Page 4 - apr-june2016

In the continent of the
JaMbuDViPa - laND oF Fruits Jamun trees, where
the land of India
“The great night of Siva is the most sacred time for fasts, prayers, and offerings, when Jambudvipa lies...
even the most involuntary acts, if pleasing to Siva, are made holy. There was a poor – Indian ritual invocation
hunter once, who happened to take shelter during the night in Siva’s sacred Bael tree. He
was delivered from the encumbrance of all previous existences.”
-The Siva Purana, 7th century A.D

COCONUT BAEL

family: Palmaceae family: Rutaceae
Sanskrit Name: Narikela Sanskrit Name: Bilva
Hindi Name: Nariyal Hindi Name: Bael
The sanskrit name for coconut is The bael fruit is described to
sriphala which means the ‘fruit of be so sacred that its wood is
prosperity.’ Coconut is considered as not used as fuel. The bael is
a symbol of auspicious beginnings. It considered to be lord shiva’s
is split into half before starting any Illustration by: H. Arshini tree (a tall tree with dark leaves,
auspicious work. In coastal regions, Sai, Angappa, CBSE, Sr. and fruits resembling pale sun). The trifoliate leaves
fishermen offer coconuts to the sea School, Coimbatore symbolizes three eyes of lord shiva. Bael leaves are
to venerate lords of winds and water, Varuna for smooth offered to lord shiva especially on the occasion of
sailing. Coconut is a very important part of wedding shivaratri.
rituals. The nut itself is taken as a symbol of life. In south
India, coconuts occupy a special place in their rituals and Bael fruit is associated with goddess lakshmi. The
customs. It is believed that the marks on the coconut fruit is also mentioned in the rig Veda. According to
a popular legend, sweet beads fell and created bael
represent the three-eyed lord shiva.
trees while goddess Parvati was churning the oceans
H. Arshini Sai, Angappa CBSE Sr. Sec. School, Coimbatore and creating life on the earth.

JAMUN BER

family: Myrtaceae family: Rhamnaceae
Sanskrit Name: Jambu Sanskrit Name: Gudaphala
Hindi Name: Jamun Hindi Name: Beri, Ber
According to the Ber is considered as poor
Mahabharata, jamun is man’s apple. Ber is also one
considered to be a cosmic of the fruits that is offered to
tree located to the south of lord shiva during shivaratri.
Mount Meru. It is said that the Indian Jujubes or ber are
name Jambudvipa or continent of central to the puja of goddess
jamun trees was kept after a divine episode wherein the saraswati during Basant Panchami
jamun tree’s ripened fruit burst and its juice fell in the in west Bengal. It is said that Maharana Pratap survived
form of waterfalls making a river. In the ramayana, lord on ber when he was at war with emperor Akbar.
rama is said to have survived on jamun for 14 years. lord During the construction of sri Harminder sahib, guru
Krishna’s blue skin is likened to the jamun, which perhaps Arjan Dev meditated under the ber tree. In Amritsar
is one of the reason why temples dedicated to Krishna there is a tree called ‘Dukh Bhanjani Beri’, it is believed
also house jamun trees. that if someone bathes under this tree, his sorrows will

Vanshika Sharma, VIII-A, Bhatnagar International School, Vasant Kunj, go away.
New Delhi

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