BAEL Aegle marmelos
Rutaceae
San: Bilva, Sriphal Hin, Ben, Ass: Bael Mal: Koovalam Tam: Vilvam
Mar, Ben: Baela Tel: Marendu, Bilvapondu Guj: Bilviphal Kan: Bilvapatra
Importance
Bael or Bengal quince is a deciduous sacred tree, associated with Gods having useful
medicinal properties, especially as a cooling agent. This tree is popular in ‘Shiva’ and
‘Vishnu’ temples and it can be grown in every house. Its leaves are trifoliate symbolizing the
‘Thrimurthies’-Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, with spear shaped leaflets resembling “Thrisoolam”
the weapon of Lord Shiva. Many legends, stories and myths are associated with this tree. The
leaflets are given to devotees as ‘prasadam’ in Shiva temples and as ‘Tulasi’ in Vishnu
temples.
Every part of the tree is medicinal and useful. The roots are used in many Ayurvedic
medicines for curing diabetes and leprosy. It is an ingredient of the ‘dasamoola’. The Bark is
used to cure intestinal disorders. Leaves contain an alkaloid rutacin which is hypoglycaemic.
‘Two leaves before breakfast’ is said to keep diabetes under control. Leaves and fruits are
useful in controlling diarrhoea and dysentery. Fruit pulp is used as ‘shampoo’ and cooling
agent. It is also a rich source of carbohydrate, protein, fat, fibre, minerals and vitamin B and
C. Fruit pulp is used to cure mouth ulcers as it is the richest natural source of riboflavin
(1191 units/ 100 g). ‘Bael sharbat’ is prepared by mixing the fruit pulp with sugar, water and
tamarind juice, which is very useful for stomach and intestinal disorders. The rind of the fruit
is used for dyeing and tanning. The aromatic wood is used to make pestles in oil and sugar
mills and also to make agricultural implements (Rajarajan, 1997).
Distribution
Bael tree is native to India and is found growing wild in Sub-Himalayan tracts from
Jhelum eastwards to West Bengal, in central and south India. It is grown all over the country,
especially in the premises of temples and houses.
Botany
Aegle marmelos (Linn.) Corr.ex Roxb. belongs to the citrus family Rutaceae. The golden
coloured bael fruit resembles a golden apple and hence the generic name Aegle. The specific
name marmelos is derived from marmelosin contained in the fruit (Nair, 1997). Aegle
marmelos is a medium sized armed deciduous tree growing upto 8m in height with straight
sharp axillary thorns and yellowish brown shallowly furrowed corky bark. Leaves are
alternate, trifoliate and aromatic; leaflets ovate or ovate-lanceolate, crenate, pellucid-
punctate, the laterals subsessile and the terminal long petioled. Flowers are greenish-white,
sweet scented, borne on axillary panicles. Fruit is globose, woody berry with golden yellow
rind when ripe. Seeds are numerous oblong, compressed and embedded in the orange brown
sweet gummy pulp.
Agrotechnology
Bael comes up well in humid tropical and subtropical climate. It grows on a wide
range of soils from sandy loam to clay loam. North Indian varieties are preferred to South
Indian types for large scale cultivation. Twelve varieties are cultivated in North India for