Jackfruit Tree

The Jackfruit (Palapazham in Tamil) is a species of tree of the genus of the Mulberry family. It is believed to have originated in the Indian southwestern rain forests. Archeological findings have revealed that the Jackfruit Tree was cultivated in India 3000 to 6000 years. Although the Jackfruit Tree is well suited to tropical lands, with careful tending it can also grow in Tiruvannamalai District. I first learnt of this surprising fact some years ago visiting a friend’s house and noticing a very handsome, fruit laden tree in their small compound situated near Thiruvoodal Street, near the busy part of town. 

The Jackfruit is a huge tree that grows to as high as 30 meters, higher than the mango tree. During the season, each tree may bear as many as 250 large fruits making them the largest tree-borne fruits in the world. The fruit varies widely in size and weighs from 3 to 30 kg, and has an oblong or round shape measuring 10 cm to 60 cm in length and 25 cm to 75 cm in diameter.

Jackfruit Tree

In South India two varieties of Jackfruit predominate: varikka and koozha. Varikka has a slightly hard inner flesh when ripe, while the inner flesh of the ripe koozha fruit is very soft and almost dissolving. 

The fruits’ outer surface is covered with blunt thorns like projections, which become soft as the fruit ripe. Its interior consists of orange-yellow coloured edible bulbs. Each bulb consists of sweet-flavored sheaths that enclose a smooth, oval, light-brown colour seed. 

The spiny outside reveals the fruit bulbs inside

The fruit is cut in a similar fashion as larger fruits like watermelon. White, gummy latex oozes from the cut ends even in ripe fruit but to a lesser extent than in the unripe ones. The latex problem can be overcome by applying coconut oil on the hands or by rubbing the cut sections with fresh cut lemon. The thick rind that runs through the middle of the fruit is then removed, and the whole section is twisted few turns in order to loosen individual bulbs. 

The seeds from ripe fruits are edible and said to have a milky, sweet taste. They may be boiled, baked or roasted. When roasted the flavor of the seeds is comparable to chestnuts 

Succulent Fruit

The wood of the Jackfruit Tree is used for the production of musical instruments, furniture, doors, windows and in roof construction. 

Seeds of Jackfruit with protective skins

This species can expand naturally because its fruit, once it falls to the ground and opens; is eagerly eaten by small mammals. The seeds are then dispersed by these animals, which allows the Jackfruit to compete for space with other tree species. 

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Jackfruit in Mythology 

Lord Shiva while on a hunt happened to hear a sweet voice in the jungle. He was surprised to find that it belonged to a tribal girl, "Koolivaka", a girl of immense beauty. The solitude of the forest area and beauty of the girl, made the Lord lustful. He informed Koolivaka of his wish and told her to wait for him until he returned from his hunt. 

Koolivaka, who was a devotee of Parvathi prayed to the Goddess to save her from the predicament of displeasing her by having a relationship with Lord Shiva. The Goddess revealed to Koolivaka that in a previous birth she was Mansawini, a servant in the retinue of the Goddess. One day the serving girl happened to breast-feed baby Lord Vinayaka. Parvati angry that a servant should feed her baby, cursed her to be born in a outcaste family. But to lessen the curse, Parvati set out that her servant while being fated to be born a chandala would get the opportunity to breast-feed the son of Shiva. 

Devi told the girl that she herself would take on the form of Koolivaka and deceive Lord Shiva. She also informed Koolivaka that the son born from the deceitful union would grow up to be the killer of Jalandhara, a powerful Asura. 

Thus the Goddess in the form of Koolivaka started swinging on a creeper attached to a Jackfruit Tree and waited for the arrival of Lord Shiva. A child with divine power was born through this holy union. Lord Shiva arranged a buffalo for the protection of the child. This divine child who came to be known as "Chathan" was given to Koolivaka to raise. Vishnu Maya or Chathan is a concept in Hinduism that refers to the power to create illusions. Koolivaka thus became the mother of Chathan, son of Lord Shiva fulfilling the boon of Parvathi. 

After spending years with Koolivaka, Chathan riding on a buffalo started on a journey to Kailas. When he was about to reach Kailas he realised that Nandikeshwara would not allow him to enter Kailas in his present form. So he took the form of Lord Vishnu. On seeing their son, Shiva and Parvathi were very happy and hugged him. Lord Shiva blessed him saying, "You invoked the form of Vishnu by Maya. So you will be known as Vishnu Maya." Fulfilling his destiny, Chanthan challenged the Asura Jalandhara to battle, and defeated him. After his victory, Chathan returned to his native place to live among the poor to who he offered his protection. 

