1 ASHWINI Strychnine Etti .. ?..... Nux vomica 2 BHARANI Indian Gooseberry PeruNelli ..Aonla ..

Phyllanthus emblica 3 KRITTIKA Country Fig Aththi .Gullar ..ficus racemosa 4 ROHINI Jamun Naaval ..Jamun ..Syzigium cumini 5 MRIGASHIRSA Milmesha (or, Acacia catechu) Karungal (or, Khair/ Kattha**) 6.ARDRA Long pepper...Thippilli.....Piplamul....Piper longum 7 PUNARVASU Bamboosa Moongil.....Baans....Bamboo 8 PUSHYA Peepul Arasamaram ..Peepal ..Ficus religiosa 9 ASHLESHA Alexandrian Laurel Punnai....Sultana Champa....Calophyllum inopyllum 10 MAGHA Banyan Aalamaram .bargad ..Ficus bengalensis 11 POORVAPHALGUNI Flame of the Forest Palasu Palalsh, Kinshuk Butea monosperma 12 UTTARAPHALGUNI Rose Laurel

Arali Kanail....Nerium Oleander 13 HASTA Hog Plum Kaattuma Amda ..Spondias pinnate 14 CHITRA Bengal Quince Vilvam ..Barna .Crataeva adansonii subsp. Odora (garlic pear) 15 SWATI Queen's Flower Marutham ..Jarul ..Lagerstroemia speciosa 16 VISHAKHA Wood Apple Vila .Kaith ..Limonia acidissima 17 ANURADHA Mimusops Maghizham .Maulshree ..Mimusops elengi 18 JYESHTHA Stunted Jack Kuttipala ..?.....Pinus Banksiana 19 MOOLA Hardwickia Acha ..Anjan ..Hardwickia binate 20 POORVASHADHA Tinospora Vanchikkodi ..giloya, guduchi, amrita.....Tinospora Cordifolia 21 UTTARASHADHA Jack Fruit Pala ..Kathal ..Artocarpus heterophyllus 22 SRAVANA Swallow Wort Erukku ..Madar, Ark... 23 DHANISHTHA Indian Mesquit Vanni ..vilayti

kikar ..Prosopis juliflora 24 SHATABHISHA Indian Oak Kadambu ..Kadamba ..Neolamarckia cadamba 25 POORVABHADRAAPADAI Mango Maamaram ..Aam ..Mangifera indica 26 UTTARBHADRAPADA Neem Vembu ..neem ..Azadirachta indica 27 REVATI Maduca luppai ..Mahua ..Madhuca indica

The Gujarat government has come up with a novel concept to conserve trees. Link them to Hindu mythology and astrology. Using this theme, the forest department has developed several acres of land as a tourist spot in the capital city Gandhinagar, where the planted trees have been associated with stars, planets and zodiac signs. "Our department has developed a special `Punit Van' (holy forest), where trees have been linked with zodiac signs and categorised as per the information in Vedas'', range forest officer (RFO) of Gandhinagar K C Trivedi said. "In Punit Van, about 3,500 trees planted a year back have been linked to astrology in one way or the other'', he said adding that such parallels with tradition had been drawn only to safeguard trees and to spread awareness about them. "According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that like the sun, moon and the planets, even a tree which is in alignment with a person's star sign is considered favourable," Trivedi said. The concept has proved to be so popular that the state government has planned to develop similar smaller `vans' across 141 nagarpalikas (municipal corporations) as part of its celebration of 2005 as an Urban Development Year. The holy forest, which is meant to be a tourist attraction for Gandhinagar, is divided into five large components: Nakshatra Van, Rashi Van, Nav Grah Van and Panchvati Van. The Nakshatra Van which is based on astrology, is circular in shape and has 27 different species of trees representing 27 Nakshatras or constellations which are worshipped by Hindus as demi-gods. Similarly the Rashi Van has trees which

