Tree Worship in Ancient India

Men when they were in their natural form of religion, rendered divine honour and worship to trees and plants. Probably, tree-worship is one of the earliest forms of religion in Ancient India. It was through the worship of the trees that man attempted to approach and propitiate God. In the words of Lord Buddha, "The forest is a peculiar organism of unlimited kindness and benevolence that makes no demands for its sustenance and extends generously the products of its life activity; it affords production to all beings offering shade to the axeman who destroys it." Similarly, James Fergusson observes, "With all their poetry and all their usefulness we can hardly feel astonished that the primitive races of mankind should have considered trees as the choicest gift of the gods to men." The author has beautifully described the tree-worship in Ancient India which became quite common in fourth millenium B.C., when there was a highly evolved Harappan culture. It has continued throughout the whole period of Ancient Indian History and still remains deep in the hearts of Hindus in Modern India. The study covers various periods, e.g., the Origin, Vedic period, Tree Worship in Buddhism and Jainism, Pre-Gupta period, Gupta period, Medieval Hindu period, Tree Worship in South India, Trees in Ancient Indian Coins, etc.