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The Jackfruit is one of the three auspicious fruits of Tamil Nadu, along with mango and banana, known as the mukkani. These are referred to as ma-pala-vaazhai (mango-jack-banana). The three fruits (mukkani) are also related to the three arts of Tamil (mu-Tamizh). 

Silk Cotton Tree

Bombax Malabarica or Silk Cotton Tree (Ilavam, Pulai) is a genus of tropical trees of the Mallow family. It is a reddish, silky tree which belongs to the family of Malvaceae. The genus is best known for the species B. Ceiba which is widely cultivated throughout South Asia. As the tree does not fare well in arid climates, to grow in this area it needs careful attention. It can be seen at several areas at Tiruvannamalai. 

The Silk Cotton is a tall handsome tree which can grow up to a 100 feet in height. The tree forms a straight bole with horizontal or upward branches that grow in regular whorls, tier above tier, like a gigantic upside down candelabrum. The trunk and branches are usually covered with conical thorns especially when young. Thorns on older trees are often absent. 

The leaves of this tree fall off just before it flowers. The flowers are 6 to 7 inches long and are up to 7 inches wide. They are borne solitary or in clusters at or near the ends of the branches. The flower consist of five satiny, red, scarlet, or sometimes white petals. Intense blooming of this tree lasts around 29 days. The fruit contains small brown black seeds embedded in white cottonwool; when the trees’ pods burst open, the cotton is carried in the air and the seeds fall and propagate both by air layering and also by bird dispersal. 

This tree is immensely popular with many species of birds such as: Bulbuls, Mynahs, Sunbirds, Flower-peckers and Crows who are all attracted to the nectar of this trees’ flowers. 

Flowers in full bloom

The Red Silk Cotton has many valuable ethno medicinal and ayurvedic uses. 

Some of which include: 

Root: Diarrhoea, dysentery, diabetes, scorpion sting and snakebite, brain tonic 

Stem and Bark: Bacterial, viral, heart tonic, kidney stone, easy delivery 

Gum: Asthma, dental caries, scabies, dysentery 

Leaves: Glandular swellings, rheumatism Flower: Anemia, Colitis, internal bleeding 

Fruit: Anti-fertility agent Fruit and Heartwood: Anti-diabetic, snakebite Seed: Chicken pox and small pox Spines: Skin troubles, headaches 

This tree is also widely used commercially for timber, packing boxes, floating logs for fishermen and gum utilised in both the cosmetic and food industry. 

Photograph showing branch arrangement

There are many myths, legends and traditions associated with this large deciduous tree. In one such myth, the tree is said to be the tree of infernal region and the thorny appearance has led it to be called as Yamadruma, the tree of Yama (the Lord of Hell). Its cuplike flowers are considered sacred to Shiva. When the tree is in full bloom it is compared to Lakshmi, the goddess of good fortune, standing with her arms outstretched and a lit oil lamp on each palm. 

Red Vented Bulbul drinking Nectar

One myth of this tree can be found in the Mahabharata and goes like this: Tale of the Tree During their exile in the forest the Pandava brothers worked in the forest, hunting, clearing and gathering fuel. At night the wife of the Pandava brothers would massage one of her husbands after their heavy workday. One evening Bhima deciding to trick Draupadi, brought in a log of Semal (tree name in Hindi) wood to his room, put it in his bed and covered it. Bhima hid outside to watch the fun while someone called Draupadi to the room. 

Draupadi began massaging Bhima, remarking how tired he must be as his body and knotted muscles felt very hard. Continuing to massage her husband, Draupadi asked several times whether he was satisfied with her work. Receiving no answer and loosing patience, she finally snatched away the sheet off the form in the bed, and found that it had been covering not her husband Bhima, but a log of wood. She cursed the wood from that day onward that the wood would grow thorns always. 

After Draupadi left the room, her husband climbed back, picked up the log of wood and took it outside to open land and planted it. Whereupon it grew into a tall tree with thorns on its trunk. 

