The Horse 2020/21

Ficus religiosa or sacred fig is a species of fig native to the Indian subcontinent and Indochina  that belongs to Moraceae, the fig or mulberry family. It is also known as the bodhi tree,pippala tree, peepul tree, peepal tree or ashwattha tree (in India and Nepal).The sacred fig is considered to have a religious significance in three major religions that originated on the Indian subcontinent, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Hindu and Jain ascetics consider the tree to be sacred and often meditate under them. This is the tree under which Gautama Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment. The sacred fig is the state tree of the Indian states of Odisha and Haryana.

Ficus religiosa is a large dry season-deciduous or semi-evergreen tree up to 30 metres (98 ft) tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 3 metres (9.8 ft). The leaves are cordate in shape with a distinctive extended drip tip; they are 10–17 centimetres (3.9–6.7 in) long and 8–12 centimetres (3.1–4.7 in) broad, with a 6–10 centimetres (2.4–3.9 in) petiole. The fruits are small figs 1–1.5 centimetres (0.39–0.59 in) in diameter, green ripening to purple.

Ficus religiosa is native to most of the Indian subcontinent – Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and India including the Assam region, Eastern Himalaya and the Nicobar Islands, as well as part of Indochina – the Andaman Islands, Myanmar and Peninsular Malaysia. It has been widely introduced elsewhere, particularly in the rest of tropical Asia, but also in Iran, Florida and Venezuela.

Ficus religiosa suitably grows at altitudes ranging from 10 metres (33 ft) up to 1,520 metres (4,990 ft). Due to the climatic conditions which are prevalent throughout different heat zones, it can grow at latitudes ranging from 30°N to 5°S. It can tolerate air temperatures ranging between 0 °C (32 °F) to 35 °C (95 °F), beyond this upper limit its growth diminishes. It grows on a wide variety of soils but preferably needs deep, alluvial sandy loam with good drainage. It is also found on shallow soils including rock crevices

Environmental benefits of Peepal Trees

Ecologically, Peepal Tree provides ample Oxygen, purifies the surrounding, kills harmful bacteria, control soil erosion, improve soil structure and its fertility, it is also dust and sound absorbent. Worshipping trees implies that trees too are a part of the cosmos like us and are serving earth selflessly.

Benefits and Uses of Peepal Tree
For Asthma. The bark of the Peepal plant and its ripe fruits are helpful for treating asthma.
For poor appetite. 
For stomach pain. 
For eczema and itching. 
For a brighter complexion. 
For cracked heels. 
For toothache. 
For eye pain. 

Sandalwood is a class of woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and, unlike many other aromatic woods, retain their fragrance for decades. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the woods for use. Sandalwood is often cited as one of the most expensive woods in the world. Both the wood and the oil produce a distinctive fragrance that has been highly valued for centuries. Consequently, some species of these slow-growing trees have suffered over-harvesting in the past.

Sandalwood must be distilled so that the oil can be extracted from within. Many different methods are used, including steam distillation, water distillation, CO2 extraction, and solvent extractions. Steam distillation is the most common method used by sandalwood companies. It occurs in a four-step process, incorporating boiling, steaming, condensation, and separation. Water is heated to high temperatures (60–100 °C or 140–212 °F) and is then passed through the wood. The oil is very tightly bound within the cellular structure of the wood, so the high heat of the steam causes the oil to be released. The mixture of steam and oil is then cooled and separated so that the essential oil can be collected. This process is much longer than any other essential oil's distillation, taking 14 to 36 hours to complete, but generally produces much higher quality oil. Water, or hydro, distillation is the more traditional method of sandalwood extraction which involves soaking the wood in water and then boiling it until the oil is released. This method is not used as much anymore because of the high costs and time associated with heating large quantities of water.

Indian sandalwood is very sacred in the Hindu Ayurveda and is known in Sanskrit as chandana.

