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{{Infobox religious text
| name = Sthala Vriksha
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| caption = [[Ekambareswarar temple]]
| religion = [[Hinduism]]
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A '''Sthala Vriksha''' or Sthala Vruksham ([[Tamil language|Tamil]]:ஸ்தல வ்ருக்ஷம்), is a monumental tree that is indigenous to every historical [[Hindu]] temple. This forms a prominent feature of [[Koil]]s, [[Hindu temple architecture|Hindu temples]] of the [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian style]].<ref name=ching2>{{cite book
| first=Francis D.K.
| last= Ching| year= 2007
| title= A Global History of Architecture
| url=https://archive.org/details/globalhistoryofa0000chin
| url-access=registration
| edition=
| publisher=John Wiley and Sons
| location=New York
| isbn= 978-0-471-26892-5
| page= [https://archive.org/details/globalhistoryofa0000chin/page/762 762]|display-authors=etal}}</ref>

Besides the dominant feature of a temple's architecture comprising the [[Gopuram]], [[Vimanam (tower)|Vimanam]] and the sanctum, the temple tree is also considered holy. Some of the temples and historical places derive their names from such trees.

[[Religion and environmentalism#Hinduism|Hinduism and ecology]] is a growing subject of interest and importance of these trees are reiterated by doing [[Puja (Hinduism)|pujas]] to them, tying sacred thread and bells during days of religious importance.<ref name=vrik/>

==Legend==
[[File:Koranganthar temple, Srinivasanallur, Trichy district (12).jpg|thumb|250px|left|Image of [[Dakshinamurthy]] in the form of a tree of knowledge in [[Koranganatha Temple]], [[Chola sculpture]], 9th century]]
As per [[Hindu]] legend, most historic Hindu temples are associated with a tree. Trees are found to symbolize growth and prosperity. In village folklore, there is a tree or forest associated with goddesses like [[Kali]], [[Amman]], [[Mariamman]] or Ellai Pidari. The goddess are believed to have significant powers. When the trees or the forests are not properly maintained, the inmates are believed to get punished in the form of a poor harvest or famine.<ref name=Mark>{{cite journal|title=Horse Shrines in Tamil India: Reflections on Modernity|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25835049
|last=Jarzombek|first=Mark|publisher=University of Minnesota Press|volume=6|issue=1|pages=21–2|year=2009|journal=Future Anterior: Journal of Historic Preservation, History, Theory, and Criticism|doi=10.1353/fta.0.0031
|jstor=25835049
|s2cid=191627473
}}</ref> The forests names and the deities are closely associated in the [[Saivite]] lore. The temple at [[Brahmapureeswarar Temple, Thirukkuvalai|Thirukkuvalai]] is referred to be located in a forest called Kathakaranya after the temple tree.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Thyagaraja Svamin Temple At Tirukkuvalai—A Study|first=Subramanian|last=A.|journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress|volume=35|year=1974|pages=442–449|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44138813|publisher=Indian History Congress|jstor=44138813}}</ref> [[Bilva]] (Aegle marmelos) is the most common Sthala Vriksha in Shiva temples, while the leaves of [[Tulsi]] (Ocimum tenuiflorum) is considered sacred for [[Vishnu]] temples. The other common Sthala Vrikshas are [[Neem]] (Azadirachta indica), [[Peepal]] (Ficus religiosa), [[Terminalia paniculata|Marudhu]] (Terminalia paniculata) and [[Kanikonna]] (Cassia fistula). The selection of the colours of flowers are dependent on the deities. While white, blue and yellow flowers are considered sacred to [[Krishna]] and [[Vishnu]], red and shades of orange are considered sacred to [[Shiva]].<ref name=Val/> According to ''Ramayana'', the word ''Sthala Vriksha'' is a mixture of ''Yakshaya Chaitya'' (the tree with the spirit within) and ''Vriksha Chaitya'' (the protector tree), indicating the sacred tree in each region.<ref name=Chak>{{cite book|chapter=Ancient Forest and sacred grooves|title= Critical Themes in Environmental History of India|editor-last=Chakrabarti|editor-first=Ranjan|page=174|last=Krishna|first=Nanditha|publisher=SAGE Publishing India|year=2020|isbn=9789353883164}}</ref>