are considered favourable for a particular zodiac sign. For instance, Kher is a favorable tree for Taurus, Banyan for Leos, if one is a Virgo, then Peepal is considered 'auspicious', Trivedi said. The department has drawn out an entire list of trees which have been elaborately classified as per different zodiac signs and has developed a nursery within the 'Punit Van' where visitors can easily get the saplings of these trees. "The cutting of a tree belonging to a person's Nakshatra or zodiac sign is considered ominous for him'', Trivedi remarked. Similarly, nine different species of trees constitute the Nav Grah Van, wherin they represent Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and the two shadowy planets, Rahu (Dragon's head) and Ketu (Dragon's tail). There are also other planets like Uranus, Pluto and Neptune, but they are not accounted for in Hindu astrology, since their influence is not very effective on the human being or nature, the official explained. Panchavati Van also has five tree species: Peepal, Banyan, Billi, Askoka and Amla, which are symbolic of the five elements of the Universe namely, Air, Fire, Water, Wind and Earth.

NAKSHATRA TREES IN DETAILS

Sr. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Nakshatra Name Ashwini Bharani Krittika Rohini Mrig Ardra Punarvasu Pushya Ashlesha Magha Poorva Uttara Moon Sign Aries Aries Aries Taurus Taurus Gemini Gemini Cancer Cancer Leo Leo Leo Lord Ketu Venus Sun Moon Mars Rahu Jupiter Saturn Mercury Ketu Venus Sun Trees/Plant Kuchala Aavali Ambar Jambhali Khair Krushnagus Velu Pimpal Naagchafa Vatt Palas Payari Latin Name Strychnous nux vomica Emblica officinalis Ficus glomerata Syzygium cumini Acacia catechu Aquillaria agalocha Bambusa arundinacea Ficus religiosa Mesua ferrea Ficus bengalensis Butea monosperma Ficus amattiana

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Hasta Chitra Swati Vishakha Anuradha Jyeshta Mool Poorvashadha Uttarashadha Shravan Dhanistha Shatatarka

Virgo Virgo Libra Libra Scorpio Scorpio Sagittarius Sagittarius

Moon Mars Rahu Jupiter Saturn Mercury Ketu Venus

Jaai Bel Arjun Naagkeshar Naagkeshar Sambar Raai Vet Phanas Rui Shashi Valanch Aamra Kadu nimba Moha

Sagittarius Sun Capricorn Moon Capricorn Mars Aquarius Rahu Jupiter Saturn Mercury

Poorvabhadrapada Aquarius Uttarabhadrapada Revati Pisces Pisces

Jasminum grandiflora Aegle marmelos Terminalia arjuna Mesua ferrea Mesua ferrea Conatus wightii Shorea robusta Calamus pseudo-tenuis Artocarpus heterophyllus Calotropis procera Prosepsis speciosa Mitragyna parviflora Mangifera indica Azadirachta indica Madhuca indica

NAKSHATRA TREES LIST

No 01 02 03 04 05 06 Star Ashwini Bharani Krutikka Rohini Mrug Ardra Botanical Name Strychnos Nux-vomica Phyllanthus Emblica Ficus Glomerata Eugenia Jaambolana Acasia Catechu Diospyros melanoxylon Marathi Name kuchla Aavla Umbar Jambhul Khair Krishnagaru

07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Punarvasu Bambusa Vulgais Velu Pushya Ficus Religiosa Pimpal Ashlesha Calophyllum IndophyllumNagchafa Magha Ficus Benghalensis Vat Poorva Butea monosperma Palas Uttara Ficus Tinctoria Payri Hasta Spondias Pinnata Jai Chitra Aegle Marmelos Bel Swati Terminalia Arjuna Arjun Vishakha Mesua Ferrea Nagkeshar Anuradha Mesua Ferrea Nagkeshar Jyeshtha Aporusa lindleyana Saavar Mool Boswellia serrata Raal Poorvashadha Salix Tetraspeama Vet Uttarashadha Artocarpus Heterophyllus Fanas Shravan Calotropis Procera Rui Dhanishtha Moringa oleifera Shami Shatatara Anthocephalus Cadambu Kadamb Poorvabharapda Mangifera Indica Aamba Uttarabhadrapada Azadiracta Indica Kadulimba Revathi Madhuca Longifolia Moha