Ficus racemosa


Ficus racemosa is a species of plant in the family Moraceae. Popularly known as the cluster fig tree, Indian fig tree or goolar fig, this is native to Australia, Malaysia, Indo-China and the Indian subcontinent. It is unusual in that its figs grow on or close to the tree trunk, termed cauliflory. In India, the tree and its fruit are called gular in the north and atti in the south. The fruits are a favourite staple of the common Indian macaque. It serves as a food plant for the caterpillars of the two-brand crow butterfly of northern Australia.

In Hinduism

According to the Shatapatha Brahmana, the Udumbara tree was created from the force of Indra, the leader of the gods that came out of his flesh when he overindulged in soma:
From his hair his thought flowed, and became millet; from his skin his honour flowed, and became the aśvattha tree ; from his flesh his force flowed, and became the udumbara tree ; from his bones his sweet drink flowed, and became the nyagrodha tree ; from his marrow his drink, the Soma juice, flowed, and became rice: in this way his energies, or vital powers, went from him.
In the Atharva Veda, this fig tree is given prominence as a means for acquiring prosperity and vanquishing foes. For instance, regarding an amulet of the udumbara tree, a hymn extols:
It has been described in the story of Raja Harischandra of the Ikshvaku dynasty, that the crown was a branch of this udumbara tree, set in a circlet of gold. Additionally, the throne was constructed out of this wood and the royal personage would ascend it on his knee, chanting to the gods to ascend it with him, which they did so, albeit unseen.
The tree has been worshipped as Abode under which Lord Dattatreya teaches that to teach first learn from others however small or big. There is always something to be learnt from One and to learn new things one has to learn to unlearn as per the time.The tree is seen planted in all the places associated with Lord Dattatreya who is seen as an icon Rishi a sage who represents all the three of the trinity of Hinduism: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva needed for each one to learn by unlearning the obsolete. this is the plan of evolution in analogy.
Its leaves are an indispensable part of many Hindu havans.

In Buddhism

Both the tree and the flower are referred to as the udumbara in Buddhism. Udumbara can also refer to the blue lotus flower. The udumbara flower appears in chapters 2 and 27 of the Lotus Sutra, an important Mahayana Buddhist text. The Japanese word udon-ge was used by Dōgen Zenji to refer to the flower of the udumbara tree in chapter 68 of the Shōbōgenzō. Dōgen places the udonge in the context of the Flower Sermon given by Gautama Buddha on Vulture Peak. Udonge is also used to refer to the eggs of the lacewing insect. The eggs are laid in a pattern similar to a flower, and its shape is used for divination in Asian fortune telling.
In Theravada Buddhism, the plant is said to have used as the tree for achieved enlightenment by the 26th Lord Buddha, Konaagama.

Uses

The Ovambo people call the fruit of the cluster fig eenghwiyu and use it to distill ombike, their traditional liquor.

Health uses

The bark of audumbar tree is said to have healing power.
In countries like India, the bark is rubbed on a stone with water to make a paste, which can be applied over afflicted by boils or mosquito bites. Allow the paste to dry on the skin and reapply after a few hours. For people whose skin is especially sensitive to insect bites, this is a very simple home remedy.