Flame of the Forest (Kesudo/ Palash)
Months of February and March, travelling through the country side in the Indian Subcontinent, you see a spectacular change in the skyline. Suddenly, you see forest is on fire, and then, you realize that Palash is in full bloom. Butea Monosperma, known as Palash, Kesudo and sacred tree are very significant to Indian Mythology but also has a lot of value in Ayurveda. In our Mythology, Lord Krishna plays Holi with the Palash flowers. During Saraswati Puja on Vasant Panchami flowers of Palash are must. The indigenous knowledge derived through generations pins the remedial properties of Palash flowers to control various skin problems due to extreme heat in the Summers. Leaves of a Palash tree are traditionally associated with making of biodegradable cutlery known as "patrala". Roots of the tree has medicinal properties while the trunk of the tree is used as fire wood. Although, bright orange is the colour that is associated with Palash, you can find some variations of colou