Tamarind Tree

The name Tamarind is derived from the Arabic word, Tamar-Hind meaning Indian Date. The Indian Tamarind Tree (Tamarindus Indica) known as “Puli” in Tamil is a member of the Leguminosae family. It grows throughout India and can live to be 200 years or even more. It can be seen in great numbers around Tiruvannamalai, lining the thoroughfares and roadways leading into the town. 

The Tamarind tolerates a great diversity of soil types, from deep alluvial soil to rocky land and porous, limestone. It also withstands salt spray and can be planted close to the seashore. This tree can be grown just about anywhere and also because of its deep root system, can withstand the hot summer days of South India very effectively. 

Gathering Tamarind Fruit

It is a large, handsome, evergreen tree with symmetrically spreading branches. The trunk is thick and short and the bark rough, almost black, and covered with long cracks. The leaves are separated into green fringed stems and pale yellow three-petalled flowers cluster in small bunches around the leaves. Flowers appear in May and the seeds are encased in sweet-sour tasting pulp covered with a scaly rind. The fruit of the Tamarind which hang from the branches begin as a pale green and as the fruit matures turns into a dark, shiny brown. 

In South India, the tree is grown in the precincts of temples to the Mother Goddess who battles evil spirits at night. People avoid walking near Tamarind trees in the dark and locals believe that the neighbourhood in which the Tamarind tree grows becomes unwholesome, and that it is unsafe to sleep under it owing to the acid the tree emits during the moisture of the night. Another superstition about the Tamarind is that few plants will survive beneath it and that it is harmful to both people and animals to sleep under it, because of the belief of the corrosive effect that fallen leaves from the tree have in damp weather. 

Roadway entering Tiruvannamalai

Maybe because of the supposed health dangers attributed to the tree, there also exists the common village superstition that the Tamarind attracts ghosts. For this reason it is uncommon to see this tree planted on private land. It is more often seen on the sides of public roads, where it provides effective, cooling shade to travellers. In Hindu lore the tree symbolizes the wife of Brahma, the creator. One of the most famous Tamarind tree in India is in Gwalior, where it stands over the tomb of Emperor Akbar’s musician Tansen. The legend goes that all classical singers should eat some leaves of this tree to make their voices as sweet as his.

One popular legend connected to this Tree concerns Rama from the Ramayana epic and is believed to date from the 4th Century B.C., goes like this. While in exile Rama, Sita and Laxman were camping under the tree and Sita was cooking food. In those days the Tamarind tree had large leaves but still could not keep raindrops from disturbing Sita and putting out the fire. In anger Rama ordered Laxman to shoot an arrow of protest to Lord Indra, the rain god. The arrow pierced the leaves and they were divided into tiny parts that exist to this day.

There is another story as to why the leaves are divided. Orissa tribal legend states that Bhima had a plantain tree with large leaves and Rama planted a Tamarind tree also with large leaves. In a jealous fit of rage Bhima sent a parrot to break up the Tamarind leaves into tiny parts and so they are to this day. Yet another legend associates the Tamarind tree with Shiva, Parvati and Usha. Usha was so busy playing with Lord Ganesha that she ignored the presence of Lord Shiva who became enraged and cut of his son, Lord Ganesha’s head. The frightened Usha hid in a barrel of salt where she was discovered by Parvati and accused of neglecting Lord Shiva and was cursed to be born on Earth as the daughter of Banasura. Usha begged for forgiveness but the curse could not be revoked. Parvati granted a boon that in her honour, instead of taking salt during the month of Chaitra, people would drink the juice of the fruit of the Tamarind tree and so it came to be. 

Tamarind Tree, Arunachala background

In northern parts of India, the Tamarind tree is associated with Lord Krishna. ‘Imli-tala’ is a sacred Tamarind tree located in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh. It is believed to date back to Lord Krishna’s time. Legend has it that the tree was cursed by Radhrani. One day when she was walking to meet Krishna, she stepped on the thick bark of a ripe Tamarind fruit and it cut her foot. This made her late for her meeting with Lord Krishna. She therefore cursed the tree that its fruits would never ripen. Even today, the fruits of this tree fall down before getting fully ripened.

Village Tamarind Tree

The acidic pulp of the fruit of the Tamarind is used extensively in cooking and food preparation in South India. Leaves, flowers, wood, fruity pulp and seeds are all useful and the tree is utilised in myriad ways throughout India. Tamarind has been used in India from the most remote times against scurvy and is known for its effectiveness against mouth and throat infections. The seeds have industrial as well as medicinal uses. The leaves also yield a yellow dye to colour fabrics. The wood is strong and is used to make wheels for carts and for furniture. 

