More about the Rudraksha (Elaeocarpus Ganitrus)
Elaeocarpus ganitrus is a large evergreen tree with broad leaves. The seeds have traditional use for prayer beads in Hinduism and Buddhism. Their seeds are the famous Rudraksha Hindus and Buddhists use in India and South East Asia. Hindus believe them to be the tears of the shiva. For thousands of years yogis and other believers use them as an aid to self empowerment and self enlightenment. The dried seeds are used as rosary beads and necklaces for meditation purposes. Hindus believe that Rudraksha beads have healing properties and that they affect the human body when worn. The Rudraksha relates to the Heart Chakra and for Hinuds is a good omen. They use it as a talisman for good health. Asian yogis and monks find that merely wearing the Rudraksha beads gives them a tremendous amount of tranquility and concentration that helps them meditate for long periods of time.
Rudraksha may be produced by several species of Elaeocarpus, however E. ganitrus is the principal species used in the making of jewellery or mala.
The five-faced Rudrakasha are most common whereas the one-faced variety of Rudrakasha is rarer and is therefore very expensive.
Other names: Utrasum Bead Tree
Rudraksha Plant Info
Elaeocarpus ganitrus grows in the area from the Gangetic plain. It grows from the foothills of the Himalayas to South-East Asia, Nepal, Indonesia, New Guinea to Australia, Guam, and Hawaii. When fully ripe the seeds have as cover an outer husk of blue color. For this reason they are also known as blueberry beads. The blue color is structural, not from pigment. It is an evergreen tree that grows quickly. The Rudraksha tree starts bearing fruit in three to four years. As the tree matures, the roots buttress rising up narrowly near the trunk and radiating out along the surface of the ground.
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