kar diya
ReplyDelete😁😁
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