Tamarind Pods on Tree

Valued as an antidote to heat stroke, tamarind pods are often preserved in salt and sold by weight. The whole plant has medicinal virtues. Its leaves are cooling while bark and seeds are astringent, a tonic and reduces fever. Poultice made from the bark heals open sores. Paste of powdered seeds is applied on boils and in chronic diarrhea and dysentery. Decoction of the leaf is useful in jaundice. Leaf paste helps reduce swelling and pain on inflamed joints. The fruit pulp is digestive, cooling and laxative. In modern, mainstream medicine it is used in the manufacture of a variety of drugs with uses ranging from treating intestinal worms to antiseptics, antiviral and antibacterial agents. 

Various parts of the Tamarind

To learn more about this remarkable tree go to this post here:

Hiking in Arunachala countryside

Even though the area close to the Hill is getting increasingly urbanised, there is still a plethora of unspoilt land in relative proximity to the Hill. The below photographs are of a day's hiking outing on land about eight kilometres southeast of Arunachala. From my house at the side of the Arunachala Samudra Eri, I can view hills in the distance and have always been eager to one day visit and investigate them. 

Goats are still very much part of the rural countryside

Farmer, with his bullock cart. Notice the electricity pylon in the background!

Pretty view from the Hills I was hiking

Land is Government Reserved Land

Rock formation on hills I can see from my own house

Inviting roadway taking me into Reserve Land

Spectacular Darshan of distant Arunachala

Frangipani

The Pagoda Tree, known as ‘Ezha Chempakam’ (genus Plumeria), is found throughout Tiruvannamalai District. This plant more often known by its more common name of Champa or Frangipani, can grow to a height of five to six metres and has low, narrowing straight branches with broad lance-shaped leaves. The plant is sometime leafless but is rarely out of bloom. Profuse flowering, which form in clusters at the tip of branches, take place throughout the year. It is a quick-growing, medium-sized, deciduous tree. 

The name, Frangipani, comes from the Italian nobleman, Marquis Frangipani, who created a perfume used to scent gloves in the 16th century. When the Frangipani flower was discovered its natural perfume reminded people of the scented gloves, and so the flower was called Frangipani. Another version has it that the name, Frangipani, is from the French Frangipanier which is a type of coagulated milk that the Plumeria milk resembles. The name, Plumeria, is attributed to Charles Plumier, a 17th Century French botanist and traveller throughout the world 

Less Common hereabouts, the Rubra Frangipani

Plumeria flowers are most fragrant at night in order to lure moths to pollinate them. The flowers have no nectar, however, and simply dupe their pollinators. The moths inadvertently pollinate them by transferring pollen from flower to flower in their fruitless search for nectar. In India the Frangipani is a symbol of immortality because of its ability to produce leaves and flowers even after it has been lifted out of the soil and for this reason is often planted near temples and graveyards. Frangipani won't burn except in extreme temperatures (over 500 degrees). 

Alba variety most common at Arunachala

Hindus consider it one of the holiest trees and plant it near temples with the flowers being offered to the deity. The tree is considered sacred to Kamadeva, the God of Love, and it is inauspicious to cut it. In Hindu culture this flower represents loyalty and is often used in wedding rituals. It is also believed to have a calming influence on the mind, and is utilised in various Ayurvedic concoctions. 

Pure White Frangipani

Many stories are associated with this beautiful plant. In “1001 Arabian Nights” there is a story of this plant which involves the tale of two sisters jealous of their younger sibling, check this link for the story. 

Another story related to this beautiful plant appears in the Vishnu Purana; it is entitled “The Seven Princes,” and the story goes thus: 

There once lived a King with two wives. The older, senior wife was cruel and greedy, the junior wife who was mute, was tender and gracious. The first wife was struck with extreme jealously when she learnt that the younger wife was pregnant and made a plan to kill the child to protect her position of authority. In the King’s absence from his capital, the older Queen stole the son born in his absence and then killed and buried it. In place of the newborn child she substituted a monkey in the baby crib. 

The King was shocked to learn on his return that his young Queen had given birth to a monkey, but because of his love for her, he did not banish her, and the junior consort, continued to live at the palace. 

