Garcinia xanthochymus

The sacred Tamala of Vrindavan is yet to be conclusively identified. George Harrison and Srila Prabhupada wrote some fifty pages on Tamal and Vrindavan. They say ‘Radaharani in separation was embracing the Tamala tree. – – And they say that in Vrindavan only there are four trees left.’ It is possible. Since the time of Sri Chaitanya pilgrims from different parts took a plant on their return. One Swami of Belur Math brought a plant from Vrindavan some thirty years back. I took a twig and put it before the members. Experts say it belongs to Diospyros montana. Interestingly its Sanskrit name is Tamala. Since the fruit or flower of this particular tree not seen a conclusion could not be arrived at.

Thanks for reopening the thread. Few months back I received Sanskrit Pandulipi (Manuscript) from Krishna Devotee of Nepal which describes Tam, Tamal, Tamala, Tamalini, Tamalak, Tamal Patra, Tamali with different Shlokas. From reading it, it seems that neither Garcinia nor Diospyros is suitable candidate for it. Sacred Tamala was once used in Yagyas specially Soma Yagyas. And also in Yagyas for Healing. 

झुके कूल सों जल परसन हित मनहु सुहाए।

I did a bit of study on Tamaal a decade ago. It is your co-operation which helped me to get a lot of information through your members. Thanks to all of them.

This brief account dated 5/6/12 is the gist of my effort at that time which was lost to me, You have revived that. Accept my grateful appreciation.

Thank you … I saw TAMAL in my childhood in East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh). I started searching for the scientific name of the tree in1993 when I was in Lucknow. The Useful Plants of India (CSIR publication) has all the names of TAMAL as mentioned by Mr Subrata Mahapatra. In 1994 I attended a WWF work shop at Ashoka Hotel in Delhi, where some people from Brindaban brought a sapling of Tamal. Immediately my mind reeled back to my childhood memory, as the sapling resembles my TAMAL. Unfortunately the delegate members from Brindaban could not tell the scientific name. There are two trees at this place (Cooch Behar). One big tree is in the famous Madn-Mohan temple compound. Everybody knows it as TAMAL. There is another tree at Tufangunj in the compound of a temple. These trees are definitely Garcinia. I know many Garcinia species which I have seen at Assam. TAMAL of ancient and modern literature is definitely Diospyros montana (according to The Useful Plants of India this tree in Sanskrit is TUMALA).

I came across this interesting thread which highlights and was struck by how relevant this discussion is to modern situation also.

From published name lists  on IBIN   and from the Sanskrit

Tamala   तमाल   Garcinia xanthoxylum and G.morella . : ( as concluded by …)

Kalaskandha  कालस्कन्ध   : Diospyros melano.: &/  OR Ficus glomeratus or

तमालपत्त्र Cinnamomum tamal:   

तमालपत्त्र :  Leaf of C.tamala or G.xanthochymus/ morella

The id of the plant/twig brought by Swami by … has been identified as Diospyros sp.

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Tree For ID : Lalbagh,Bangalore : 220913 : AK-2 : Attachments (2). 3 posts by 2 authors.

A tree seen at Lalbagh Botanical Gardens, Bangalore on 18/3/13.

Garcinia xanthochymus Hook.f. ex T.Anderson, cultivated in a home garden near Mangalore, the leaves are largest n this species when compare with all other Garcinia Spp

Kindly validate.

Yes it is Garcinia xanthochymus

To me it seems to be Garcinia xanthochymus.

Thanks … for validating the ID..

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Agumbe :: Garcinia FOR VALIDATION / ID :: DVJAN58 : 3 posts by 2 authors. 3 images.

Garcinia xanthochymus.