Context: Semal trees are being wiped out in Rajasthan due to their use in Holika Dahan festivities.
News Highlight
- Silk cotton tree (Bombax ceiba L.), known locally as semal is central to the Holika Dahan festivities . Traditionally, the debarked stem or branch of a semal tree is used as the bonfire’s main pillar.
- Large quantities of semal are cut in southern Rajasthan, in places like Bhil and Garasia, and sold in Udaipur. The cutting violates a panoply of laws, from the Rajasthan Forest Act 1953 to the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980.
- Once ubiquitous in the region, the crimson semal flower is now a rare sight.
Semal tree
- Bombax ceiba commonly known as red silk cotton tree is a plant native to Asia.
- Indian cottonwood, Indian kapok, and red silk-cotton tree are common names in English.
- It is known by other vernacular names like Himila in Assamese, Safed Shimalo in Gujarati, Kanntisenbal, Rakta Senbal and Semal in Hindi, Kempuburuga in Kannada etc.
Ecological Benefits
- The rock bees nestle on its branches because the tree’s spikes keep its predator, the sloth bears, away.
- Larvae of the moth Bucculatrix crateracma feed on its leaves.
- The golden-crowned sparrow weaves the lining of its nests with white cotton from its seeds.
- The Dysdercus bugs, the Indian crested porcupine, Hanuman langurs, and some other species feast on the nectar in its flowers.
- The roots of the semal tree are profound and widespread, making it effective at stabilizing soil and preventing erosion.
- Members of tribal communities consume the tree’s reddish root for food during the monsoons.
Significance for Tribes
- Members of the Garasia tribe in the area also believe they are descended from semal trees. To them and others, it provides opportunities for agroforestry and resources like food, fodder, and fuel wood.
- Members of the Kathodi tribe use its wood to craft musical instruments while those of the Bhil use it to make utensils.
Economic benefits
- The fruits contain many seeds surrounded by a dense mat of cotton (Kopak) like fibers. The fibers are almost pure cellulose and have a low thermal conductivity, but they are not suitable for spinning. So they are used for insulation, filling economically priced pillows, Sleeping Bags, mattresses, sofas etc.
- The wood of the semal tree is solid and durable and is often used for construction, furniture-making, and other woodworking applications.
Medicinal Benefits
- Semal has been mentioned in ayurveda. Be it flowers, bark, fruit or its gum, every part of this tree confers umpteen health benefits. It is beneficial in promoting sexual health and relieving problems like asthma, anaemia, diarrhoea, pulmonary tuberculosis, and influenza.
- The tree is also used as a natural remedy for wounds and cuts.
Landscaping
- The semal tree is often used as a street tree or in park and garden settings due to its attractive appearance and fast growth rate.