Bodhi Tree - Ficus religiosa (Latin)
MOROCEAE

Local Names: Aswastha (Oriya), Jari (Bathuli), Pipal (Kandha)

Description of the Plant: Large tree. Flower colour red. Flowers in February. Fruits in May / June. Widely found in uplands and plane area.

Plant Parts Used: Root / Bark / Leaf / Fruit.

Healthcare Properties:

  1. Dog bite: Grind the bark of Ficus religiosa and make a paste. Smear this paste on the affected area twice a day till it cures.
  2. Earache: Take six leaves of Ficus religiosa and show their petioles in fire. After some time leaf juice are coming through these petioles. Collect the leaf juice in a pot. Drop this juice two times a day in the ear for one day only.
  3. Fever: Grind together the root of Ficus religiosa with root of Scoparia dulcis, seven numbers of black pepper one clove, one big cardamom and make a paste. Take this paste orally with honey only once.
  4. Head ulcers (In pediatrics): The bark of Ficus religiosa is grinder with water to make a paste. Mix three granules of salt to this paste. Boil this paste in 100 ml water. The boiling is continued till 25 ml of solution remains. Rub this solution over the head of pediatrics. (K-15) [OR-1-3-536]
  5. Heart attack: Swallow eight ripe fruits of Ficus religiosa at a time in each day. Continue this process for a month. It acts as a preventive to heart attack. (N-3) [OR-1-5-663]
  6. High blood pressure: the bark of Ficus religiosa is soaked in water overnight. Filter it in the morning and take this water orally just after brushing the teeth. This process is continued for three days.
  7. Otalgia: The leaf of Ficus religiosa is rolled like a cone, and a burning charcoal is put in that. After some time leaf juice are come out. Collect this leaf juice by a plate. Put this juice drop by drop in the ear.
  8. Otorrhoea: Take seven leaves of Ficus religiosa and show the petioles in the fire till it warms. After some time leaf juice will ooze out. Collect these juice in a pot. Drop this juice in the ear (six drops at a time).
  9. Toothache: Grind the root of Ficus religiosa and make a paste, apply this paste on the aching tooth.
  10. Weakness (in pediatrics): Grind the bark of Ficus religiosa with cow milk. Mix a small amount of gorchina (which is said to be drived from the liver of cows), to it and make a tonic. Administer this tonic orally one teaspoonful daily for three days.
  11. Wound: Powdered the dried bark of Ficus religiosa. Spray this powder on the wound twice in a day till it cures.

Other Usage's:

  1. Ripe fruits of Ficus religiosa are edible (used by Kandha's in Kandhamal district)

User Communities:

  1. Bathuli (ST), Gopala (OBC) in Keonjhar district.
  2. Bhumia (ST) in Malkangiri disrict.
  3. Gauda (OBC), Paroja (ST), Brahmin (G), Bhumia (ST) in Koraput district.
  4. Kandha (ST) in Kandhamal disrict.
  5. Khandayat (G) in Rayagada disrict.
  6. Santal (ST) in Mayurbhanj district.