The wood is used for worshipping the god Shiva, and it is believed that goddess Lakshmi lives in the sandalwood tree. The wood of the tree is made into a paste using sandalwood powder, and this paste is integral to rituals and ceremonies, to make religious utensils, to decorate the icons of the deities, and to calm the mind during meditation and prayer. It is also distributed to devotees, who apply it to their foreheads or necks and chests.[19] Preparation of the paste is a duty fit only for the pure, so is entrusted only to priests when used in temples and during ceremonies.

The paste is prepared by grinding wood by hand with granite slabs shaped for this purpose. With the gradual addition of water, a thick paste forms (called kalabham "കളഭം" in Malayalam language and gandha ಗಂಧ in Kannada) and is mixed with saffron or other such pigments to make chandanam. Chandanam, further mixed with herbs, perfumes, pigments, and some other compounds, results in javadhu. Kalabham, chandanam, and javadhu are dried and used as kalabham powder, chandanam powder, and javadhu powder, respectively.

Environmental benefits of Sandalwood trees
Clean Air: Trees absorb pollutant gases such as carbon dioxide and potentially harmful gasses, such as sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide from the atmosphere which cleans the air and improves the quality of living in a locality which leads to health benefits to the people.

Sandalwood may offer some health benefits as well. Sandalwood oil comes from the wood and roots of Santalum album, or the East Indian sandalwood tree.

For example, research suggests that sandalwood may help:
increase alertness.
manage anxiety.
support wound healing.
guard against skin cancer.
fight bacteria.

Sandalwood oil is also frequently incorporated into religious ceremonies or spiritual practices. Buddhists believe that the scent of sandalwood can help maintain alertness and focus during meditation.

The Banyan Tree (Ficus benghalensis) is the National Tree of India.

The leaves of the banyan tree are large, leathery, glossy, green, and elliptical

A banyan, also spelled "banian", is a fig that begins its life as an epiphyte, i.e. a plant that grows on another plant, when its seed germinates in a crack or crevice of a host tree or edifice.

The banyan tree is monoecious, male flowers and female flowers are distinctly borne on the tree.

The hanging structures that support the banyan tree are called prop roots. roots develop from tree branches hang downwards and ultimately penetrate the ground,thus provide support to heavy branches.

The national tree of a country is one of the symbols of pride that is integral to the nation’s identity. Indian fig tree, also known as Banyan tree (Ficus bengalensis) is the National tree of India, whose branches root themselves like new trees over a large area. The tree is revered as sacred in Hindu philosophy. The roots then give rise to more trunks and branches. Because of this characteristic and its longevity, this tree is considered immortal and is an integral part of the myths and legends of India. The tree is often symbol of the fabled 'Kalpa Vriksha' or the 'Tree of Wish Fullfillment' as it is associated with longevity and has important medicinal properties.

National Tree of India: Importance
➤ In Hindu religion, the banyan tree is considered sacred and is called “Ashwath Vriksha” (“I am Banyan tree among trees”- Bhagavad Gita). It represents eternal life because of its seemingly ever-expanding branches.

➤ The banyan tree is also called kalpavriksha meaning ‘wish fulfilling divine tree’.

➤ The banyan is part of the coat of arms of Indonesia. It is meant to symbolize the unity of Indonesia: one country with many far-flung roots

➤ Older banyan trees are characterized by their aerial prop roots which grow into thick woody trunks which, with age, can become indistinguishable from the main trunk.

➤ Old trees can spread out laterally using these prop roots to cover a wide area.

Like other fig species, banyans bear their fruit in the form of a structure called a "syconium". The syconium of Ficus species supply shelter and food for fig wasps and the trees depend on the fig wasps for pollination.

Frugivore birds disperse the seeds of banyans. The seeds are small, and because most banyans grow in woodlands, a seedling that germinates on the ground is unlikely to survive. However, many seeds fall on the branches and stems of other trees or on human edifices, and when they germinate they grow roots down toward the ground and consequently may envelop part of the host tree or edifice. For this reason banyans bear the colloquial name "strangler fig".

