Spanish Cherry is also known as Bullet-wood Tree and Indian Medaller. It is a very popular and fragrant flower and in India in every language it has more than one name. It is called Bakul, Bolsari,Tendu, Maulsari in Hindi, Kirakuli in Urdu, Bohl and Bokul in Bengali, Bakuli in Marathi, Barsoli in Gujrati, Bakulam, Elangi, Makuram in Malayalam, Kalhale, Kesara, Mugule, Pagademara, Ranjal, Pokkalathu in Kannada, Kesara, Parijatamu, Nemmi, Pogada in Telugu, Alagu, Ilanci, Kesaram, Magilam in Tamil. There are a lot of names given to this fragrant beauty in Sanskrit like Sinhakeshara, Anangaka, Bakulah, Chirapushpa, Dhanvi, Dohala, Kantha, Gudhapushpaka, Karuka, Keshara, Madhugandha, Madhupanjara, Madhupushpa, Mukula. In Oriya we call it Baula Phula. Its Botanical Name is Mimusops Elengi.
This is a large glabrous evergreen tree with 50 feet in height & 1 meter circumference. The bark is thick and dark brownish or greyish black in colour. The wood inside the bark is hard and heavy and it is reddish grey on the outside and dark red on the inside. The Leaves are glossy, dark green, smooth and elliptic and are 2 to 4 inch long and 1 to 2 inch wide. Yellowish, white and very fragrant flowers are of one inch diameter. Flowering occurs in April and May. Fruits One inch long and oval fruit is green, astringent and with milk when unripe. It turns yellow and it tastes astringent and sweet. Fruition occurs in rainy season. The fruit contains one and occasionally two oval, brown and shiny seeds. Fruits are eaten fresh.
Various parts of the tree have medicinal properties. The bark, flowers, fruits and seeds are acrid, astringent, cooling, anthelmintic (killing or ejecting intestinal worms), tonic, and febrifuge. It is used in the treatment and maintenance of oral hygiene. Rinsing mouth with water solution made with bakul helps in strengthening the teeth. It also prevents bad breath and helps keep the gums healthy. Make powder of the flowers and apply it on the skin to make it smooth. The squash of these flowers cures infertility in women. It is also useful for treatment of cystorrhoea, leucorrhoea, menorrhaggia, urethrorrheoa, bleeding disorders of other organs like uterus (Metroragia). It is used for treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery. intestine (colitis) etc. Seeds and dried flowers are used in constipation. Extract of flowers is used against heart diseases. The flowers possess expectorant properties and when smoked relieve asthma. The flowers of this tree are mixed with oil and used to make perfumes.
This wonderful tree of the Indian subcontinent is a valued variety because it provides a dense shade which keeps the vicinity cool and during the months from March to July it fills the air around with the heady fragrance of its flowers. In the morning the fragrant flowers drop to the ground. People living in their proximity love to collect them as they retain their sweet fragrance for hours after they drop. They are offered in temples throughout the country.
Bakul Tree
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The tree always invokes in my memory the scene of my maternal uncle’s village which has a unique location. It is situated on a mountain top. We go their climbing the mountain because it had no motorable road (recently 10 yrs ago it has been made). It’s really a picture of antiquity. May be because of being a natural fort the king used it as his residential citadel. See the photos I have given here. The palace is also there which is going to ruins to my pain and dismay.
The entrance of my mother's village (name:Balarampur). This stone pandal is sacred on which annual festival of Dola Purnima is celebrated
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The ancient palace in ruins |
The geographical wonder is that on the top of the mountain there is water source (one pond and five wells) to feed 100 houses which comprises this little ancient fairytale village. There is temple of Lord Jagannath there. In front of the temple there is a huge bakul tree. It is the regular council seat of the village elders where they pass their time in sleepy languor far from the madding crowd.
The temple and the trees around it
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I haven't been there since years but I still remember the cool fragrance and the sacred surrounding. It instills a strange peace which permeates into your body, mind and memory for all your life.
I wish such peace pervades this dear earth. Amen!