Nakshatravana

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. ^[1] 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,^{[ citation needed ]} and association with Nakshatras, many organisations are popularizing the creation of Nakshatravanam. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]}

References

1. "Nakshatra vana— A treasure trove of plants". Deccan Herald. 4 August 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
2. "Nakshatra vana— A treasure trove of plants". Deccan Herald. 4 August 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
3. "Nakshatra Vana – Inside Borigumma Central Nursery" (PDF). p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
4. "Nakshatravanam' planned". The Hindu . June 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
5. "Nakshatravanam dedicated". The Hindu. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
6. "'Nakshatravanam' At Putharikandam Maidan" . Retrieved 24 December 2015.