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Dubai’s Peepal choice

It was an astonishment to see the Peepal tree (Ficus Religiosa) on either sides of the road in the Discovery Gardens, a residential area in Dubai.

I went there to see my granddaughter a few days ago. As the name suggest, the area is full of greenery. In fact, attempts are being made to transform the Emirate of Dubai as one of the greenish cities of the world.

The success behind the accomplishment has been possible mainly due to care for others and wisdom of the leadership. The choice of Peepal tree denotes the great depth of knowledge about the tree that is full of medicinal properties and useful in creating healthy environment. His Highness is following the wisdom shown by his father who preferred Neem trees in the Karama area.

The role of shrubs and trees are immense in our life. Like Tulsi (Basil) the queen of herbs, the Peepal occupy almost similar status. The Peepal is most familiar evergreen tree in India highly reverent since ancient time. They encompass deep into the earth and branches reaching the sky-denoting link between earth and heaven.

The Peepal tree attain up to 30m height with extensive green canopy. The tree trunks are light grey and peels out patchy barks. The dark green leaves are heart shaped with long narrow tips measuring upto18x12cm size. They are full of fine network of venations; the dry processed leaves are used by artists for painting to create high value decorative. The first life on the earth was green algae (Spirulina) that appeared around 2.3 billion years ago and proliferated into plant kingdom.

It is wonderful that human heart and heart shaped leaves of Peepal both work continuously for 24 hours.

The saps are useful for treatment of asthma, diabetes, diarrhea and dysentery. The diabetes, sugar and cholesterol are common health problems in the Gulf countries that can be treated with Peepal extracts.

K N Singh, Dubai