Nakshatravana, also called Nakshatravanam or Nakshatravan, is a sacred grove in Sringeri, Karnataka, India. It is associated with the Sringeri Sharada Peetham monastery, and consists of 27 trees that are related to 27 Nakshatras of Indian Astrology. The grove also includes over 120 medicinal plants found in the Western Ghats. The Nakshatras and the trees are as below:
Nakshatra/ Star Name of the tree in Indian languages Name of the tree in English Botanical Name Medicinal uses Names of medicines 1 Ashwini/ Aswathy/ Ashvayuja Kanjiram/ Yetti/ Etti/ Kuchala Strychnine Strychnos nux-vomica 2 Bharani/ Apabharani Nelli/ Perunelli/ Aavali/ Amla/ Amalaki Indian Gooseberry/ Amla Phyllanthus emblica/ Emblica officinalis 3 Krittika/ Karthika Athi/ Ambar/ Udumbara/ Gular Cluster Fig/ Country Fig/ Fig Ficus glomerata/ Ficus racemosa 4 Rohini Naval/ Jambhali/ Perunjaval Jamun/ Black Plum Eugenia jambolana/ Syzygium cuminii 5 Mrigashirsha/ Makayiram Karingali/ Karungali/ Kher Cutch Tree/ Milmesha/ Ebony Acacia catechu/ Diospyros ebenum 6 Aardra/ Thiruvathira Kari /Kumbil/ Karai/ Thippilli/ Agar/ Krushnagus/ Agalichandanum/ Akil/ Sen Santhanam/ Aguru Cashmere Tree/ Long Pepper/ Red Sandal Diospyros melanoxylon/ Pterocarpus santalinus/ Aquilaria agallocha 7 Punarvasu/ Punartham/ Punarpusam Mula/ Moongil/ Velu Bamboo Bambusa vulgaris/ Bambusa arundinacea 8 Pushya/ Pooyam/ Pusam/ Tishya Arayal/ Arasamaram/ Pimpal/ Pipal/ Aal Sacred Fig/ Peepal/ Ficus Ficus religiosa 9 Aashlesha/ Aayilyam Punna /Punnai/ Nagapoo/ Naagchafa/ Nagkeshar/ Nahar Messua Tree/ Alexandrian Laurel/ Beauty Leaf Poon Calophyllum inophyllum/ Mesua ferrea 10 Magha/ Makam/ Magam Peral/ Alamaram/ Vatt/ Bargad Banyan Tree/ Indian Fig Ficus benghalensis 11 Purva Phalguni/ Pooram/ Poorva Plasu/ Chamata/ Palas/ Khakda/ Modugu/ Murikku/ Parasu/ Polash/ Desuka Jhad/ Dhak/ Chalcha Flame of the Forest/ Parrot Tree Butea monosperma 12 Phalguni/ Uthram/ Uttara/ Uthiram/ Uttara Phalgunī Ithi/ Itti/ Arali/ Payari Indian Laurel/ Rose Laurel/ Indian Cleaner Ficus tinctoria/ Nerium indicum/ Ficus arnottiana 13 Hasta/ Atham/ Astham Ambazham/ Marima/ Nalini/ Kaatuma/ Velam/ Chameli/ Mulla/ Mullai Hog Plum/ Neem/ Royal Jasmine / Azadirachta indica/ Jasminum grandiflorum Spondias pinnata / Azadirachta indica/ Jasminum grandiflorum 14 Chitra/ Chithira/ Chithirai Koovalam/ Vilvam/ Bel/ Bilvam/ Bilwa/ Beal Tree/ Bengal Quince/ Stone Apple/ Wood Apple Aegle marmelos 15 Swathi/ Chothy/ Suvathi Maruthu/ Neermaruthu/ Marutham/ Jarul/ Arjun Arjuna Tree / Queen's Flower Terminalia arjuna/ Lagerstroemia speciosa 16 Vishaka/ Visakham Dadhipala/ Vayamkatha/ Vilamaram/ Kaith/ Naagkeshar/ Nahar Governor's Plum/ Wood Apple/ Ceylon Ironwood/ Indian rose chestnut Feronia elephantum/ Feronia limonia/ Mesua ferrea/ Limonia acidissima 17 Anuradha/ Anizham/ Anusham Elanji/ Magizh/ Magizham/ Maulshree/ Naagkeshar Bullet Wood Tree Mimusops elengi/ Mesua ferrea 18 Jyeshta/ Ketta/ Thrikketta/ Kettai Vetti/ Pachotti/ Kuttipala/ Prayan/ Sambar Bodh Tree/ Stunted Jack Aporosa lindleyana/ Calamus rotang/ Calamus wightii 19 Mula/ Moolam/ Vichrita Kunthirikkam/ Veluthakunthirikom/ Acha/ Anjan/ Mamaram/ Raal/ Sal/ Shala/ Ashvakarna/ White Dammar/ Hardwickia/ Sal Tree Boswellia serrata/ Mangifera indica/ Shorea robusta/ Hardwickia binata 20 Purva Ashada/ Pooradam Aattupala/ Aatrupalai/ Samudrakai/ Vanchikodi/ Vet Fish Poison Tree/ Tinospora Salix tetrasperma/ Tinospora cordifolia/ Calamus pseudotenuis 21 Uttar Ashada/ Uthradam Plavu/ Pila/ Pala/ Sakkai Pala/ Phanas Jack Fruit Tree/ Bread Fruit Artocarpus heterophyllus/ Artocarpus communis 22 Sravana/ Thiruvonam/ Shrona Erukku/ Vellerukku/ Rui Gigantic Swallow/ Swallow Wort Calotropis procera/ Calotropis gigantea 23 Shravishtha/ Avittam/ Dhanishta Muringa/ Paarampu/ Muringai/ Vanni/ Vilaytikikar/ Shashi Indian Gum Tree/ Indian Mesquit/ Kejari Moringa oleifera/ Prosopis cineraria/ Prosopis spicigera/ Prosopis juliflora 24 Satabisha/ Shatataraka/ Chathayam/ Sathayam Kadambu/ Kadambam/ Katampu/ Valanch Kadam Tree/ Indian Oak Anthocephalus cadamba/ Mitragyna parviflora/ Neolamarckia cadamba 25 Pooruruttathi/ Purva Badrapada/ Purva Proshtapada Thembavu साज / கருமருது Gluta travancorica 26 Uttra Badrapada/ Uthruttathi/ Uttara Proshtapada Kudappana Bajarbattu बजरबट्टू குடைப்பனை Corypha umbraculifera 27 Revathi Eluppa/ Iluppai/ Moha/ Mahua Butter Tree, महुआ Madhuca longifolia/ Madhuca indica
Considering the diversity of plants involved, their medicinal value, and association with Nakshatras, many organisations are popularizing the creation of Nakshatravanam.
References