What is the difference between peepal tree and banyan tree

The small fruits of the two species are an important food item for various birds, including blue-headed barbet Psilopogon asiaticus , red-billed blue magpie Urocissa erythrorhyncha , and rosy starling Sturnus roseus , and also for monkeys, including rhesus monkey Macaca mulatta and bonnet macaque M.

To Buddhists, pipal is a symbol of nirvana enlightenment. One day, about B. For five years, he had been wandering the roads of northern India, searching for an answer to a question, which had bothered him for years: Why were people suffering? Foot-sore, he sat down to rest in the shade of a huge pipal tree, determined not to leave, before he had found a satisfying answer to his question.

For 49 days and nights he sat here, deep in meditation. Then he got up, convinced that he had found the answer. From this day, he travelled about, preaching his new philosophy to a growing crowd of followers. Over the following centuries, a village, named Bodhgaya, sprung up around this tree, and many Buddhist temples were built here. Today, thousands of pilgrims travel to Bodhgaya each year to revere a sacred pipal tree here, which is a direct descendant of the ancient Bodhi tree.

Pipal and banyan — two sacred fig trees. This banyan Ficus benghalensis in the botanical garden of Kolkata, eastern India, is the largest of its kind in the world. Banyan trees usually refer to the Indian banyan trees which has the scientific name Ficus benghalensis. They are very large evergreen trees, in fact the largest in the world in terms of circumference, and they are found commonly in the Indian sub continent.

They have strong aerial roots which turn woody as they grow up. In India these trees are planted near roads as large shading trees which can give shelter to numerous birds as well as the tired travelers. The Indian Banyan trees are considered very sacred in Hinduism. Apparently, the leaves and other parts of sacred figs are used in many traditional medicines too, although honestly I am not very well aware about the exact uses of the Indian banyan trees and peepal trees in medicines.

If at any time, I could gather more information on the use of banyan trees and peepal trees with regards to medicine and such, I will add them to the article. Peepal tree or pipal tree is a very similar species with the scientific name Ficus religiosa. This is also a tropical tree which is evergreen, and it grows very large and woody in time and it is considered very sacred too. Peepall trees are also very large trees which can be grown as shading trees.

Both Indian banyan trees and the peepal trees are very similar species, in fact different varieties with in the fig trees, with much similarity in appearance and other features. The major noticeable difference being in the appearance of leaves. Even though the roots of peepal trees also grow deep and large and woody in time, they are not aerial. The most important thing to be known about the Indian banyan trees and the peepal trees is that both the trees are considered very sacred by Hindus and Buddhists and they are often planted together in the temple surroundings.

The picture in the introduction module is downloaded from Wikimedia Commons Image, which shows a Peepal tree in the front area and an Indian banyan tree in the background. As I mentioned above, Indian banyan trees and peepal trees are considered very sacred trees by both Hindus and Buddhists.

In Hindu legends, there have been mentions about sages who go into 'tapas' or deep mediations for years, under these trees. It is also believed that, Buddha got enlightenment while he was praying under a peepal tree, and so it is also called as 'Bodhi' tree.

Actually not every peepal tree is supposed to be called as a Bodhi tree, a peepal tree can be called so only if its origin can be traced back to that of the original Bodhi tree under which Buddha got the enlightenment.

All these beliefs might be due to the fact that, these large trees would have provided the best environment for prayers and meditation for even sages and saints, since they are the best trees that can provide shades.

This can also be related with a belief which says that your mind will be the most clear and you can think without any stress if you meditate or even spend some time near these trees. Another fact that supports this theory is that the leaves of these trees can freshen the polluted air, and since these are very large trees, the air surrounding the trees will be the most fresh, always, which in turn can help people improve their concentration and clear the negative thoughts, thus bringing positive energy to the mind and body.

In many parts of rural India, it is still a tradition to gather under a banyan tree or peepal tree when there are issues to be discussed and decisions to be made. In many places, especially in temples, a raised floor is built around these giant trees, where people can sit, take rest or even sleep.

There are many stories from history, where people describe about using banyan trees and peepal trees as shelters. The above picture from Wikimedia Commons Image shows monks praying near the peepal tree or Bodhi tree.

It is believed that the largest banyan tree in the world is located in the Botanic garden in Kolkata, India. This is known as the Great Indian Banyan tree which is more than years old and it covers an area of about 4 acres.

In fact the tree was hit by a lightning in which resulted in the splitting of the main trunk. However, the tree still continues to grow even though it looks like individual trees. The tree covers about a circumference of half a kilometer and it has about aerial roots. The average life span of an Indian banyan tree is thought to be more than years, although no valid records of this can be cited.

According to the studies, these trees may live up to even years. The banyan trees usually reach a height of about 30 meters, however in terms of circumference, an almost grown tree can cover an area of about 1 acre. The trees have flowers and fruits, but these are not edible. This will help in treating ear infection. Take half spoon of peepal fruit sacred fig powder thrice a day with milk. This will help in treating impotence and provide strength to the body. The Peepal is also known as the Sacred Fig, and the peepal botanical name is Ficus religiosa.

The Banyan, or Vata Sanskrit , and Peepal varieties are treated as Male and Female counterparts of each other, which is why they are often cultivated in close proximity. Banyan has similar uses and is treated as a remedy for:. You can build your own skincare routine by these products. Already have Account?

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Gifts By Category. Gift Ideas. View all Gifting. Peepal Tree and Ayurveda Ayurveda explains how every part of the sacred fig tree can be used for holistic wellbeing. Few common uses of peepal leaves are: Treating persistent skin itching Repairing Dry, cracked heels Treating boils, pimples, and blackheads The bark of the Peeple tree, rich in vitamin K, is an effective complexion corrector and preserver; which makes bark extractions valuable for: Strengthening blood capillaries and minimising inflammation Healing skin bruises faster, and increasing skin resilience Treating pigmentation issues, wrinkles, dark circles Lightening surgery and pregnancy marks, scars, and stretch marks.

Benefits and Uses of Peepal Tree 1. For Asthma The bark of the Peepal plant and its ripe fruits are helpful for treating asthma. For poor appetite Eating ripe fruits of the Pipal tree is helpful in treating poor appetite and burning sensation in the stomach.

For stomach pain Peepal leaf is a magical antidote when it comes to treating stomach ailments. For eczema and itching Did you know that peepal tree bark can be used for preparing tea that is helpful in treating eczema and itching? For a brighter complexion The powder prepared from peepal tree barks can be used as face packs by combining it with gram flour. For cracked heels Simply apply the milk extracted from the Peepal tree or extract of its leaves on the affected areas to cure cracked heels.

For toothache Prepare a rinse by boiling Peepal tree bark and Banyan tree bark in equal quantity in water. For eye pain Extract the milk from peepal tea leaves and apply it on your eyes to cure eye pain. For constipation Adding peepal tree fruit the sacred fig to your daily diet is a great way to get relief from constipation. For diarrhea One of the biggest benefits of the Pipal tree for health is in treating bleeding diarrhea.