Bangalore's Art of Living ashram now flush with Paradise tree

The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn, goes the popular adage by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Bangalore-based Art of Living Foundation has taken this to heart; besides touching more than a million lives through its yoga and ashram-based techniques, the foundation has also been a silent campaigner, promoting a greener way of life.

The Art of Living ashram near Bangalore, which is being headed by spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar, is now flush with a special tree—scientifically termed the Simarouba glacua. Sri Sri fondly calls it the ‘Lakshmi Taru.’

“Simarouba was named Lakshmi Taru because when a farmer invests Rs10 for the tree, he gets Rs1,000 or more as returns,” he said.

The ashram’s nursery is the largest producer of Lakshmi Taru in the state. The forest department is using the saplings from the nursery to make the wastelands of Western Ghats green.

“Lakshmi Taru is also called the Paradise tree. It gives out large flowers and fruits that look like black jamuns (Nerale). We tried growing it in the last three years in hostile soil conditions. Fortunately, it grew without much human intervention except for protecting the saplings from stray cattle. We planted these saplings on rocky soil surfaces, slopes, and even in rain-prone areas. In the next three years, the trees will start bearing fruits,” said P Sridhar, forest range officer of Moodbidri in Dakshina Kannada.

Dr Shamsundar Joshi and his wife Shanta Joshi have both conducted research on this tree for over two decades; they worked as professor-grade experts in Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Hebbal.

“The tree was first brought to India by Dr Harbhajan Singh in 1960 when he was the director of the National Bureau of Plant Genetic and Resources. The tree grows in regions that receive 250mm to 5,000 mm rainfall. It is known for its ability to crack the hardest surfaces like laterite plates and rocky soil conditions. Its seeds have 60%-75% oil content, which are helpful in producing edible oil, vegetable butter, and chocolate butter. The Central Food Technology and Research Institute, Mysore, has already tried using it for the production of chocolate products, and it was successful,” revealed Joshi.

“The most important quality of these seeds is that it could be used in the production of bio-fuel. If India takes up the cultivation of this wonder tree on a commercial basis, it can rid the country of its fossil fuel bills,” he added.

The Joshis extract medicine from the trees fruit, its bark, and also its leaves. They claim that the tree has many health benefits. “The Simarouba fruit juice has a unique taste and it could give the colas a run for their money. Besides, the tree also has high-quality timber. It is strong and, at the same time, light-weight. It is ideal for making furniture,” he said.