Louise Fowler-Smith, in “Hindu Tree Veneration as a Mode of Environmental Encounter”, writes: “Historically, sacred trees have been connected with rites of renewal, sexuality, fertility, conception, birth, initiation, death and rebirth. Throughout India, Hindu communities have their own individual deities…which are regarded as synonymous with the locality and everything within it…The deity is not visible to the local community, so a specific place or object is chosen to direct the act of worship. The…shrine…is usually connected with an important feature of the natural world such as a hill, a rock, a stream or pond. These shrines are most commonly associated with a tree or grove of trees, with the tree embodying the local goddess.” Hence, as far as India and Hinduism is concerned, the worship of a tree is not only a very ancient practice, but it is also a current living reality.

~ Ninthin Sridhar, “Natural oneness: Why trees are revered in Hinduism”

California Redwoods – photo by Virrage Images, bigstockphoto.com