Vriksh Sankalpa – Nature Our Teacher is an eco-yogic series talking of nature, culture and learning to inspire everyone not just to think but also to act.
Hari Om. I am Palm Tree. In India I am known as the Palmyrah. My botanical name is Borassus flabellifer. I am known as the tropical beauty. I have a huge family called Arecaceae or Palmae with 2,600 species mostly found in coastal areas. We come in all shapes and sizes, from small, fat shrubs to skinny, thin towering trees. My grand-parents’ species the Quindio, the wax palm, the national tree of Colombia, is the tallest species. It reaches heights of about 200 feet.
The areca palm family has a fairly small lifespan of 40 to 50 years, while the popular coconut palm lives between 70 and 100 years, and most date palms can hang on for 100 to 120 years, and some can reach even 200 years of age. It is true you find me in coastal areas, but I am everywhere let me explain how.
Starting with my medicinal importance, such as treating breast cancer, diabetes, hypertension, inflammation and cognitive function I am the very oil you use in cosmetics and to relax your body. I am also in an astounding number of foods, from ice cream to pizza dough, margarine, cookies, and chocolate. I am in some of your favourite fruits and quick bytes like Acai berries, Chilean palm wine, which is extracted from the sap in the trunk, betel nuts, snake palm fruit, California fan palm fruit, coconut, ice apple and dates, and you also use my palm leaf baskets to collect my fruits I am everywhere you see.
This relation with me is not only from today. My relationship with history is vast. Tree worship is practised around the globe. We see it in the Sumer, Maya and Indus valley civilizations, to name a few. India is a wonderful country where tree worship is practised till today with the same love and fervour as it was 2,500 years ago. The 2,000 year old ancient Sangam Tamil literature and Sri Lanka’s chronicle The Mahavamsam specifically say that my family and its trees are abodes of Gods.
I also inhabit nearly every type of habitat within my range, from beautiful rainforest to the very dry deserts. I am also the palm leaf that was used for writing ancient scriptures and preserving literature. Speaking of my scientific importance, during lunar and solar eclipse times, the Brahmin priests ask people to wear the Palmyra leaf with a written mantra over their foreheads. This is to remove the evil effects of the planets. In today’s world where there is mental stress and not much family time, I purify the air and keep the environment away from negativity. I keep you and your family full of positive vibes, so your family grows with time and becomes stronger and better which is why I am also known as the fortune plant.
But I am extremely sad that my species is becoming endangered day by day despite our uses and benefits. Some of my species in Madagascar, such as the Tahina Palm and Manambe palm, and even the loneliest palm of Mauritius, are almost extinct, which is why I need your help to protect my family and yours as well. So bye-bye, and please think of us. Jai Ho!
So that was the Palm Tree telling its story. Are you aware that it is called Karpaga Taru, Wish-Fulfilling Tree, since no part of the tree is useless. While understanding the concept of wish-fulfilling tree, I also realized that humankind and the biodiversity of nature has a requirement of water, textiles and various things and Palm Tree provides us all the resources and does its best to SERVE. Similarly, we should also try to serve the planet Earth, including Palm Trees.
Now I will request you to please recite the pledge as you read; and don’t forget to fill in the blank:
I ________________________ promise to SERVE the planet and help in protecting the Palm Tree. I will hereby take good care of the environment and protect planet Earth by planting more trees, spreading environmental awareness and living a yogic-sustainable lifestyle. |
To help you, here are some questions for you to check how well you understand the importance of the Palm Tree in your life and how well you fulfil your pledge. Remember, you should not only think but also act. This is your weekly Tick Box for your Eco-Resolution Diary:
Prasiddhi Singh, born in 2012, is mantra dikshit from Swami Niranjanananda and India’s youngest environmentalist. She has planted 100,000 trees and has received many awards and distinctions: 1. Founder and Social Entrepreneur; 2. Prime Minister National Child Awardee (India’s Highest Civilian Honour under 18); 3. Diana Awardee (Global Social Action Award); 4. Global Child Prodigy Awardee; 5. Fruit Forest Creator of India – India Book of Record; 6. Brand Ambassador – Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, Tamil Nadu Government; 7. Brand Ambassador of the Green Tamil Nadu Mission; 7. TEDx and Harvard Model United Nations Speaker.