Cuttack: A 60 feet tall basil tree found in Odisha. Basil or Tulsi is vastly associated with social and religious life of Indian people. Though basil is of seven varieties people generally divide it into two groups based on its colour – light and dark. The light colour basil is also called ‘Gouri Tulasi’ while the black basil leaves — ‘Krushna Tulasi’ are dark. Besides, there is another variety – wild basil, called ‘Bana Tulasi’.
Basil is a herb and generally its height is around 2 to 3 feet. Yet, to the astonishment of everybody a rare basil tree has been witnessed in the Cuttack district of Odisha which is a hug 60 feet high. People consider the tree to be of the Satya yuga.
The said 60 feet high basil tree is found near ‘dobandhi’ on the bank of River Chitrotpala in Balisahi panchayat under Salipur block of Cuttack district. This 60 feet tall basil tree was found which people know in the names ‘Ganga-Tulasi’, ‘Gupta Tulasi’, or ‘Satya yuga ra tulasi’, basil of the Satya yuga.
Though normally basil is an herb, this one is a tree while its height is unbelievable. It is 60 feet high and its circumference is more than 10 feet. There are around 10 big branches of the tree that remain filled with leaves across the year.
When it comes to look, the leaves of the said tree are perfectly identical to normal basil plants. However, this particular tree does not have any fragrance. Interestingly, it is believed that this one is basil of the Satya yuuga. Now it is available in the hidden form and when the on-going kali yuga will end, fragrance will return to this plant.
As per the locals, there was a huge basil tree at this place before the 1999 super cyclone of Odisha which was taller than this basil tree. That one is the mother tree of which this present one is a branch tree. That original tree got uprooted in the cyclone and now only this one is standing. People of the nearby villages consider the tree, leaves of the tree pious and thus worship. Also, sometimes people arrange bhajan, sankirthan, rahas and reading of Malika under this tree.
Ms Kalinga