Ask for the Peepal tree in English and the answer is the sacred fig, known to botanists as Ficus religiosa. It is one of the most recognisable and most revered trees of the Indian subcontinent, its heart-shaped leaves trembling on long stalks in the slightest breeze. This guide from Art of Vedas sets out the naming across languages, the classical and cultural traditions gathered around the tree, and its quiet connection to another famous Ayurvedic material, Laksha.
Peepal in English and other names
The Peepal travels under many names, which is why searchers so often look for a plain translation. The most useful are gathered here:
- English: sacred fig, and also the bo tree or bodhi tree
- Botanical: Ficus religiosa
- Hindi: Peepal or Pipal
- Sanskrit: Ashvattha, and Bodhivriksha, the tree of awakening
- Tamil: Arasu or Arasa maram
- Regional names: Ravi tree and Ashwath tree
Every one of these names points to the same tree, a large, long-lived fig recognised at once by its slender-tipped, heart-shaped leaves.
The tree of life in tradition
Few trees carry as much cultural weight as the Peepal. In the classical world it is the Ashvattha, praised in Sanskrit literature as a tree of great significance and long life. It is revered across the traditions of the subcontinent, and it is famously the Bodhi tree, the sacred fig beneath which the Buddha is said to have sat. Villages have long kept a Peepal at their centre, planted for shade and for ceremony, and its longevity gave rise to the old idea of a tree of life. In Ayurvedic culture the tree is treated with the same respect, valued as much for its place in daily life as for anything gathered from it.
The Peepal and Laksha
The Peepal also sits at the edge of one of Ayurveda's most interesting natural-history stories. The classical material called Laksha is a resin secreted by the tiny lac insect as it settles on the branches of host trees, and the Peepal is among the trees on which this insect has traditionally lived. This is why the study of Laksha so often begins in the canopy of a fig. Readers curious about that thread can follow it in our guide to the lac insect, Laccifer lacca, and in the broader monograph on Laksha in Ayurveda.
Where the Peepal meets the herb shelf
The Peepal is a tree of culture and landscape more than a shelf-stable powder, so at Art of Vedas we point readers who love this tradition towards the classical botanicals that share its world. The warming external-use blend Kolakulathadi powder belongs to the same classical powder heritage, while Tulsi capsules carry another of the subcontinent's most revered plants, the holy basil often grown beside sacred trees. To understand the powder format that so many classical botanicals take, see our guide to classical Churnam.
Who is drawn to the Peepal
Interest in the Peepal is usually cultural and botanical. People are drawn to its history, its symbolism and its striking leaves rather than to any single use. It is admired by tradition and appreciation, and this article is written in that spirit, as a cultural and botanical portrait rather than a guide to self-treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Peepal tree in English?
In English the Peepal is called the sacred fig, and also the bo tree or bodhi tree. Its botanical name is Ficus religiosa.
What is the Sanskrit name for Peepal?
The Sanskrit name is Ashvattha, and it is also known as Bodhivriksha, the tree of awakening.
Is the Ravi tree the same as Peepal?
Yes. Ravi tree and Ashwath tree are regional names for the same tree, Ficus religiosa.
Why is the Peepal called the tree of life?
Its great longevity and its central place in village and ceremonial life gave rise to the old description of the Peepal as a tree of life.
How is the Peepal connected to Laksha?
The lac insect that produces the classical material Laksha lives on host trees including the Peepal, which is why the two subjects are often discussed together.
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