Nellikkai

Planted in the memory of Surendranath Banerjee on the occasion of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav

Overview & Habitat

Phyllanthus emblica, commonly known as Indian Gooseberry or Amla, has long fascinated scientists and traditional healers.
Native to tropical and Southern Asia, this deciduous tree belongs to the Phyllanthaceae family.
It holds significant cultural and medicinal value.

The tree of Phyllanthus emblica is modest, usually reaching up to 8 m in height.
Its bark is mottled, and its branchlets are finely pubescent, stretching between 10 cm and 20 cm, shedding leaves seasonally.
The leaves are closely arranged along the branchlets, giving a feather-like appearance despite being simple and subsessile.
The greenish-yellow flowers are understated, with the real focus on the fruit: a nearly spherical, hard, greenish-yellow berry marked by six vertical stripes.
Wild fruits weigh around 5.5 g, while cultivated counterparts can weigh up to ten times more, reaching as much as 56 g.

For centuries, Phyllanthus emblica (amla) has played a central role in culinary, medicinal, and religious traditions across Asia.
The fruit is harvested in the autumn, often by hand, and is consumed raw or cooked in various forms.
In South Asia, pickling is a popular preservation method, and amla is often added to dishes like dal.
Amla is also candied into a sweet, syrup-soaked preparation known as amle ka murabbah, consumed after meals for its supposed digestive benefits.
In the Batak region of Sumatra, the tree’s bark is used to impart a characteristic bitterness to a traditional fish soup called holat.
In Ayurveda, both dried and fresh amla fruits are staple ingredients in traditional remedies, contributing to its centuries-old reputation as a “superfood” long before it became a marketing buzzword.

Phyllanthus emblica (amla) holds deep cultural significance, especially in religious texts.
In Buddhist literature, the fruit is symbolically linked to the vast scope of Buddha’s knowledge.
The Śatapañcāśatka compares Buddha’s understanding to holding an amla fruit in the palm of one’s hand, reflecting the simplicity and complexity of his insight.
Emperor Ashoka made a symbolic final offering of half an amla fruit to the Buddhist community, marking a profound gesture of humility.
In Hinduism, the tree is intertwined with the Trimurti – the sacred trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
According to legend, Myrobalan trees sprouted from the tears of Vishnu’s consort Lakshmi and Shiva’s consort Parvati during a moment of shared devotion.
The Amalaka Ekadashi festival honors Vishnu through the veneration of the Myrobalan tree.

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