Kadamba

Kadam or kadamb is also known as burr flower tree and wild cinchona. In Hindi it is called Kadamba. It is called Vellaikkatampu in Tamil, Rudrakskamba and kadambakamu in Telugu, Katambu and Attu tekku in Malayalam, Kaduavalatige in Kannada and kadam in Bengali and Assamese. It has numerous names in Sanskrit like Vrattapushpa, Nipa, Lalanapriya, Kadambari, Madadhya, Sindhupushpa, Karnapurak, Kadamba, Halipriya, Sisupala, Gandhavatpushpa, Pravrishenya, Manonnati, Kutsitanga, Pulaki, Kaadambarya, Girikadambaka, Raajakadamba, Meghaagamapriya.

 In Oriya we call it Kadamba too. Its botanical name is Neolamarckia cadamba (Anthocephalus indicus).

Kadamb is a deciduous tree which grows throughout India, especially at low levels and in wet places. It grows rapidly in first 6-8 year and produces golden ball of flowers. It is seen widely in the Western Ghats, in Plains and in wet places everywhere. It has a straight stem about 20 m high and up to 2 m girth with a beautiful contour of drooping branches. The leaves are around 30 cm long and 10-15 cm broad, ovate, with prominent veins. The bark is dark grey in colour, roughish with longitudinal fissures peeling off in thin scales. Yellow to orange small fragrant flowers up to 55 mm diameter bloom which appear like solid, hairy orange balls. The fruits, round like small balls, hard, yellow when ripe are sweet and sour in taste. Seeds are small and muriculate.

Three kinds of kadamb are mentioned in ancient Indian scriptures namely, dhara kadamba (described above), dhuli kadamba – which blooms in the spring and bhumi kadamba – which has smaller flowers.

 Kadamba is one of the most useful herbs mentioned in all ancient Sanskrit scriptures and ayurvedic texts. The great sage and the greatest name in Indian Ayurveda i.e. Charaka has categorized it as an analgesic and its fruit pulp as a purifier of seminal fluids. Susruta, another great ayurvedic physician has cited it as a detoxifier and anti diarrhoeal. The bark, leaves, fruits, roots have great medicinal value and is used for curing ulcer, fever, vomiting, inflammation of eyes, urinary retention, cough, diarrhoea, burning sensation. Externally, the wounds and ulcers are dressed with its leaves (slightly warmed) to alleviate the pain, swelling and for cleansing and better healing of wounds. The paste of its bark applied externally is benevolent in conjunctivitis. Internally, the decoction of its bark skin is an effective remedy for diarrhoea, dysentery and colitis. The juice of the bark skin combined with cumin seeds and sugar alleviates vomiting. The excessive thirst in fevers is quenched with its fruit juice. Kadamba is the best panacea for cough. The decoction of roots is useful in urinary ailments. Menorrhagia is effectively controlled with the fresh juice of its leaves or their decoction. The fruit juice augments the quantity of breast milk in lactating mothers and also works well as a lactodepurant.  Kadamba is rewarding in skin diseases as it improves the complexion of the skin. In burning sensation of the body and fever, the bark skin is commonly used. The bark skin and the fruits are salubrious in general debility. Root and Flower are abortifacient because fruit of Kadamba added with honey, one-fourth in quantity, if taken for three days after the stoppage of the menstrual flow along with hot water, produces sterility in woman. Brushing teeth with twig of this plant is beneficial for oral hygiene. If the cattle are suffering from some disease, keep the flowers and leaves in the cattle shed; the disease will not affect the cattle. Additionally, leaves are useful in the treatment of snake-bite. the leaves also when taken for a period ranging from 4-10 months cures diabetes because it has composition of cadambine and dihydroconchonine, two types of alkaloids that cures diabetes.

Ancient Indian literature celebrates the beauty of this flower and tree in numerous poems and epics. In the famous epic poem Meghadutam (cloud messenger) of Kalidas, the greatest Sanskrit poet describes,

‘Where you should stay for rest near mountain Nicha,

In your contact Kadambas will bloom in thrill of joy

There, the aromatic fragrance for the pleasure of courtesans

Reveals the unstrained city youths staying in the mansions.’

It’s famous in all Vaisnavite poems and epics also because of its association with Lord Krishna. Jayadev, famous poet of Orissa in his immortal epic poem Gita Govindam based on Krishna Lila or divine play of Krishna has described how he hid the sarees of the maidens of Gokul when he found them bathing naked in the waters of river Yamuna. The maids when came out of water found their clothes hanging from the branches of kadamb tree where Krishna was playing his flute.

In one famous Odissi Vaisnavite song I remember, where in it is described that-, ‘When music on flute was played in the grove of kadamb; Radha’s (the divine beloved of Krishna) peak of fortitude broke down.’

How beautiful and enchanting!

Physically, emotionally, culturally in numerous ways we are closely bound to these beautiful green gifts of the Divine to man and the earth, i.e. the trees. Let’s value them and preserve them to make our Earth livable and beautiful.

Kadamb Tree