About Palash
Palash
Palash tree is a unique symbol of Indian forests, it is an integral part of our history and culture. It finds mention in our art, literature and ancient text like Puranas. Palash (Butea monosperma) tree is found in 18 states of India.
It mostly grows up to 15 meters height in the forest. The tree trunk can be straight or crooked in shape. In 10 years it grows to around 20 cms in thickness.
It mainly grows in areas where temperature remains between 4 to 49 degrees Celsius. It can grow in many kind of soil like black, clay, gravel, and alkline and moist. It can easily cope up with dry season and grows well even after cutting it down.
It is linked to the spring Basant season in our country because it blossoms during this season, Holi is also celebrated during the same time and Palash flowers are used to make coloured water and Gulal for playing Holi. Its flower is fleshy and remains fresh for quite some time even after dropping to the ground. Colour and shape of its flower is unique and beautiful.
It is a dominant tree in many parts of its range and is found in good number in those areas. This creates an image of fire because of its red colour and pointed flower which look like a flame tongue because of which it is also known as ‘Flame of the Forest’ in English. The pointed flower and its colour also matches with Parakeet beak and because of which it is called ‘Kimshuk’ in Sanskrit, which means ‘Is this a Parrot?’. The flowers are also used as offering to gods.
Plates and other utensils are made from its leaves. The flowers are soaked in water to take bath from that water which is supposed to be an excellent moisturizer and an antidote for skin aliments of children. Roots are used to make ropes-http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Butea+monosperma. It is also used to secure dam bund from washing down during rains. Colour extracted from its flowers can also be used to colour various foods file:///G:/DOWNLOADS/2-5-11-121%20(2).pdf . Sharbat can be made after soaking flowers in water https://www.downtoearth.org.in/firstfood/recipedetails.html?cid=59308. It is a useful medicinal plant https://www.pharmatutor.org/articles/butea-monosperma-traditional-medicinal-plant-overview. Its dried branches are used for havan.
Sunbird
The story of Palash Blossom Festival is incomplete without the Sunbird as they developed together for millions of years.
The Palash flower has lots of nectar in it and it attracts a lot of birds and animals like a magnet. And one among them is the Indian Purple Sunbird, which is found throughout our country. It will be proper to say that the Sunbird is a shining jewel of avian world.
They are active all the time flitting from flower to flower for the nectar. They get this energy from high energy nectar taken from flowers of various trees and shrubs. Apart from nectar they also devour spiders and other small insects. Nuptial dance of the male is quite eye catching, it opens up brush like red and yellow feathers hidden under the shoulder of wings and displays them to the female. Sunbird helps in pollination of Palash flower (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4244857/)