In the following years, the younger Queen gave birth to seven sons and a daughter. Each time, the older Queen found a pretext to send the King away and each time she substituted a monkey for the baby. The eight children were killed and buried outside the palace wall. Even his great love for the junior Queen couldn’t prevent the King’s horror and unhappiness and swayed by the continual poisonous words of the older Queen, the King finally banished the innocent young girl to a hut outside the palace wall. 

Over the years outside the hut appeared seven beautiful trees with fragrant flowers and a smaller more delicate tree. The large trees were named Champa and the little one Parul. The trees with fragrant flowers became famous throughout the Kingdom. However the only person able to pick flowers from the trees was the young Queen. The King on hearing of the wondrous flowers of fragrant scent commanded his gardener to pick blooms for the palace, but when the gardener approached the trees, the smaller one (Parul) called out that the King himself should come to pick the flowers from any of the eight trees. 

The King with his senior wife went to the garden to learn the truth of the gardener’s story. As soon as the trees saw the senior Queen, they called out, “Murderer!”, and shouted out that their mother was the young, junior Queen. In the face of such allegations, the older Queen confessed her dire sins and was immediately banished from the Kingdom. 

Thereupon the King brought his younger Queen back to the palace. The Champa and Parul trees were brought into the Queen’s garden and both the King and Queen treated them like their children for the rest of their lives. 

India's rice revolution

Below is very interesting article entitled “India’s rice revolution,” which appeared recently in the U.K. Guardian newspaper about revolutionary rice farming here in India. 

India's rice revolution 

In a village in India's poorest state, Bihar, farmers are growing world record amounts of rice – with no GM, and no herbicide. Is this one solution to world food shortages? 

Sumant Kumar was overjoyed when he harvested his rice last year. There had been good rains in his village of Darveshpura in north-east India and he knew he could improve on the four or five tonnes per hectare that he usually managed. But every stalk he cut on his paddy field near the bank of the Sakri river seemed to weigh heavier than usual, every grain of rice was bigger and when his crop was weighed on the old village scales, even Kumar was shocked. 

Rice grains ripening in field

This was not six or even 10 or 20 tonnes. Kumar, a shy young farmer in Nalanda district of India's poorest state Bihar, had – using only farmyard manure and without any herbicides – grown an astonishing 22.4 tonnes of rice on one hectare of land. This was a world record and with rice the staple food of more than half the world's population of seven billion, big news. 

It beat not just the 19.4 tonnes achieved by the "father of rice", the Chinese agricultural scientist Yuan Longping, but the World Bank-funded scientists at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, and anything achieved by the biggest European and American seed and GM companies. And it was not just Sumant Kumar. Krishna, Nitish, Sanjay and Bijay, his friends and rivals in Darveshpura, all recorded over 17 tonnes, and many others in the villages around claimed to have more than doubled their usual yields. 

The villagers, at the mercy of erratic weather and used to going without food in bad years, celebrated. But the Bihar state agricultural universities didn't believe them at first, while India's leading rice scientists muttered about freak results. The Nalanda farmers were accused of cheating. Only when the state's head of agriculture, a rice farmer himself, came to the village with his own men and personally verified Sumant's crop, was the record confirmed. 

The rhythm of Nalanda village life was shattered. Here bullocks still pull ploughs as they have always done, their dung is still dried on the walls of houses and used to cook food. Electricity has still not reached most people. Sumant became a local hero, mentioned in the Indian parliament and asked to attend conferences. The state's chief minister came to Darveshpura to congratulate him, and the village was rewarded with electric power, a bank and a new concrete bridge. 

Click here to read full article and here to view video slide show.

Erythrina Indica – Coral Tree

The Erythrina Indica tree outside my house is currently in bloom and looks glorious. Erythrina Indica (Indian Coral Tree; Tamil = Kalyana Murungai) is a species of the genus Erythrina which contains approximately a hundred trees and shrubs. Erythrina is from the Greek word erythros, meaning red in allusion to the colour of the bloom and Indica to its country of origin. This tree which is commonly found throughout Tiruvannamalai District, is cultivated as a support for various climbing plants (particularly the betel leaf). As it is also an excellent nitrogen fixer, the Erythrina Indica is often planted in fields to improve yield.