[[Dakshinamurthy]] is an aspect of the Hindu god [[Shiva]] as a [[guru]] (teacher) of all types of knowledge. This aspect of Shiva, as the original guru, is his personification as the supreme or the ultimate awareness, understanding and knowledge. In this aspect as Dakshinamurti, Shiva is generally shown with four arms. He is depicted seated under a [[Banyan|banyan tree]], facing the south. Shiva is seated upon a deer-throne and surrounded by sages who are receiving his instruction.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rajarajan|first=R.K.K.|title=New Dimensions of Dakṣiṇāmūrti: with Special Reference to Vijayanagara-Nāyaka Art|journal=Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology|url=https://www.academia.edu/42305195}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rajarajan|first=R.K.K.|title=Dakṣiṇamūrti on vimānas of Viṣṇu Temples in the Far South|journal=South Asian Studies|volume=27|issue=2|pages=131–144|doi=10.1080/02666030.2011.614413|s2cid=194022781|url=https://www.academia.edu/3310983}}</ref>

==Location==
The Sthala Vriksha is located on ground or on an elevated platform. It is usually located on the outer [[Prakara]], the precincts of the temple. In most Shiva temples, it is located behind the sanctum. The tree is used as a deity in itself in most temples where people hang strings and filial to pray for their needs. As a worship practice, people circumambulate and prostrate before it. Sometimes the trees are anointed with strings to arrest the spirit within.<ref name=vrik>{{cite book|title=Hinduism and Nature|first=Nandita|last=Krishna|pages=125–6|publisher=Penguin Random House India Private Limited|isbn=9789387326545|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gp1IDwAAQBAJ&q=sthala+vriksha|year=2017}}</ref> There are cult statues placed around the trees describing the deities, which are worshipped.<ref name=Mark/> Western scholars have viewed the planting of the trees within the precinct as a means of protecting the environment.<ref name=vasu1>{{cite book|title=Visions of a New Earth: Religious Perspectives on Population, Consumption, and Ecology|page=116|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YBfpS4B0mCwC&q=sthala+vriksha|year=2000|publisher=Suny press|last=Narayana|first=Vasudha|isbn=9780791444573}}</ref> Usually a square platform is built around the tree and a cirumbulatory passage is built around it. The image of the deities or serprent stones are placed in the temple. When the tree dies for some reason, another tree is planted in the same location. Spiritually, it is considered as the rebirth cycle.<ref name=Reddy/> As per historian Soundara Rajan, the institutionalization of the temple trees, temple history and festival calendar in South Indian temples were initiated during the 11th century.<ref>{{cite book|title=Secularism in Indian Art|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mLAltYhW-JQC&q=sthala+vriksha|publisher=Abhinav Publications|year=1988|last=K.V.|first=Soundara Rajan|isbn=9788170172451}}</ref>

==Literary mention==
The historic text refer the tree as Chitra Vriksha. The Vedic texts have mention about amulets made off specific plants to wade off evil spirits.<ref name=Val>{{cite book|title=Flowering Trees|first=Valsalakumari|last=P.K.|page=19|publisher=New India Publishing|year=2008|isbn=9788189422509|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3I9db7KQEh0C&q=sthala+vriksha}}</ref> There are specific mention about the temple tree and its history in ''[[Padma Purana]]'' and ''[[Matsya Purana]]''.<ref name=vrik/> There are various trees mentioned in [[Sangam literature]] like ''[[Agananuru]]'' and ''[[Purananuru]]''. The later religious text compiled in ''[[Thevaram]]'' by saint poets like [[Appar]], [[Sundarar]], [[Sambandar]] and [[Manikkavacakar]] have multiple mention about various temple trees. The Sthala Vriksha is usually considered as a representation of a larger presence of species.<ref name=vasu>{{cite journal|title=One Tree Is Equal to Ten Sons": Hindu Responses to the Problems of Ecology, Population, and Consumption|journal=Journal of the American Academy of Religion|page=303|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1465767|volume=65|issue=2|year=1997|last=Narayana|first=Vasudha|jstor=1465767|via=JSTOR}}</ref> [[Ramayana]], the first epic in Hinduism, has a detailed view of all the forests in the region traversed by [[Rama]].<ref name=Chak/> Some of the wish giving trees are also called ''kalpavriksha'' is also preserved in the temples.<ref name=Reddy>{{cite book|title=Hindu Pilgrimage: Shifting Patterns of Worldview of Srisailam in South India|last=Reddy|first=Prabhavati C.|pages=48–9|publisher=Routledge|year=2014|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TkUsAwAAQBAJ&q=sthala+vriksha|isbn=9781317806318}}</ref>

==Footnotes==
{{reflist|20em}}

==References==
*[[Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend]] ({{ISBN|0-500-51088-1}}) by Anna Dhallapiccola

[[Category:Hindu temple architecture]]
[[Category:Architectural elements]]

Sthala Vriksha - Revision history

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