Banyan Tree

The Barh or Banyan (Ficus bengalensis) tree, belonging to the family Moraceae, is considered sacred, because it lives for eons. It is said to be the ‘immortal tree of India’. The name was originally given to F.bengalensis when early travelers observed that the shade of the Banyan was sought and used for meetings by banias or Indian traders from Bengal. From time immemorial, poets and mystics of India have been eloquent in singing the praises of this tree.

Seals dating back to Mohenjadaro also depict the Banyan tree, leading researchers to conclude that the reverence of Banyan trees in Hinduism could have come from the religion of the Indus valley.

The banyan often grows to a height of over 21 meters. The banyan tree has large leaves and small blossoms followed by cherry like scarlet fruit which provides food for birds and monkeys. A fruit, much like the edible fig, grows on the banyan tree, but it is not good to eat.

Sometimes the Banyan fig is called a fruit without a flower. Where are the blossoms? You will need X-ray vision to find a Banyan flower. That's because they are hidden inside the fig. The blossoms are very small and hundreds of them spend their entire lives inside the fig. The flowers have a unique friend called a fig wasp. Each kind of Ficus (fig tree) has its own special species of wasp attached to it. The wasp's job is to pollinate the fig flowers. The wasp enters the fig through a natural hole in the top of the fruit, and lays its eggs. When the insects hatch and leave their home they become covered with pollen. Then they make their way into another fig and fertilize its blossoms, making sure it will produce seeds.

The banyan tree grows in a peculiar way. Birds drop its seeds into the top branches of other trees. The seeds sprout in the treetops and the banyan tree begins life as an epiphyte on the host tree, gathering its nourishment and water from the air and branches to develop. Eventually, the lateral branches send roots down to the ground. These supports then enlarge into trunks and develop new branches. A single tree may spread over a large area and look like a small forest.

The Sanskrit name for Banyan is Vata (to surround) and it is said to be bahupada, meaning 'one with many feet'. It is often called the ‘walking tree’. Another name for Kubera, the treasurer of the gods, is Vatashreya (one who lives in the Banyan Tree).

This epiphytic pattern is looked upon by Hindus as a holy union but it marks the beginning of a long struggle between the so-called strangling fig and its host. From as high up as one hundred feet, the roots grow around, and band the trunk of the host, until eventually, after many years or even decades, the host will die, leaving the banyan supported by roots that are often as large as the sturdy trunks. Though not a parasite, the strangler figs flourish at the expense of other trees.

In Hinduism the banyan tree represents immortality and there are many stories about it in ancient literature. In the 'Bhagavad Gita’, Krishna uses the banyan tree as a symbol, to describe the true meaning of life, to the warrior Arjuna. It is regarded as a sin to destroy this tree. ‘I am the seed of all existence. There is no being, moving or still, that exists without Me.' says lord Krishna.

A simple, pure hearted, shoemaker lived in the shade of a huge banyan tree, that resembled a small forest. He was a devotee of Vishnu. One day Vishnu sent Narada, his messenger, to visit the shoemaker. No one important ever came to visit him and he was very awed. Narada sked if he had any questions. All the shoemaker could think to ask was -- 'what was Vishnu doing when you saw him'. Narada had been told to say (beacuse Vishnu foresaw the question), he was threading an elephant through the eye of a needle. The shoemaker laughed and said only Vishnu could do that. Narada smiled at his simplicity and said it was impossible. The shoemaker picked up a Banyan seed from beneath the tree and said 'The world is full of miracles. Look at this tiny seed. Inside it is a tree as large as the one above us. It is just waiting to come out. If Vishnu can squeeze a whole Banyan tree into this tiny seed, surely he can thread an elephant through the eye of a needle.' Narada realized that the simple cobler was indeed very wise.

In the tale of Satyavan and Savitri, Satyavan lost his life beneath the branches of a banyan tree. Savitri courageously entered into a debate with Yama, the God of Death, and won her husband's life back.

The Buddhists believe that it was under a Banyan tree that Buddha attained enlightenment and that is why they call it Bodhi tree meaning 'tree of enlightenment.'

The banyan tree is beautiful and strong. It is a symbol of eternal life and wisdom. The process of an individual’s personal growth and development is much like the growth of the banyan tree. When it first grows, it has a single trunk or support system. Then as time passes, new experiences (branches and roots) occur, and take deeper root as skills and wisdom develop. The new experiences reach out by sending down new roots that sway in the breeze until they reach the ground and take root. The support system of the individual spreads, as the roots deepen and become themselves new trunks to support further personal growth and development. Through a willingness to gain new skills and develop additional and deeper roots, the tree (or self) becomes much more than one had ever imagined. Past, present and future intertwine, as do the roots and branches, under the flourishing canopy. The story of the tree is as the story of one’s life, continually growing and expressing the wisdom inherent in the necessary risk of growing.

Banyan trees provide a source of shellac and dye. Shellac is produced by lac insects which live as parasites on the banyan trees.
A whole Banyan leaf is applied to external parts of the body that are red and inflamed. The leaves of the banyan tree yield ficusin and bergaptene. In Ayurvedic, Unani and Siddha medicine, the milky latex from the stems and leaves of the banyan tree is applied to bruises and to parts of the body that are causing pain.

Many parts of the tree are used in caring for the teeth. For example, the latex is applied to the gums to treat toothache and twigs are sold as toothpicks in markets in parts of India and Pakistan. These twigs can be used to physically clean the teeth and they are chewed to help keep the teeth clean and also to prevent gum diseases.