Thanks a lot Usha mam for the reference. This is the same thing which Mr. Tanay told. I didnt try for searching as I didnt find the request relevant enough to spend time out of my hectic work. But I am spending time
As far as my knowledge is concerned, I came to know about this from a very learned guy whose expertise is as much as many senior scientists of India and he quoted the reference of vedas or vedic period. Apart from being a very eminent taxonomist, he also has one of the strangest hobbies of collecting stories behind the name of plants and their origin. May be, Mr. Tanay or someone at Shantiniketan or someone nearby to that place would be able to tell us how far this knowledge goes in the history. This was one of many such stories which he told me and obviously it was based on his knowledge and scientific backup! Many plants are being used showing it to be of mythological significance, but at the same time, it does have a scientific background too. Just one of my hypothesis would be, MAY BE because degrees are usually a paper which remains with you for your life time and Alstonia leaves could be an insect repellent....just a wild thought.... The tree is also called Devils Tree, MAY BE because Coffins are made from the wood of this tree. Now who is going to check the reference about who used it as a coffin first!! Anyways, for some "IGNORANCE IS A BLISS", on second thought, "LET IT BE, AS FAR AS IT BRINGS HAPPINESS TO THEM!". Regards Pankaj On Wed, Jan 12, 2011 at 2:47 PM, Usha Desai <[email protected]> wrote: > Here there is information re graduation certficates at Shantiniketan > [ref."Sen"trees of Mumbai page 123] > 'A leaf of the Saptparni adorning the certificates of graduates of the > Shantiniketan University ,became a practce ever since Indira Gandhi, the > then Prime Minister attended a convocation as the chief guest,which was as > usual held under the shade of this very tree.So impressed was she tby the > umbrella of shade that she recommanded that the pracise be adopted,so as to > imprint the contribution of the tree in the minds of the students along with > the scripted name of the university." > thanking you all.Usha Desai > > On 12 January 2011 12:11, Rashida Atthar <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Thankyou for this info. Promila ji. Yes slates, blackboards, these uses of >> its wood has led to the Scholaris name. >> >> regards, >> Rashida. >> >> On Tue, Jan 11, 2011 at 6:45 PM, promila chaturvedi >> <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> The Blackboards, which were used in the classes in my time, weremadefrom >>> Scholar's tree. Hence the name Alstonia scholaris. >>> Kiran Ji, choping the braches of trees is ban in Delhi. If somebody does >>> it without forest department's writtenpermision can be sued, and the penalty >>> is one year jail or Rs. 80,000=00 fine or both. >>> Promila >>> >>> On Tue, Jan 11, 2011 at 1:24 AM, tanay bose <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>>> >>>> This is still a practice in Viswa Bharati university >>>> shantiniketan, west bengal India >>>> Tanay >>>> >>>> On Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 10:59 AM, Pankaj Kumar <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Its called SCHOLARIS because, the old times plates of leaves were >>>>> exclusively used to give away degrees to the students. >>>>> Pankaj >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 8:37 PM, tanay bose <[email protected]> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> > The state tree of Bengal >>>>> > tanay >>>>> > >>>>> > On Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 6:14 AM, Pankaj Kumar >>>>> > <[email protected]> >>>>> > wrote: >>>>> >> >>>>> >> One of the local names of Alstonia scholaris is CHHATIM or CHATNI >>>>> >> CHAAL. >>>>> >> The bark is supposed to be very useful for blood purification >>>>> >> especially in case of diabetes or Jaundice in Jharkhand as well as >>>>> >> in >>>>> >> Ayurveda. Thats why Mr. Nalwade must have seen bark scrapping. >>>>> >> Pankaj >>>>> >> >>>>> >> >>>>> >> On Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 7:41 PM, kiran srivastava >>>>> >> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >> > A little trivia: Large branches of the big Alstonia scholaris tree >>>>> >> > behind >>>>> >> > the house I temporarily stay in Delhi was cut down ostensibly to >>>>> >> > allow >>>>> >> > the >>>>> >> > sun rays on the flower bed in the small park. Apparently, the >>>>> >> > local >>>>> >> > garden >>>>> >> > community