Most resplendently adorned tree

The leaves of this tree fall once a year and is followed by the blooming of beautiful scarlet blossoms. This tree will now attract a multitude of bird visitors to its wonderful coloured leaves. Salim Ali in his, “the Book of Indian Birds,” positively identifies the Erythrina Indica as a tree with its seeds and brightly coloured leaves, that is strongly favoured by birds. When in bloom, the tree's scarlet red flowers attracts; crows, mynas, babblers, starlings and green parrots to feed upon the nectar inside the flower and thereby pollinate the tree. To view Salim Ali’s list of Indian trees favoured by birds, go to this link here. 

Wonderfully vivid scarlet flowers

This highly valued ornamental tree has been described as one of the gems of the floral world. It grows along the coastal and inland districts in deciduous forests. The Indian Coral Tree can reach sixty feet height and spread twenty feet. It has stout branches armed with black tiger's claw spine and curved prickles on its long leaf stalks. Though the timber of the tree is light and soft, it is durable when heavy woods are deemed unsuitable. 

Asian Pied Starling feeding on the flower

Mountain of Medicine Update

The Mountain of Medicine project has been underway since August 2003 and since then over 3,000 trees and shrubs of 170 different species have been successfully planted on the Hill, and a nursery has been started to provide the seedlings for the following years and for other reforestation efforts on the Hill. Seven local people are employed full time, with up to twenty-five being involved on a seasonal basis. 

Below is a pictorial representation of the current status of the Mountain of Medicine. Beautiful. 

Eventually the park will include: 

1. A fully functioning nursery. 

2. An area of cultivation of medicinal herbs of commercial value. 

3. An area of zero human interference to act as a control plot showing what natural regeneration is possible on Arunachala hill if biotic pressures are excluded. 

4. The creation of a showcase natural forest will full range of plant strata, with particular emphasis on medicinal plants. 

5. Cultivation of medicinal tree species and associated lianas and shade-loving herbs with a view to sustainable harvesting. 

6. An awareness and educational centre for the general public, farmers and young people. 

7. A living example of organic cultivation, pest control and maintenance. 

Acacia Arabica (Nilotica)

A tree which I commonly call ‘thorny bush,’ is very prevalent all around Arunachala. The indigenous variety of Acacia in these parts is, ‘Acacia Arabica—Karuvelamaram’ which is another name for the ‘Acacia Nilotica’. 

This tree which is popularly known as ‘Babool’ or ‘Babul’ in other parts of the country, is a small to medium tree, 7 to 13 metres tall, with a stem diameter of 20 to 30 centimetres. Its crown is low and spreads almost symmetrically. The bark is very dark brown to black with deep regular vertical grooves in older specimens. The thorns are almost straight, paired at the nodes of the stem and usually pointing slightly backwards. 

‘Acacia Nilotica’ is a slow-growing species but is moderately long-lived. The species will tolerate only light frost, but is extremely resistant to drought and heat. It is also tolerant of saline soil. Its particularly noted for its vigorous growth in seasonally flooded environments. This species can withstand extremely dry environments and can also endure floods. It thrives under irrigation however it is susceptible to a wide range of pests and diseases in native ranges.

‘Acacia Nilotica’ is multipurpose: it provides timber, fuel, shade, food, fodder, honey, dye, gum, fences as well as various environmental services including soil reclamation for degraded and eroded areas and barrier to desertification, soil fertilization, protection against fire and wind and a haven for biodiversity and ornament. It is widely used in ethno medicine. However it is considered a weed in some countries. This tree makes a good protective hedge because of its thorns. The tree's wood is "very durable if water-seasoned" and is used in the manufacture of tools and boats. Holosericea’ (see below) is here in India. 

‘Acacia Nilotica’ has a wealth of medicinal uses. It is used for stomach upset and pain, the bark is chewed to protect against scurvy, an infusion is taken for dysentery and diarrhoea. It has also been used to eliminate stomach worms, as an antiseptic for open wounds and as an expectorant for treating coughs. 

'Acacia Nilotica’ propagates by seeds carried in animal droppings or by direct seeding and is protected from severe grazing by the presence of long thorns. The pods are desirable as fodder for cattle, and the leaves, young shoots and young pods are thought to aid milk production. The leaves and fruits can be poisonous if eaten in large quantities. 

A serious limitation of this tree is that it is extremely invasive in exotic habitats. Ironically the ‘Acacia Nilotica’ which is regarded as a weed in Australia is as invasive and as damaging in that country, as their own import the ‘Acacia Holosericea’ (see below) is here in India.

