Vishwakarma Caste

  Vishwakarma Caste describes a Brahmin Caste of India who claims to be descendants of Lord Vishwakarma. They are a caste of priests, engineers, architects, sculptors, temple builders and artists. The term is applied to five sub-castes; blacksmiths, carpenters, coppersmiths, goldsmiths and sculptors. Vishwakarma Caste is also known as Vishwabrahmin or Dhiman Brahmins or Jangid Brahmins. The Vishwakarma Caste also claim to have been the spiritual guides and priests and their position in the society survives in the saying the Vishwabrahmana is guru to the world.

The community claims to be descended from the god Vishvakarma, who is considered by Hindus to be the divine architect or engineer of the universe. He had five children — Manu, Maya, Tvastar, Shilpi and Visvajna — and these are believed by the Vishwakarma community to have been the forebears of their five subgroups, being respectively the gotras (clans) of blacksmiths, carpenters, bell metalworkers (metal casters), stonemasons and goldsmiths. It is not known whether these five subgroups historically practised endogamy, which is a frequently-found feature of the Indian caste system.

The origin myths of the Vishwakarma community were first consolidated in the early 18th century, during the British colonial rule. These myths were compiled in the Vishwakarma Puranam, whose original manuscript is undated but was most probably created in the mid-17th or 18th century.According to a popular myth recorded in the Vishwakarma Puranam, the five children of the god Vishwakarma served the gods as artisans, and possessed the ability to create things by simply visualising them. They had conserved their veerya by being celibates, and lived in a fort on the coast of Ilangapuri (Sri Lanka).The fort was made of lodestone, and the enemy weapons thrown at it were stuck to its walls, rendering it invincible. Their chief enemy was Karunakaran, a vassal of the Chola emperor. In order to defeat the Vishwakarmas, Karunakaran planted many beautiful women (Brahmin women according to some versions of the legend) in the fort. These women married the Vishwakarmas, thus destroying their spiritual power, and learned the secret that a certain type of poisonous grass could be used to burn up the fort. Using this secret, the enemy blew up the fort, and the Vishwakarmas were scattered in various areas, where they were forced to work as artisans and craftsmen for mortal humans.

Brahmin Caste

 Brahmin is considered as a member of the priestly caste of the country. In Hinduism, there is the concept of ‘Varna’ system where the society is stratified into four ‘Varnas’ or castes - Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Sudras. The Brahmin occupies the highest level in the ‘Varna’ system and is considered to be the priest class in the Varna system of ancient India. The word ‘Brahmin’ has been derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Brahmana’. Besides Hinduism, Brahmins are also found in Buddhism. Dhammapada has a list on the Buddhist Brahmin section. Brahmin Bhikshus were quite common with this religious sect. Other sects like Jainism, Islam and Sikhism also bear testimony to the existence of Brahmins within their religious sects.

Brahman, highest ranking of the four varnas, or social classes, in Hindu India. The elevated position of the Brahmans goes back to the late Vedic period, when the Indo-European-speaking settlers in northern India were already divided into Brahmans (or priests), warriors (of the Kshatriya class), traders (of the Vaishya class), and labourers (of the Shudra class). Since then there has been no fundamental change in their relative position, and the Brahmans still enjoy great prestige and many advantages, though their claim to tangible privileges is no longer officially admitted. The basis of the age-old veneration of Brahmans is the belief that they are inherently of greater ritual purity than members of other castes and that they alone are capable of performing certain vital religious tasks. The study and recitation of the sacred scriptures was traditionally reserved for this spiritual elite, and for centuries all Indian scholarship was in their hands.

The ritual purity of the Brahmans is maintained through the observance of numerous taboos, many of which relate to diet and contact with lower castes. Most Brahman castes are strictly vegetarian, and their members must abstain from certain occupations. They may not plow or handle any impure material, such as leather or hides, but they may farm and do such agricultural work as does not violate these specific restrictions. They may also accept employment as domestic servants; many well-to-do Hindus have Brahman cooks, who are valued because members of all castes may eat the food that they prepare.

