Q1.
Observe this seal from Mohenjo-daro. Can you recognise the leaves at the top?
Answer
Yes — they are peepul leaves.
Look closely at Fig. 8.12. Across the upper half of the little square seal spreads a fan of leaves, each one heart-shaped with a long, drawn-out tip. That drip-tip is the peepul's signature; no other common Indian tree has it. Below the leaves the seal shows two horned animal figures facing each other, and along the bottom edge runs a row of Indus script signs.
| What to look for | On the seal |
|---|---|
| Leaf shape | Broad heart-shaped blade narrowing into a long, thin point |
| Arrangement | A spray of leaves fanning out from a central stem, filling the top of the seal |
| Below the leaves | Two horned creatures placed symmetrically on either side |
| Bottom band | Undeciphered Indus script signs, including a spoked-wheel sign |
Why this matters: the seal is roughly 4,500 years old. If the peepul was important enough to be carved on a seal in Mohenjo-daro, then reverence for this one tree has continued in the Subcontinent for at least four and a half millennia — “the peepul tree has been an important part of India's cultural geography for millennia.” The same tree is sacred today to Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism, and its botanical name says so too: Ficus religiosa, literally the ‘religious' fig.
Think About It (page 179): the book adds that many parts of the peepul have medical uses — the leaves treat some skin ailments and the bark is useful for stomach ailments — and that because it stays green almost through the year it gives food and shelter to many kinds of birds and other animals. So the tree is not only a symbol: it is a medicine chest and a wildlife shelter. Calling it sacred is one way a community makes sure such a tree is never cut.