had this tree trimmed by the NDMC authorities. But it >>>>> >> > wouldn't >>>>> >> > surprise me if branches of trees are cut to allow the sun in >>>>> >> > winter to >>>>> >> > warm >>>>> >> > up courtyards that are otherwise completely blotted from the the >>>>> >> > sun. I >>>>> >> > have >>>>> >> > seen it happen. Before it was trimmed the flowers were within >>>>> >> > touching >>>>> >> > distance from the 2nd floor terrace. >>>>> >> > There are several trees such as Semul (Bombax malabaricum) and >>>>> >> > Siris >>>>> >> > (Albizia lebbek) growing in small, old colony roads whose branches >>>>> >> > have >>>>> >> > spread widely blocking sunlight in homes. They could be trimmed >>>>> >> > especially, >>>>> >> > if old people want to sit out and soak in the sun during Delhi's >>>>> >> > winters...and this winter its really cold. >>>>> >> > Cheers, >>>>> >> > Kiran Srivastava >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > On Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 7:08 PM, Rashida Atthar >>>>> >> > <[email protected]> >>>>> >> > wrote: >>>>> >> >> >>>>> >> >> Ajay ji according to info. in the book 'Trees of Mumbai' pg 51 >>>>> >> >> ..." In >>>>> >> >> olden days the wood of this tree was used to make slates for >>>>> >> >> children, >>>>> >> >> hence scholaris." The book further adds "The dita bark of the >>>>> >> >> tree is >>>>> >> >> used >>>>> >> >> in Indian medecine for treating asthma and heart ailments, fever >>>>> >> >> and >>>>> >> >> diarrhoea.During the Diwali festival, the bitter bark is >>>>> >> >> consumed >>>>> >> >> before >>>>> >> >> eating sweets to neutralize the excessive intake of sugar." >>>>> >> >> regards, >>>>> >> >> Rashida. >>>>> >> >> >>>>> >> >> >>>>> >> >> On Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 2:54 PM, Ajay Nalawade >>>>> >> >> <[email protected]> >>>>> >> >> wrote: >>>>> >> >>> >>>>> >> >>> We noted Some Bark scraping in Konkan region. >>>>> >> >>> Can anybody tell for which purpose this bark is used??? >>>>> >> >>> >>>>> >> >>> On Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 1:51 PM, Arijit Banerjee >>>>> >> >>> <[email protected]> >>>>> >> >>> wrote: >>>>> >> >>>> >>>>> >> >>>> Alstonia scholaris in fruit, >>>>> >> >>>> Patuli, Kolkata, India >>>>> >> >>>> 8 January 2011 >>>>> >> >>>> >>>>> >> >>>> The fruits do look quite similar to those of Wrightia tinctoria >>>>> >> >>>> (Khirni) >>>>> >> >>>> >>>>> >> >>>> Arijit Banerjee >>>>> >> >>>> >>>>> >> >>> >>>>> >> >> >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> >>>>> >> >>>>> >> >>>>> >> -- >>>>> >> *********************************************** >>>>> >> "TAXONOMISTS GETTING EXTINCT AND SPECIES DATA DEFICIENT !!" >>>>> >> >>>>> >> >>>>> >> Pankaj Kumar Ph.D. (Orchidaceae) >>>>> >> Research Associate >>>>> >> Greater Kailash Sacred Landscape Project >>>>> >> Department of Habitat Ecology >>>>> >> Wildlife Institute of India >>>>> >> Post Box # 18 >>>>> >> Dehradun - 248001, India >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> > -- >>>>> > Tanay Bose >>>>> > Research Assistant & Teaching Assistant. >>>>> > Department of Botany. >>>>> > University of British Columbia . >>>>> > 3529-6270 University Blvd. >>>>> > Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4 (Canada) >>>>> > Phone: 778-323-4036 (Mobile) >>>>> > 604-822-2019 (Lab) >>>>> > 604-822-6089 (Fax) >>>>> > [email protected] >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> *********************************************** >>>>> "TAXONOMISTS GETTING EXTINCT AND SPECIES DATA DEFICIENT !!" >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Pankaj Kumar Ph.D. (Orchidaceae) >>>>> Research Associate >>>>> Greater Kailash Sacred Landscape Project >>>>> Department of Habitat Ecology >>>>> Wildlife Institute of India >>>>> Post Box # 18 >>>>> Dehradun - 248001, India >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Tanay Bose >>>> Research Assistant & Teaching Assistant. >>>> Department of Botany. >>>> University of British Columbia . >>>> 3529-6270 University Blvd. >>>> Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4 (Canada) >>>> Phone: 778-323-4036 (Mobile) >>>> 604-822-2019 (Lab) >>>> 604-822-6089 (Fax) >>>> [email protected] >>>> >>> >> > > -- *********************************************** "TAXONOMISTS GETTING EXTINCT AND SPECIES DATA DEFICIENT !!" Pankaj Kumar Ph.D. (Orchidaceae) Research Associate Greater Kailash Sacred Landscape Project Department of Habitat Ecology Wildlife Institute of India Post Box # 18 Dehradun - 248001, India
