Last week, during my morning walk, I stumbled upon a tree with white flowers that were buzzing with bees. After some investigation, I discovered that it was an Angola tree (Kannada), also known as Alangium salviifolium/Sage Leaved Alangium. Angolam,Alangi,Arinjil(Malayalam), Azhinjil, Alingil,Elangi(Tam)/Kallu maavu.. are other names in native languages.This thorny tree is considered sacred and is often found near temples. It sheds its leaves during flowering and grows them back when it fruits. The tree flowers from February to April and fruits from March to May, just before the rainy season.

The Angola tree is the Sthala Vruksha in Vairava Temple near Karaikudi and Ashtothira Eshwar Temple(Nootreteeswarar) near Ponneri of Thiruvallur district. At Nootreteeswarar, the tree is believed to be atleast 2500yrs old and is called Er Azhinjil as it is unique in that the seeds are attached back to the main trunk of the tree after falling to the ground. This phenomenon is due to the eggs of certain insects that hatch into worms and move the seeds back to the tree to emerge as insects. I was fascinated by this piece of information and went to check the tree I saw! Voila… I found seeds stuck to the trunk of this Angola tree too. Isn’t it fascinating?

Angolam has been mentioned in Sri Andal’s Nachiyar Tirumozhi and Shivananda Lahiri by Sri Adishankara.

Ankolam nija beeja santhathi rayaskkantho soochika,
Sadhvi naija vibhum latha kshithiruham sindhussaridvallabham,
Prapnothiha yadha thadha pasupathe padara sindhu dwaiyam,
Chetho vruthi roopethya thishtathi sada saa bhakthirithyuchyathe.   

Like the real seed progeny reaches for the mother ankola tree,
Like the iron needle reaches for the load stone.
Like the chaste woman reaches for  her lord,
Like the tender creeper reaches for near by trees,
Like the river reaches for the sea,
If the spirit of the mind,
Reaches for the lotus feet of Pasupathi,
And stays there always, 
Then that state is called devotion.

Translation courtesy – shivam.org

Apart from these, it has been mentioned in Bhava Prakasha Nighantu by Bhavamishra, Charaka has noted the fruits as Phala Varga.

The Angola tree has a variety of uses in traditional medicine and daily life. In Ayurveda, the roots and fruits are used to treat rheumatism and hemorrhoids, and externally, the tree is used to treat skin issues, bites from rabbits, rats, and dogs. The stems of the tree are used as toothbrushes, and the wood is used to make musical instruments, small implements, ornaments, and furniture. The tree parts are used for Tantric rituals as well as used for Dhoopam. The tincture of A. salvifolium is also used in homeopathy.

There are around 40 species of Alangium, and couple of the species are found in India. Interestingly, the red, juicy fruits of the Angola tree are edible, but this information surprised me until my helper told me that she had eaten many of them during her childhood. I can’t wait to try them for myself!