Caste System in India

 The caste system, as it actually works in India is called jati. The term jati appears in almost all Indian languages and is related to the idea of lineage or kinship group. There are perhaps more than 3000 jatis in India and there is no one all-Indian system of ranking them in order of status. Yet in each local area jati ranking exists and is very much related to purity and pollution. Each jati has some unique job, but not everyone in the jati performs it. Thus there are barbers who do not shave, carpenters who do not build, and Brahmins who do not act as priests. A jati is identified in a local setting by whom its members will accept food and water from and to which jatis its members will give food and water. People will try to marry their sons and daughters to members of their same jati and will give their major loyalty to their jati. A jati will usually be organized into a biradari (a brotherhood), and this organization carries out the business and oversees the working of the jati and has the power to exclude an offender from the jati.

Caste system in India is a composite structure of different social classes in the Hindu religion. Caste system in India has a long history dating back to the ancient past. It dates back to that era when people used to believe that people were born into a particular social status. They also believed that experiences in past lives and good deeds can actually reincarnate one into higher social strata in the next life. The Indian caste system has gone places with the changes that have taken place in the society. Education has been massively instrumental in bringing a change in the state of mind though a large section of a society, mostly the older generation is still under the curse of this social ostracism.

Indian plants

 

Indian plants are of various types and each of the species has a specialty of its own. Some plants are used for decoration, while others are used for treatments. The different categories of Indian plants are annual plants, biennial plants, perennial plants, etc. The names of some of the Indian plants are marigolds, balsam, foxglove, daffodils and tulsi.

Types of Indian Plants

Indian Plants can be grouped into several categories like annual plants, biennial plants, perennial plants, bulb plants, shrubs, herbs, medicinal plants and vines, creepers and climbers. These categories are described below.

Flame of the Forest Palash Tree: Palash or Flame of the Forest is best known for its beautiful, radiant flowers that blossom just upon the arrival of Spring, in the month of March and April. Currently, the forests of Central India are ablaze with a riot of colours that the Palash has rendered it with. These flaming beauties are imparting the forests and each one of us the much-needed hope we need in the difficult times of a global pandemic, this year.

Flowering and Ornamental Trees in India: Flowering and ornamental trees in India appear in innumerable colours, shapes and sizes and one of nature's wonder which adds immense beauty and enhances the overall appearance of the garden, community places and city corners. The flowering and ornamental trees in India can be classified into orchids, roses, annual plants, trees and perennials. The flowering and ornamental trees in India can be classified into orchids, roses, annual plants, trees and perennials.

 Indian Orchids: India is home to more than 1200 species of Orchids, thanks to our tropical climate, rainforests and Himalayas. Orchidaceae is one of the largest families of flowering plants with approximately 28000 species around the world. As a wildflower lover, I am excited to see all wildflowers but Orchids hold a special place in my heart. I am thrilled if I spot an Orchid in wild rather than a flowering Acanthaceae species. There are multiple reasons for this special attraction to orchids but the main reason is, Orchids are indicators of healthy forest. One cannot find an Orchid in a grazed , degraded, invasive plants filled forest. So if I see an Orchid in the forest, I am happy that those regions have not yet succumbed by Lantanas, Goatweeds and other invasive plants.

 Indian Roses: Several varieties of the Indian Roses are found, including white rose, red rose, pink rose, maroon rose, yellow rose, orange rose and black rose. It has thorn on its stems and the cane has leaves and bud eyes. Roses are found in almost all the parts of India and are widely grown in the Valley of Flowers and Mahim Nature Park. Cat's Tail, Bougainvillea, Bleeding Heart, Ixora, Hydrangea, Fire Cracker, Jasmine, Oleander and Pentas are some of the most common flowering and ornamental trees growing in India.

·Indian Annual Plants: Annual flowers or annual plants are those plants that grow and die in the same growing season. By growing season, we mean that the temperature and the weather conditions that help plants grow.Hence, these annual plants seed, germinate, and grow in one season, and finally die. Depending on the plant you have chosen, the growing season may range from four months to almost a year.

Gabdi Tree: Torchwood, (genus Amyris), genus comprising 40 species of large shrubs or trees of the citrus family (Rutaceae) found in tropical America. The plants burn well because of the high resin content of their wood. Incense and aromatic oils are derived from various torchwood species, and several are the source of timber known as candlewood.

