Page 5 - Young Intach Jan-March 2022.indd

VOL. 19 No. 1
Treasured Trees DID YOU KNOW?

The Medieval period in India saw considerable Siddi Saiyyed Mosque
representation of sacred trees in Mughal, Rajput, Maratha, in Ahmedabad is famous for its
and Deccan art and architecture. Jali, an intricate latticework
design featuring the Tree of
SOUTHERN STHALA VRIKSHA Life motif of a banyan tree
entwined around
Temples of South India almost always included sacred a date palm tree.
groves and trees around them. The preservation
and worship of ‘Sthala Vriksha’ (sacred temple trees)
is a unique feature of temples in Tamil Nadu, and
neighbouring regions, and has often been mentioned in MUGHAL BAGHS
medieval literature of the South. With the renaissance of gardening in India by the Mughal
rulers beginning with Babur, several plant species,
including sacred trees and fl owers, were planted. Trees
were introduced in Kashmir from Persia by the Mughal
ruler, Jehangir in 1619. He laid out the famous Shalimar
Bagh in Srinagar, with the majestic chinar, cypress and
weeping willow.
The charbaghs (symmetrically designed and lavish
gardens) were meant to be sacred and a reminder of
the Garden of Eden (Paradise). This tradition of creating
charbaghs for the purpose of public welfare by rulers
and offi cials
was considered
sacred as well
as necessary to
attain blessings.
TREE EXPRESSIONS

Illustrations of sacred fl owers
and trees are found in Mughal Activity: Mystical
miniature paintings and texts. Miniature
Carved panels depicting sacred
trees such as cypress and chinar Observe the Rajasthani Miniature below and create
were used extensively in tombs, a story around it using the keywords given. Write
mosques and dargahs. Rajput art about Lord Rama and Guha story.
and architecture also featured RAMA LAKSHMAN SITA GUHA
sacred trees and plants similarly. BANYAN TREE RIVER

The Marathas
greatly revered the tulsi tree, which was
always placed at the centre of the marble
platforms they built to commemorate and
sanctify their high-ranking dead.
M. Jithya Sai, Class 9, Sree Vidyanikethan International
School, Sree Sainath Nagar, Tirupati

Illustration by M. Jithya Sai, Class 9, Sree Vidyanikethan
International School, Sree Sainath Nagar, Tirupati

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