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Below is an extract of a report which recently appeared in local newspapers about the dangers of the invasive import, the ‘Acacia Holosericea.’ 

Normally, environmentalists would give their voice for planting trees and not for cutting them. But an invasive tree species, Acacia holosericea, planted in Tiruvannamalai hill several years ago attract their ire. 

Colonies of these trees stand out among thick vegetation found in the southern slope of the hill as they have silvery phyllodes (flattened leaf stalk that looks like and acts as leaf). Real leaves of these trees are less in numbers and are short lived. Environmental activists, feel that the spread of this tree is detrimental to eco system and indigenous flora. Its is believed that Acacia Holosericea may be good in its native land, Australia, however, it becomes invasive in exotic conditions, like in India. 

It causes several problems. First, it spreads fast and dominate indigenous flora. Given a chance, it would eat into bio resources of the hill to a great extent. Second, phyllode litters strewn on the earth will not decompose easily, would not allow other plants to germinate from underneath and may contribute to easy forest fire. Hence these trees should be removed from forest, before its domination becomes irreversible as in Kerala and some other places. Previously it was grown in large numbers in Auroville but after it proved itself to be an invasive species people started destroying it. 

During seasons, parrots come in large numbers to feed on its seeds which exacerbate the vigorous spread of this tree. The popular opinion of NGOs and Forest officials is that the species of Acacia Holosericea is indeed problematic and can be removed. 

Propety Value Revision, April 2012

For those complaining about the increase in property prices in Tiruvannamalai, I thought it might be interesting to check out the property value revision of various areas in Chennai – which makes the prices at Tiruvannamalai seem comparatively modest! 

An extract from the property pages of a Tamil Nadu paper reads: 

“The real estate scenario is set to witness a sea change across the State with a property guideline value revision set to take effect from April. 

The proposed guideline revision, after the previous revision in 2007, envisages a steep increase in land costs in South Chennai with a seven-fold increase in several upmarket areas, while North Chennai areas will witness only a moderate two to threefold increase in their guideline values. 

For instance, a square foot of land costs Rs.2,365/- in Abhiramapuram 1st Street, a South Chennai locality, which, as per draft guideline value, has shot up to Rs.15,000/-, which is nearly seven times its present value.

After the release of the draft guideline values, there was a mad rush in registration offices, with property buyers mulling to register their properties as early as possible anticipating a drastic increase in documentation charges. On the other hand, property developers have been luring the buyers offering attractive terms resulting in State Government’s kitty swelling by several hundred crore rupees”. 

Guideline Values per square foot 

Boat Club Road Old Rs.4,500/- New Rs.23,000/-

Adyar Club Road Old Rs.8,400/- New Rs.23,000/-

Anna Salai Old Rs.10,500/- New Rs.19,000/-

Arya Gowda Street Old Rs.2,500/- New Rs.7,300/-

Tambaram Old Rs.2,500/- New Rs.7,000/-

MTH Road Old Rs.1,500/- New Rs.4,500/-

Thana Street Old Rs.3,000/- New Rs.8,500/-

Paper Mills Road Old Rs.900/- New Rs.6,000/-

Alice in Wonderland

For an Alice in the Wonderland story read the below narrative being currently reported in local Tiruvannamalai papers about a solar powdered school being fined for a faulty electricity meter.

In many countries, organisations and individuals are even paid by power companies for putting power back into the grid. But it seems here that self reliance is a cause of suspicion and punishment.

The below narrative is certainly an eye-opener for those planning to construct ecologically friendly homes in this area.







“The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB), which oversaw an outrageous mismanagement of resources leading to an unprecedented power crisis in the state, has imposed a fine of 10,000 for a faulty electricity meter on a non-profit school that runs mainly on solar energy.

The board's slap-happy decision to take action against the Tiruvannamalai school flies in the face of rules that make TNEB responsible for the replacement of defective meters. To make matters worse, the board has pulled the plug on the school, leaving it without power.

Arunachala Village School in Vediyappanur village, Tiruvannamalai, 200 km from Chennai, was set up in 1999 with one classroom and 40 students, to provide education to poor children. It now has 203 students, from kindergarten to Class 5, who have access to computers.

