The Tree of Life: In Sarson Ke Khets of Gurgaon
Don’t get me wrong, I am aware that the tree of life is a mythical tree depicted in art that transcends religion from Jainism, Buddhism, Hindusism and even some of the Abrahamic religions like Islam show the Tree of Life in various art forms ranging from Jali work in mosques to miniature paintings. But for me every tree is a ” Tree of Life “, and nothing symbolises this more than this Babul or Acacia tree that grows around Delhi / Gurgaon and various parts of Aravalis. Now you may wonder why I am considering a thorny tree that grows on wasteland as Tree of life and totally ignoring the sacred trees that are mentioned in sacred texts, and are worshiped for wish granting properties ranging from ” A suitable Boy for the fair maiden, fasting every Monday to the ones where one ties sacred threads or hangs prayers & wishlishts in little red bundles with a promise to come back and untie the same once the wish is granted.
Nobody worships an Acacia, nobody plants an Acacia , nobody wants an Acacia, yet it is there, with seeds dispersed with winds and it taking root in the most barren of the land, with inch long thorns even the goats respect it, though that does not stops them from munching on the juicy leaves, while carefully avoiding the inch long white thorns. While I have all the respect for the fables and mystical stories, the reason I consider the Indian Acacia as the true Tree of Life is for it plays host to countless birds specially small birds who make there nest in the thorny branches, knowing very well that the common predators will think twice before trying to climb those branches.
***** Note: The Indian Acacia is a native tree that is found in most of the subcontinent, Arabian Peninsula and most of Africa, its botanical name is > Vachellia nilotica
and should not be confused with Vilayti Keekar or Mexican Acacia that is an invasive species and an obnoxious pest in most of India. *****
To know the complete stroy of this visit and how I clicked this tree visit this link here >>> Gurgaon & the last Sarson Ke Khet
If you have ever fallen in love then you will know that no desi Love Story is complete without some dream sequence in Sarson ke Khet, thanks to DDLJ, generations of desis dream about crooning in the mustard fields.
Here is a different image of the same tree on Instagram
I am joining Parul Thakur for #ThursdayTreeLove every second and fourth Thursday of the month. If you would like to play along, post a picture of a tree on your blog and link it back to her latest #treelove post.
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Your article is very informative. I learn many things by reading your article.
Thanks…
I agree Acacia tree is tree of life for many. Not just this, Acacia trees nourish the soil by fixing nitrogen and restoring fertility. Loved this बबूल का पेड़ in the सरसों के खेत.
What a pretty shot this is and yes, the love shot in sarson ke khet. Thank you for bringing India to life and the India I miss these days. Waiting to get to the end of this dark tunnel.
I hope to see you back tomorrow for the next edition, Prasad!
I liked your idea of considering the Babul tree as the tree of life. 🙂 I feel every tree is the tree of life in its own way as it always gives something fruitful. The pictures are so bright and cheerful.
That’s a beautiful picture. And what a lovely home the birds of that tree have! Ah! rooms with a view of the Sarson Ke Khet. 🙂
Indeed yes… We have more than one Acacia sp growing in the hills around Pune and its interesting trying to identify them from each other. They flourish on the hills with little or no care, happy to fend for themselves and thrive too.