Article
We Must Cherish Our Natural Legacy
- Dr (Ms) Sharad Singh
Writer, Author & Social Activist
Blogger - "Climate Diary Of Dr (Ms) Sharad Singh"
What is our natural legacy? Are you have think about it? Just think! Flowers, trees, rivers, mountains, birds, crickets, black-bees and many living and non-living things are our natural legacy. It is only because of the existence of all these that there is life on this planet. This creates biodiversity and gives birth to the ecosystem. Our ancestors knew the importance of nature very well, that is why they linked it to our customs and traditions. There are many evidences of this in mythological texts. But in the race of modernity, we are forgetting the importance of these traditions and festivals. We make fun of them by calling them backward and are damaging our natural heritage.
Just a few days ago, one of my friends built another room in the courtyard of her house. To build the room, he cut down the guava tree in the courtyard, whereas that tree gave many guavas. I told her that she had to get some designing done which would save the tree and also make the room. She said that this tree was planted because of the vacant land, it had to be cut one day or the other. It was more important for us to get the room built. Will give this room on rent from which rent will be received every month. Her words put me to thought wondering what is more important for us, trees and plants or a few rupees. Whereas nowadays this type of home designing is done in which trees do not have to be cut and the house is also built. My friend told me that earlier too she had to cut a tree which was a Parijat tree with beautiful flowers. I felt sadder. I have remembered those mythological stories which mention the flowers and trees of Parijat. In fact, we not only cut down trees but also cut down our natural legacy.
Parijaat is a flower. It is mentioned in poems, there are stories related to this flower in mythological texts. Small, fragrant white flowers bloom on the Parijat tree at night. It has white colored flowers while the flower stem is orange in colour. By morning these flowers fall on their own. Its flowers appear from August to December. Its botanical name is ‘Nyctanthes arboristris’.
Parijat flowers have special importance in Ayurveda. It is said that by inhaling the fragrance of its flowers for a month, depression goes away. Its leaves and flowers are also used to increase digestive power. Its flowers are used in arthritis. Along with this, problems arising in bones also go away. This flower is the state flower of West Bengal, and is also known as Parijat, Shefali, Siuli and as Coral Jasmine in the West Bengal, . It is called Harigore in Mithila region of Bihar. In Assam it is called Hevali, in Sri Lanka it is called Sepalika. In Kerala, where it is called Pavijahamalli in Malayalam, in Thailand it is commonly called Night-flowering Jasmine.
Parijat appears in many Hindu religious stories and is often related to the Kalpavriksha (Tree of heaven). This tree appears in Bhagwat Purana, Mahabharata and Vishnu Purana. When Dhritarashtra gave exile to the sons of Pandu, the Pandavas resided in the forest here with their mother Kunti. To worship Lord Shiva, Mother Kunti expressed her desire to bring Parijat flower from heaven. As per his mother's wish, Arjun took this tree from heaven and established it here.
The second mythological belief is that once Shri Krishna along with his queen Rukmini came to Raivatak mountain for the fasting ceremony. At the same time Narad brought with him the Parijat flower in his hand. Narad presented this flower to Shri Krishna. Shri Krishna gave this flower to Rukmini and Rukmini put it in the bun of her hair, on this Narad praised and said that after putting the flower in the bun, Rukmini started looking a thousand times more beautiful than her aunts. Seeing this, Shri Krishna's second wife Satyabhama demanded the entire Parijat tree. After which Lord Krishna requested Indra to give him the Parijat tree. But Indra rejected his request. After which, on the insistence of Satyabhama, God attacked heaven sitting on Garuda. In this war, Satyabhama and Krishna fought together and defeated all the gods and Lord Krishna himself held Indra's hands and made his thunderbolt stand erect. It has been a special gem among the 14 gems. According to Hindu beliefs, Lord Hari is also adorned with the flowers of the Parijat plant.
Harivansh Purana, the tiredness of the dancer of Indrasabha Urvashi would go away just by touching it. Goddess of wealth Lakshmi is very fond of Parijat flowers. It is also believed that if these flowers are offered to Goddess Lakshmi during worship, she becomes very happy. As per Hindu mythology, Indra, the King of Devas, took Kalpa Taru or Parijat tree to Indraloka and planted it in his garden and gifted it to his wife, Indrani. Since then, the tree is referred to as Tree of the Universe and its flowers are considered as the Jewels of Gods.
A special thing about Parijat flowers is that only those Parijat flowers are used in the worship which automatically falls on the ground. These flowers are not plucked from the plant and offered in worship, whereas other flowers are plucked from the plant and offered in worship. If other flowers have fallen on the ground, they are not considered worthy of worship.
How do we cut down flowering trees of such special importance? These trees are our natural legacy. These are related to our religion and our faith. Yet we commit the heinous crime of getting them cut, that too in the greed of earning a few rupees? Today there are very few people who know about the Parijat tree because the shrinking gardens and diminishing vegetation have made many such trees extinct from the cities which are quoted in our Puranas. This means that we are falsifying our mythological past. When there is no evidence left, trees like Parijat will be considered imaginary.
Trees are an integral part of Indian culture. In our mythological texts, serving trees is considered equivalent to serving parents. And for plantation, it has been said that one tree is equal to a hundred sons. There are many such festivals in our Indian culture in which trees are worshiped like gods and votive threads are tied on those trees. In the race of modernity, we are forgetting the importance of these traditions and festivals. We make fun of them by calling them backwardness whereas such festivals strengthen the relationship between man and nature. We don't even think of harming those with whom we are close. That is why our ancestors had linked faith and customs with trees and plants.
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(24.09.2023)
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