The school spent 8 lakh on 29 rooftop solar panels in September 2009 so it could be self-reliant and save electricity. "Though there are eight hours of power cuts in the locality, we don't have any problem. We rarely use electricity from the grid," a school official said. "Since our consumption of electricity is very low, we have been able to save 3,000 annually on power bills."

"Last September, some TNEB officials came to our school and told us we would have to pay a fine of Rs.10,000/-. They said our meter had been defective for two years and recorded very low consumption. We tried to explain that we mostly use solar energy and that, anyway, the board has to replace the meter, but they refused to listen to us," he said.

The school officials refused to pay the fine, so the TNEB officials came around again. "This time they asked us to pay an amount based on average consumption since the meter became faulty in April 2009. When we protested, saying we regularly paid for the power we used, they removed the fuse," the official said.

When contacted, the TNEB Tiruvannamalai region superintendent engineer said he would look into the issue.

The school, however, is not holding its breath. "The government says it is promoting solar power in the state, but TNEB appears to be doing its best to discourage the use of this renewable energy source," the school official said.”

Plastic Waste -- Ecology

Many articles are now appearing in Tamil newspapers concerning the use of plastic waste for the making of road surfaces.

As any visitor to Tiruvannamalai will tell you, plastic is a blight and scourge on this hitherto rustic and unspoilt country town. We managed perfectly well before the advent of plastic and would be the better for it, if all plastic bags were hereto banned throughout the area. Discarded plastic kills both domestic and wild animals, blocks waterways, causes bad odours and the spread of disease, is ecologically unsound and in addition is aesthetically a blot on the land and town.





A friend of mine who used to be involved in the development of small businesses in Tiruvannamalai District told me that for many years she and her associates were engaged in discussions with various Government Departments trying to persuade them to ultilise plastic when preparing road surfaces. Supposedly the various bodies (at that time) were against her proposals because the efficiency of such roads would interfere with the yearly business of relaying traditional bad quality road surfaces around Tiruvannamalai.

But now that such roads will be actually laid around Tamil Nadu, I am feeling disappointed. Perhaps better than utilising used plastic for road making, the discussion should be more concentrated on the outright ban of the use of packaging plastic in Tiruvannamalai.

Related articles are reproduced below:-


Sell Plastic Waste
“The trash in your kitchen has now acquired value. To encash it, all you need to do is segregate the plastic waste at home and sell it to the Chennai Corporation for as much as Rs.20 kg. They want it for relaying the battered roads in the city.

The Corporation has already initiated the process to fix norms to procure plastic of low microns from the public for use with bitumen while relaying roads. That will kill two birds with one stone: your neighbourhood will be free of non-biodegradable waste and the roads will be able to withstand the wear and tear. It will also put some money in your pocket.

To complete road-relaying, the civic body estimated that it would need 800 tonnes of waste plastic and launched a special drive last month to collect it at its 200 ward offices. Yet, it has been able to collect only 110 tonnes so far. “We have about 10,000... staff and if they collect one kilo of such plastic, the civic body would be able to get 10 tonnes of plastic waste everyday.”


Cleaning Waste Plastic
“Corporation gets 20 tonnes of plastic every day from residents. The Chennai Corporation will soon call for expressions of interest from firms who have the know how to clean and dry plastic being collected for use in road re-laying.

“There are technologies available for cleaning plastic material. The plastic that we are getting presently is not very clean and we cannot use such plastic directly in road work,” said a civic body official. The Corporation gets around 20 tonnes of plastic every day from residents.

The plastic that can be used for road re-laying should be 20 microns - 80 microns thickness. Carry bags, milk packets, oil packets and plastic covers used to pack pulses, rice or other food items can be handed over to collection centres at ward offices. “These are materials that every home generates and disposes with other waste as old paper marts do not buy them. We want residents to collect and bring them to ward offices. However, pet bottles, PVC pipes of broken buckets would not be accepted,” said a civic body official. Work on re-laying roads and patching up potholes is in progress in several areas across the city. To ensure quality of the work done, the civic body is deputing engineers to supervise the work at all locations. To maintain the gradient, it is asking contractors to carry camber boards.

“We are ensuring that the heat of the asphalt mix is correct. In some locations we have even asked the contractor to re-lay the road if any of the norms are not being followed,” said a senior official.

Civic body officials carry digital thermometers and infra red guns to record the temperature of the mix.”