8. Religious Importance of Plants in Different Ceremonies

213 IV.7. Religious Importance of Plants in Different Ceremonies: Watering Pipal And Banyan Tree The inscribers of the Puranas and Vedas have given a literal review of various traditional local festivals concerning the worship of specific trees and plants. The above literature gives importance to the association of its specific components with the divinity of specific deities. Although, most of our traditional customs regarding the worship of plant and trees relates to the production of crops in general, there are also specific worship which relates to deifying the glory of certain Gods and Goddess within the plants and trees. The inscription of such tree festivals is prevalent in various puranic literatures like Agni Purana, Matsya Purana, Narada purana, Bhabisya purana, Linga purana, Varaha purana, Bisnudharmottara purana etc. further in this puranas the description of various Bratotsabas are found like Amla nabami, Asokastami, Asokadvadasi, Asoka purnima, Asvattha brata,

214 Aranya dvadasi, Aranya sasthi, Kalpavrksa brata, Amra puspa bhaksana, kadali brata, kamala saptami, karavira pratipada, Tilaka brata, Tulasi vivaha, Durbastami, Dhatri brata, Nabarna bhaksana,Nimba saptami, Bakula amavasya, Bilva sakha Puja, Mandara sasthi, Sasyotsava, Soma brata etc. The sacred thread ceremony is observed among the upper three castes like brahman, ksatriya and vaisayas, where the 'Brahma cari' of each caste holds staff (danda) made of Particular trees. The Brahmins hold the staff of palasa, the ksatriyas hold the staff of asvattha and also the vaisyas hold the staff of an Asvattha as described in the Brahma Puran. 155 155. Brahma Purana - Brahma Kanda - 3-2, 28 Purba Kanda - 25, 28