Page 2 - Young Intach Jan-March 2022.indd

DID YOU KNOW?
Tree WIsdom Vedas mention three categories

of forests to be protected-mahavan
Since time immemorial trees have been worshipped in various forms in (natural forest), shrivan (forest of
the Indian subcontinent.
prosperity) and tapovan (forest of religion).
Harshika Karnavat, Class 3B, Global Indian
CAVE ART International School, Hadapsar, Pune

Cave paintings of Bhimbetka depict
the earliest form of tree worship. Cave
10 depicts a peacock seated on a tree
and a row of people dancing around
the tree. SEAL STORY

The sacred pipal and babool
VEDIC HYMNS tree are said to be the most
revered trees of the Harappan
Vedic hymns make frequent references to the
civilisation. A number of Indus
worship of the holy pipal, banyan and the
seals represent tree worship. A
babool tree.
well-known seal is of the pipal
The Rig Veda invokes the forest as tree fl anked by two unicorn
Aranyani, a jungle deity and trees heads.
were called Vanaspati (Lord of
the Forest).
EARLY ART
The Atharva Veda mentions tree
worship and ashvattha (pipal) Under King Asoka the Mauryan state
as the abode of gods (ashvattho maintained the empire’s forests, along
deva sadanah). with fruit groves and herbal gardens.
The Arayankas (Indian forest texts) focuses on A pillar capital from the Sunga period
participatory forest management where village depicts a banyan or the wish-fulfi lling
committees took the responsibility of overseeing the tree (kalpavriksha or kalpadruma)
maintenance of forests. with a sacred railing or vedica built
around the spot.
SANGAM SAGA
GUPTA TEXTS
During the Sangam period, ancient Tamil literature
frequently refers to sthala vriksha or the sacred tree Poet Kalidasa during the rule of Chandragupta Vikramaditya
temples. Most temples were associated with a plant mentioned fl owering trees namely asoka, kadamba, arjuna,
or tree connected to the history and mythology of the and parijata. Hiuen Tsang, the famous Chinese pilgrim who
temple or deity. had travelled widely in India wrote that the Hindus needed
fl owers every morning for worshipping.
TREE YUGAS

Every Yuga (era or epoch) had a Activity: WISH-FULFILLING
sacred tree: KALPAVRIKSHA
Satya Yuga: Sandalwood Tree
Treta Yuga: Champaka Tree As per Hindu mythology,
Dwapara Yuga: Himsra or Caper Kalpavriksha emerged during the
Bush Tree samudramanthan and Lord Indra
Kali Yuga: Jackfruit Tree took it to heaven. Find out the
names of all the Kalpavriksha
Illustration by Kunjal Agarwal, trees.
Class 8, Dharav High School, Jaipur

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