Tree Of Sorrow : The tree is called the "tree of sorrow" because the foliage becomes droopy as blooming flowers fall off during early morning. The Latin specific epithet arbor-tristis means "sad tree".In India, Nyctanthes arbor-tristis is known as pārijāta (पारिजात), harsinghar, sephalika, pavalamallikai, manjapumaram, mannappumaram and siharu. In Malaysia it is known as seri gading and in China it is referred to as nai hua or hung mo li. Nyctanthes arbor-tristis is a shrub or a small tree growing to 10 m (33 ft) tall, with flaky grey bark. The leaves are opposite, simple, 6–12 cm (2.4–4.7 in) long and 2–6.5 cm (0.79–2.56 in) broad, with an entire margin. The flowers are fragrant, with a five- to eight-lobed white corolla with an orange-red centre; they are produced in clusters of two to seven together, with individual flowers opening at dusk and finishing at dawn. The fruit is a bilobed, flat brown heart-shaped to round capsule 2 cm (0.79 in) diameter, each lobe containing a single seed.

Babul Tree: Babul tree is a common sight in desert and sub-desert regions in India. Known as Vachellia Nilotica in botany, this small, evergreen tree is associated with Goddess Durga, and finds several mentions in the Hindu mythology. It is also mentioned in the Quran as a symbol of the righteous.

Facts related to Indian Medicinal Plants

 

Indian medicinal plants are being used to cure diseases, since several millennia. These plants are grown throughout the Indian subcontinent. They are significant parts of Ayurveda. Ayurveda is one of the most popular codified medical traditions in India. This treatment method traces its origins to the Vedic ages. Numerous Indian medicinal plants are mentioned in the Vedic texts. Besides Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicinal practices use several medicinal plants to prepare medicines. Whilst most of the medicinal plants are native to India, some have their origin in foreign countries. The probable trade taking place during the existence of ancient civilizations and the arrival of the Europeans, paved the way for medicinal plants in India.

Some important Indian medicinal plants are:

Ashoka Tree: Ashoka tree is one of the sacred trees of the Hindus as well as the Buddhists. The astringent bark is reported to have a stimulating effect on the endometrial and ovarian tissue, and is useful for treating menstrual pain and menorrhagia due to uterine fibroids, leucorrhoea, and internal bleeding, hemorrhoids and hemorrhagic dysentery. In Ayurveda ashoka tree is used for treating dyspepsia, other diseases of the blood, biliousness, tumours, abdominal enlargement, colic, piles, ulcers and bone fractures.

Sundari Tree: Sundari Local name of the dominant plant species, Heritiera fomes, of the family Sterculiaceae, in the Sundarbans, the mangrove forests of the southern districts. The species is distributed up to about 70 per cent of the forest. Sundari Tree is a large tree with wing shaped nuts, which is most easily recognised by the silvery scales on the underside of its leaves. Scientifically known as Heritiera littoralis, it is commonly called the Sundari tree in both Hindi and Bengali language.

Orchid Tree: Orchid tree or Raktakanchan is a small, usually evergreen, ornamental tree. The tree looks strikingly beautiful when in bloom which continues for several months. The medicinal properties of Raktachandan or Orchid tree have made it precious among the medicinal plants and it is used hugely by the people of India for treating various diseases. Indian Postal Department had also issued a postal stamp to commemorate this tree.

Badam Tree: The almond is a deciduous tree growing to 4–12.2 metres (13–40 feet) in height,with a trunk of up to 30 centimetres (12 inches) in diameter. The young twigs are green at first, becoming purplish where exposed to sunlight, then gray in their second year. The leaves are 8–13 cm (3–5 in) long, with a serrated margin and a 2.5 cm (1 in) petiole.

