SACRED TREES

I had to do some work at the Sitiawan Teacher Activity Centre (PKG Sitiawan) this week and I could not help but notice the two trees that were inside of the compound of the Hindu temple situated across the road to the PKG. The trunks of both trees had cloth wrapped around them. The neem tree had a sari cloth around it while the Bodhi tree had a cloth which to me looked like a dhoti. From what I saw, I had guessed that the neem tree embodied a female while the bodhi tree was male in nature.

I asked my colleague, Puan Lalitha, who went to offer prayers to the deities which were placed in front of the trees. She said that I was right. I am told that if the two trees were found to grow side by side in a place of worship with the leaves and branches of both trees growing and twining into each other then the trees are considered sacred. Furthermore, both the neem and bodhi trees are deemed auspicious by the Hindus. I think I might just bring offerings to the deities and sacred beings this holidays. I'd like to get divine help to speed up the publication of my book.