Ficus religiosa or Peepal (Sanskrit: Aswattha) is a giant tree of the banyan, or sycamore species, found in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, China and Indonesia, which has been given an important place in Indian culture and is worshiped on many festivals. Like the banyan and sycamore tree, its flowers are also secret, hence it is also called 'Guhyapushpak'. Like other Ksiri (milk bearing) trees, Peepal also has longevity. Its fruits are full of seeds like banyan-sycamore and small grains like peanuts in shape. The seeds are half the size of a mustard seed. But the tree produced from them assumes the largest form and remains standing for hundreds of years. It does not provide oxygen at night. The shade of peepal is less than that of banyan, yet its leaves are more beautiful, soft and playful. In the spring, new buds of paddy color start coming on it. Later, they turn green and then dark green. Peepal leaves are fed to animals as fodder, especially for elephants. Peepal wood is used for fuel but it is not suitable for any building work or furniture. Peepal is considered very useful for health. The use of twigs, wood, leaves, copals and seers of peepal is mentioned in jaundice, night blindness, malaria, cough and asthma and cold and headache.
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