Post No. 11,908
Date uploaded in London – – 16 APRIL 2023
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
https://www.pustaka.co.in/home/author/london-swaminathan
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Alandi is a pilgrimage town near Pune in Maharashtra. The state is full of pilgrimage centres and shrines like Tamil Nadu. It is the location of Shiva temples like Trayambakeswar, Bhimashankara, Mahalakshmi temple and Ashta Vinayaka Ganesh temples. Recently the Mahalashmi Temple and Siddhi Vinakya Temple of Mumbai /Bombay, Saibaba Samadhi (tomb) in Shiradi are also attracting thousands of pilgrims every day. From the days of Veera Shivaji, who established Hindu Samrajya, after weakening the gangs of Moghul emperor Aurangzeb, these places have become more popular.
Like Tamil Nadu has lot of places associated with Alvars and Nayanmars (Tamil Vaishnavite and Saivite saints) hundreds of places in Maharashtra are also sanctified by the visits of Nivruthi, Jnanadev, Sopana, Mukthabhai, Eknath, Namdev, Tukkharam and Samartha Ramdas, Guru of Veera Shivaji.
Saints Nivruthi, Sopana, Muktabhai were siblings of Jnaeshwar (also spelt Dnyaneswar).
Alandi is the place where there is a Samadhi (tomb) and temple of Jnaeshwar (also spelt Dnyaneswar). There is a tree botanically identified as Ehretia laevis.
It belongs to Family: Boraginaceae
commonly known as: ovate-leaved ivory wood • Gujarati: વઢવારડી vadhavaradi • Hindi: भैरी bhairi, चामरोड़ chamror • Konkani: kalo gamdo • Malayalam: ചരണ്ടി caranti • Marathi: अजानवृक्ष ajaanvruksha, धतरंग dhatrang • Nepali: datingal • Oriya: mosonea • Sanskrit: चर्मवृक्ष charmavriksha • Tamil: குருவிச்சை kuruviccai, ஒருசாதிமரம் oruvakai-maram, பட்டைவிரசு pattaivirachu • Telugu: తెల్లజువ్వి tellajuvvi
Native to: China, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam
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Dnyanesvar or Jnaneswar was a great Marathi poet , philosopher and saint who lived 700 years ago. His work Jnaesvari is very popular in Maharashtra.
The tree Ehretia laevis is called Ajaana Vriksha in Sanskrit. The tree in the temple complex is said to have sprung from his staff. His devotees believe that it is a wisdom tree like Bodhi/Pipal tree of Buddha and Tamarind tree of Tamil saint Nammalvar.
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For the past few centuries, the devotees have been celebrating a procession of Jnanesvar’s Padukas (shoes made up of wood) to Pandharpur Vittal Temple.
A news item to this effect says
Ajan Trees (Ehretia laevis) are to be planted by a spiritual organization where the Palki (palanquin) of Sant Dnyaneshwar halts overnight during the 21-day Pandharpur Yatra. It is believed that Sant Dnyaneshwar took Samadhi under an Ajan tree at Alandi in Maharashtra.
“There is an Ajan tree (Ehretia laevis) at Alandi which has religious significance. This tree is not commonly found in these parts. We are planning to use cuttings from the original tree and plant them as a part of Mauli Harit Abhiyan,” said Sachin Punekar, founder president of Biospheres.
One sapling of the Ajan tree will be planted at all of the places where the palki halts overnight during the 21-day procession. Since it is widely thought of as a tree of wisdom, a sapling will also be planted at all important educational institutions along the way, he added.
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News items and articles in medical journals also revealed that the tree has a lot of medicinal vales. Tribes and village people have been using them for long in Maharashtra.
Here is a report form Journal of Indian Medical System
Ehretia laevis is a small tree generally found in Asia and Australian tropics. Leaves of Khanduchakka are applied to ulcers and in headache. In periphery of Wardha, it is used for fracture healing, wound healing, and other purposes.. Research-based evidence shows that Ehretia laevis is used for the management of wound or ulcer, but there is no research evidence found regarding fracture healing.
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Another research article says,
Ehretia laevis Roxb. (Boraginaceae) has been extensively used as a traditional remedy for the treatment of a diverse range of ailments related to the respiratory system, the gastrointestinal tract, the reproductive system, and against several infections. This review critically assesses and documents, for the first time, the fragmented information on E. laevis, including its botanical description, folklore uses, bioactive phyto metabolites and pharmacological activities. The goal is to explore this plant therapeutically. Ethnomedicinal surveys reveal that E. laevis has been used by tribal communities in Asian countries for the treatment of various disorders (Article by Pooja Sharma: Phytochemical and Ethnopharmacological Perspectives of Ehretia laevis)
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A third research paper says,
Abstract
Many herbal plants are mentioned in Ayurveda for wound healing. Folklore medicine for various ailments
including wound healing is being practiced in India. Ehretia Laevis Roxb. contains many such chemical
compounds useful for promotion of healing & repair. Tissue renewal goes hand in hand with inflammation influenced by multiple processes. Ehretia Laevis Roxb. called Khandu Chakka & Ajan Vruksha and traditionally being used for wound healing, body pain & minor fractures in the form of local application by folklore in the state of Maharashtra India. Objectives of the present study is to know the effect of Ehretia Laevis Roxb. in the wound healing on the histological parameters in animal model. Phenytoin ointment as a control was used. The present study has found put that leaf extract paste of Ehretia Laevis Roxb. has enhanced the process of wound healing ascertained on histological parameters as compared to topical phenytoin application. Ehretia Laevis Roxb. paste is found to be immensely useful at wound healing as compared to Phenytoin. Ehretia Laevis Roxb. is concluded to promote the healing significantly as observed by feature of granulation, collagenisation & re epithelisation of the wounds suggesting early healing by primary intension
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it is amazing that Jnaneswar knew all these things and so sat under this tree to attain Mukti at the age of 21. Like the boy saint of Tamil Nadu, Tiru Jnana Sambandar, Jnaneswar also did lot of miracles in his short span of life. His association with Ajana Tree may also be considered a medical miracle.
–subham—
Tags- Jnaneswar, Dnyaneswar, Alandi, Ajana vrksha, Tee, Ehretia laevis
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