Environmental uses of Banyan Trees

Banyans are ecological linchpins. They produce vast crops of figs that sustain many species of birds, fruit bats, primates and other creatures, which in turn disperse the seeds of hundreds of other plant species. ... Independent India made the banyan its national tree. Hawaii's banyans are not native.

Health Benefits of Banyan Tree

Treats diarrhoea. ...
Prevents tooth decay and gum disease. ...
Boosts immunity. ...
Prevents inflammation. ...
Prevents depression. ...
Treats vaginal infections. ...
Anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. ...
Lowers cholesterol.

Its leaf, bark, seeds and fig are used for the variety of disorders like diarrhea, polyuria, dental, diabetes and urine disorders. ... They can also be taken internally to cure diarrhoea and dysentery.

TULSI

Tulsi, Tulasi or Vrinda (Holy Basil) is a sacred plant in Hindu belief. Hindus regard it as an earthly manifestation of the goddess Tulsi; she is regarded as the avatar of Lakshmi, and thus the consort of the god Vishnu. In other legends, she is called Vrinda and distinct from Lakshmi. In the story, she married Jalandhara. The offering of its leaves is mandatory in ritualistic worship of Vishnu and his avatars like Krishna and Vithoba.

Many Hindus have tulsi plants growing in front of or near their home, often in special pots or a special masonry structure known as Tulsi Vrindavan as this is related to their culture. Traditionally, Tulsi is planted in the center of the central courtyard of Hindu houses. The plant is cultivated for religious purposes, and for its essential oil.

Tulsi Medicinal Uses & Benefits
Promotes Healthy Heart. Holy basil contains vitamin C and antioxidants such as eugenol, which protects the heart from the harmful effects of free radicals. ...
Anti-aging. ...
Treats Kidney Stones. ...
Relieves Headaches. ...
Fights Acne. ...
Relives Fever. ...
Eye Health. ...
Oral Health.

[Tech-Nick note: Please upload your pictures into the media library first and use it from there (folder "Team Christ", thx!] 

CARDOMOM 

Cardamom (/ˈkɑːrdəməm/), sometimes cardamon or cardamum, is a spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to the Indian subcontinent and Indonesia. They are recognized by their small seed pods: triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin, papery outer shell and small, black seeds; Elettaria pods are light green and smaller, while Amomum pods are larger and dark brown.

Species used for cardamom are native throughout tropical and subtropical Asia. The first references to cardamom are found in Sumer, and in the Ayurvedic literatures of India. Nowadays it is also cultivated in Guatemala, Malaysia, and Tanzania. The German coffee planter Oscar Majus Klöffer introduced Indian cardamom to cultivation in Guatemala before World War I; by 2000, that country had become the biggest producer and exporter of cardamom in the world, followed by India.

Uses
Both forms of cardamom are used as flavourings and cooking spices in both food and drink, and as a medicine. E. cardamomum (green cardamom) is used as a spice, a masticatory, and in medicine; it is also smoked

Food and beverage

Besides use as flavourant and spice in foods, cardamom-flavoured tea, also flavoured with cinnamon, is consumed as a hot beverage in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, with an intensely aromatic, resinous fragrance. Black cardamom has a distinctly more smoky, though not bitter, aroma, with a coolness some consider similar to mint.

Green cardamom is one of the most expensive spices by weight but little is needed to impart flavour. It is best stored in the pod, as exposed or ground seeds quickly lose their flavour. Grinding the pods and seeds together lowers both the quality and the price. For recipes requiring whole cardamom pods, a generally accepted equivalent is 10 pods equals ​1 1⁄2 teaspoons of ground cardamom.

It is a common ingredient in Indian cooking. It is also often used in baking in the Nordic countries, in particular in Sweden, Norway, and Finland, where it is used in traditional treats such as the Scandinavian Yule bread Julekake, the Swedish kardemummabullar sweet bun, and Finnish sweet bread pulla. In the Middle East, green cardamom powder is used as a spice for sweet dishes, as well as traditional flavouring in coffee and tea. Cardamom is used to a wide extent in savoury dishes. In some Middle Eastern countries, coffee and cardamom are often ground in a wooden mortar, a mihbaj, and cooked together in a skillet, a mehmas, over wood or gas, to produce mixtures as much as 40% cardamom.