Jasmine Tree: Jasmines are native to tropical and subtropical regions of Eurasia, Africa, Australasia and Oceania, although only one of the 200 species is native to Europe. Their center of diversity is in South Asia and Southeast Asia. Several jasmine species have become naturalized in Mediterranean Europe. For example, the so-called Spanish jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum) was originally from West Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Northeast Africa, and East Africa, and is now naturalized in the Iberian peninsula

Matchstick Tree : A. macrophylla (Matchstick Tree) is a fast-growing, medium-size (30-40 m tall) tree with a wide distribution in south Asia, where it is also planted. Its wood is pale yellow-white, soft, light, easy to work and has a wavy, attractive figure; it is durable and moderately resistant to attack by boring insects. The wood is used as a general-purpose construction material for window frames, doors, panelling, ceiling boards, packing cases and chests, for transmission poles, and for matchstick and plywood manufacture. The alkaloids in A. macrophylla are used for treating dysentery and also have pesticidal properties. Alkaloidal content is highest in the stem bark and lowest in the leaves.          

Musket Tree: Mesquite, (genus Prosopis), genus of spiny deep-rooted shrubs or small trees in the pea family (Fabaceae). They form extensive thickets in areas from South America into the southwestern United States. They are considered pests and have been eradicated in some places. The wood of the mesquite, formerly used in railroad ties, is of limited economic value, though it is useful for unusual furniture and for aromatic firewood.

Thorny staff tree: Thorny shrubs are considered as an important driver in the natural development of temperate forest structures, particularly in European lowland forests. We assessed the current role of thorny shrubs in the regeneration of deciduous tree species under heavy browsing pressure in a central European temperate forested landscape. The study’s military training area offered a unique opportunity to investigate the processes in which deciduous tree seedlings grew under thorny shrubs and in the close vicinity of thorny shrubs in a landscape with a high density of large herbivores (red deer and sika deer).

Oriental Cashew Tree: The cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) is a tropical evergreen tree native to South America in the genus Anacardium that produces the cashew seed and the cashew apple accessory fruit. The tree can grow as tall as 14 metres (46 feet), but the dwarf cultivars, growing up to 6 m (20 ft), prove more profitable, with earlier maturity and greater yields. The cashew seed is commonly considered a snack nut (cashew nut) eaten on its own, used in recipes, or processed into cashew cheese or cashew butter.Like the tree, the nut is often simply called a cashew. Cashew allergies are triggered by the proteins found in tree nuts, and cooking often does not remove or change these proteins.

Nasinda Tree: Vitex negundo, commonly known as the Chinese chaste tree, five-leaved chaste tree, or horseshoe vitex, or nisinda is a large aromatic shrub with quadrangular, densely whitish, tomentose branchlets. It is widely used in folk medicine, particularly in South and Southeast Asia.Vitex negundo is an erect shrub or small tree growing from 2 to 8 m (6.6 to 26.2 ft) in height. The bark is reddish brown. Its leaves are digitate, with five lanceolate leaflets, sometimes three. Each leaflet is around 4 to 10 cm (1.6 to 3.9 in) in length, with the central leaflet being the largest and possessing a stalk. The leaf edges are toothed or serrated and the bottom surface is covered in hair. The numerous flowers are borne in panicles 10 to 20 cm (3.9 to 7.9 in) in length. Each is around 6 to 7 cm (2.4 to 2.8 in) long and are white to blue in color. The petals are of different lengths, with the middle lower lobe being the longest. Both the corolla and calyx are covered in dense hairs.

Sacred Trees of South India: Sacred trees of south India are those trees, which are revered and worshipped in southern part of the country. They hold immense religious significance in the land of gods and goddesses called India. The worship of trees in India can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization. The hymns of the Vedas contain references to sacred trees and plants, on account of them being associated with certain deities and also because of their potent medicinal properties. This tradition continues till the present day in most parts of India, including villages and urban centers in south India. Trees like pipal and plants like tulsi are worshipped on a daily basis by the citizens of India.

Sitaphal / Custard Apple Tree: Custard apple is synonymous with the chilly weather in India, being extensively used in desserts, such as kheers, milkshakes and ice creams, for its intense sugary flavour. Moreover, this delightful winter fruit offers some fabulous wellness incentives such as renewing skin texture, boosting vitality and managing diabetes. Locally known as “Sitaphal” in Hindi and Telugu, “Sharifa” in Punjabi and “Seethapazham” in Malayalam, the custard apple is also called sugar apple, cherimoya or sweetsop. The scientific names for the different varieties of this tasty fruit are Annona squamosa, Annona cherimola and Annona reticulate.