Kalpavriksha

A study about Kalpavriksha (Parijjat), which is said to be a only tree on Earth.

1. KALPAVRIKSHA “A DIVINE TREE”

2. Kalpa is a Sanskrit word meaning an Aeon ,originally meant , “ Vital Force ” or a relatively long period of time ( in Hindu Cosmology). Kalpavriksha trees referred as –1.PARIJAAT 2.PEEPAL TREE 3.BANYAAN TREE 4.COCONUT TREE These trees give food, shelter, water as vital force to human kind and other creatures. In India Peepal, Banyaan, Coconut trees are found in sufficient numbers so every Indian is familiar with these kind of trees. But PARIJAAT is a very rare kind of tree.

3. “PARIJAAT” THE GRAND SYMBOL OF INDIAN MYTHOLOGY The P arijaat tree is considered to be a divine tree which blooms occasionally ( usually after June). It is believed that Parijaat is one of in fourteen gems which were found in churning of sea. King of Gods Indra established this tree in Heaven. It is mentioned in Mahabharata that during the war mother of Kauravas pray to Lord Shiva and offer him the golden flower but on the other hand Pandavas were on their unknown exile, they did not have any wealth for making the golden flower so Arjuna bring this tree from heaven and established on Earth. Kunti used to offer it’s flower to Lord Shiva.

4. “ PARIJAAT” It’s Location The parijaat tree is located in the kintur village, which is in the Barabanki district, disrtict is situated about 30 Km. from the capital city Lucknow , Uttar Pradesh(225001), India. Kintur is about 38 Km from Barabanki and was name after Kunti who was the mother of the Pandavas in the epic Mahabharat . There are several temples around the place and the tree is located near one such temple that was established by Kunti.

5. The parijaat tree at Kintur village, Barabanki, U.P. India (225001)

6. Specification The P arijaat tree is considered to be a divine tree which brooms occasionally (usually after ganga dussehera in the month of july)with flowers that are white on blooming and turn yellow and drying. It is a unisex tree which can’t be grown by plantation of its offshoots and it doesn't produce either it’s seeds or fruits. The leaves of the tree in the lower portion have five tips like the finger of our hands and the upper portion having seven.

7. The parameter of trunk of this tree is around 50 feet and it’s height is close to 45feet. In Botany, the Parijaat tree is named as Adansonia digitata due to its resemblence to the A dansonia class of trees. His class has 8members with six being found in the African continent and two in the Arabian peninsula and Australia rspectivelly. Tress of this class reach heights up to 100feet and their trunk’s diameters range from 23-36feet. The other common name for A dansonia digitata is B aobab.

8. The parameter of trunk of this tree is around 50 feet and it’s height is close to 45feet.

9. Maintenance It has been the centre of attraction of Botanists over the year and several efforts have been made to prevent it from dying. In 2010 there was a committee formed by the Uttar Pradesh government to save the tree from attacks from moths and insects. Being located in a remote village doesn’t help its cause as it hinders the importance it deserves.

10. Now the maintenance is conduct by forest department Uttar Pradesh. To seeing its rareness, it is announced as a reserve property of forest department by U.P.government. For the protection of the tree, a 5member panel of experts from the N arendra D ev university of agriculture and technology, Faizabad , Surveyed the tree on 26-october-2010 leading the panel head of department ofcrop soicology , Akhtar Hussain Khan compile a report citing the problems that plague the tree and ways to protect and preserve the plant variety

11. For the protection of the tree the strict instruction is given by District Megistrate that it is not allowed to pluck branch, leaves and flowers of that tree.

12. It is not allowed to offer any type of water, flower or any religious material to the tree.

13. In his effort to save the P arijat tree, Khan will work along with soil scientist TPS Katiyar, etymologist HN Singh, plant pathologist DK Chakravarty and AK Saxena from the department of forestry. The panel of scientists, which collected samples of soil and tissue will also present a report on the types of insects damaging the pant and mineral deficiency in the soil. Mr. Khan said this type of other trees are also exist in other part of india but which qualities are found in Barabanki, Parijat tree are not found in other P arijat tree.

14. It would not be surprising to find the most of the people in the country may not be aware that grand symbol of Hindu mythology exist in this remote village of U.P. The sight should be actively promoted and maintained by the concerned department of the government of India and the space government and the village locals.

15. Stamp Of Parijat tree issued by the INDIAN POSTAL DEPARTMENT.