In Asia, both types of cardamom are widely used in both sweet and savory dishes, particularly in the south. Both are frequent components in spice mixes, such as Indian and Nepali masalas and Thai curry pastes. Green cardamom is often used in traditional Indian sweets and in masala chai (spiced tea). Both are also often used as a garnish in basmati rice and other dishes. Individual seeds are sometimes chewed and used in much the same way as chewing gum. It is used by confectionery giant Wrigley; its Eclipse Breeze Exotic Mint packaging indicates the product contains "cardamom to neutralize the toughest breath odors". It is also included in aromatic bitters, gin, and herbal teas.

CINNAMON

Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus Cinnamomum. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, breakfast cereals, snackfoods, tea and traditional foods. The aroma and flavour of cinnamon derive from its essential oil and principal component, cinnamaldehyde, as well as numerous other constituents including eugenol.

Cinnamomum verum, from Koehler's Medicinal-Plants (1887)

Close-up view of raw cinnamon
Cinnamon is the name for several species of trees and the commercial spice products that some of them produce. All are members of the genus Cinnamomum in the family Lauraceae. Only a few Cinnamomum species are grown commercially for spice. Cinnamomum verum is sometimes considered to be "true cinnamon", but most cinnamon in international commerce is derived from the related species Cinnamomum cassia, also referred to as "cassia". In 2018, Indonesia and China produced 70% of the world's supply of cinnamon, Indonesia producing nearly 40% and China 30%

The English word "cinnamon", attested in English since the fifteenth century, derives from κιννάμωμον ('kinnámōmon', later 'kínnamon'), via Latin and medieval French intermediate forms. The Greek was borrowed from a Phoenician word, which was similar to the related Hebrew word קינמון ('qinnāmōn').

The name "cassia", first recorded in late Old English from Latin, ultimately derives from the Hebrew word q'tsīʿāh, a form of the verb qātsaʿ, 'to strip off bark'.

Early Modern English also used the names canel and canella, similar to the current names of cinnamon in several other European languages, which are derived from the Latin word cannella, a diminutive of canna, 'tube', from the way the bark curls up as it dries.

Cinnamon bark is used as a spice. It is principally employed in cookery as a condiment and flavouring material. It is used in the preparation of chocolate, especially in Mexico. Cinnamon is often used in savoury dishes of chicken and lamb. In the United States and Europe, cinnamon and sugar are often used to flavour cereals, bread-based dishes, such as toast, and fruits, especially apples; a cinnamon and sugar mixture (cinnamon sugar) is sold separately for such purposes. It is also used in Portuguese and Turkish cuisine for both sweet and savoury dishes. Cinnamon can also be used in pickling and Christmas drinks such as eggnog. Cinnamon powder has long been an important spice in enhancing the flavour of Persian cuisine, used in a variety of thick soups, drinks, and sweets.

Cinnamon Is High in a Substance With Powerful Medicinal Properties. ...
Cinnamon Is Loaded With Antioxidants. ...
Cinnamon Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties. ...
Cinnamon May Cut the Risk of Heart Disease. ...
Cinnamon Can Improve Sensitivity to the Hormone Insulin. ...
Cinnamon Lowers Blood Sugar Levels and Has a Powerful Anti-Diabetic Effect.

Greetings to all, this is to inform you all that we are collaborating with Anabel and Karla from Zurich and will be comparing the different types of medicinal plants and their benefits. A Whatsapp group has been formed for effective and efficient communication. Thank you so much Anabel and Karla for offering the collaboration! We are also welcoming more teams, anyone who is interested, can collaborate with us for the same
Thanking you,
- Aaron, Tanya, Jyothilakhshmi & Abhishek