Banyan usually means the Indian banyan and is the National tree of the Republic of India. The leaves of the banyan tree are large, leathery, glossy green and elliptical in shape. Like most of the fig-trees, the leaf bud is cover by two large scales. As the leaf develops the scales fall. Young leaves have an attractive reddish tinge.
Palm Trees: The Symbol of Peace, Triumph And Victory
A banyan is a kind of fig. It usually starts life by growing on another plant as an epiphyte. Its seeds germinate in the cracks and crevices on a host tree, or on other structures like buildings and bridges. The seeds of banyans are disperse by fruit-eating birds. The seeds germinate and send down roots towards the ground. Once the roots get to the ground, they suck up nutrients and grow faster and thicker. Older banyan trees are characterize by aerial prop roots that mature into thick, woody trunks, which can become indistinguishable from the primary trunk with age. Old trees can spread laterally by using these prop roots to grow over a wide area.
This tree is consider sacred in India and can be seen near a temple or religious center. It is a generally big tree and gives shade to travelers in very hot summer months. An old custom offers worship to this tree as they have faith and believe in god. Accordingly to religious studies in Hinduism, the leaf of the banyan tree is said to be the resting place for the Lord Krishna.
Furthermore in the Bhagavat Gita, Lord Krishna said, “There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down, and the Vedic hymns are its leaves. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.” If one stands on the bank of a river or any reservoir of water, he can see that the trees reflected in the water are upside down. The branches go downward and the roots upward. Similarly, this material world is a reflection of the spiritual world. The material world is but a shadow of reality. In the shadow there is no reality or substantiality, but from the shadow we can understand that there is substance and reality.
Deforestation | The Removal of Trees: Respect The Mother Nature
The banyan tree is also consider sacred and is mention as vat vriksha in Sanskrit. The god Shiva as Dakshinamurthy is nearly always depict sitting in silence under the banyan with rishis at his feet. It is thought of as perfectly symbolizing eternal life due to its seemingly unending expansion.
Information Source References 1 & 2
Image Source: google Images
Leave a Reply