VALMIKI :OBSERVER OF NATURE

[Col Bimal Sarkar]

Dear Friend,
Today I am attaching an image of a tree called AGURU in Valmiki's Ramayan.Scientifically this tree is known as Aquilaria agallocha.
I collected a sapling from Tezpur( where the tree is very common and is known as SASI,pronounced as HASI.)You may find it interesting.
Regards
Col (Retd) Bimal Sarkar
Mobile: 9434194942

[J.M. Garg]

Forwarding pl.

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J.M.Garg (jmg...@gmail.com)
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[Vijayasankar]

Thanks Col. Sarkar ji, for the picture of Aquilaria agallocha (now known as A. malaccensis). In Tamil, it is called 'Akil' or 'Agil'. I had a chance to see the plants as well as a distillation unit in Manipur. It is said that there is a great demand for the oil which is sold for up to Rs. 2000 per ml ?? The oil is extracted from the wood, especially the infected one.

This Critically Endangered plant has been included in the Negative List of Exports by the Govt. of India.

Its interesting to know that this plant has a mention in the Ramayan.

 

Regards 

Vijayasankar Raman
National Center for Natural Products Research
University of Mississippi

[D.S Rawat]

Auilaria malaccensis is current name and it belongs to the family Thymelaeaceae. Not on Ranunculaceae; the mistake is probably because of the similarity in spelling of it and Aquilagia.

DSRawat Pantnagar