In the Shade of the Semal: Stories from the Terai

In the Heart of the Terai: A Forest Officer’s Reflections

Working in the Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh from 2005 to 2008 left an indelible mark on me. Being in Terai always fascinated me. The Terai landscape is uniquely rich in Sal forests and houses grand and charismatic terrestrial and aquatic animals.

A Living Mosaic of Wild Giants

Though the Great One Horned Rhinoceroses and Water Buffaloes got extinct from the wild in this beautiful mosaic of grasslands, wetlands and woodlands of Terai, however, the presence of Tigers, Asian Elephants, leopards, wolf, fishing cats, five varieties of deers including Swamp Deer, Gharials, otters, Gangetic Dolphins, around 450 types of birds, and the reintroduced population of the Great One Horn Rhinoceros make this high ecological productive landscape extremely significant.

Where Rivers Shape Life

Rivers like Girwa, Mohana, Kaudiala, Suheli, and Sharda have been excellent habitats for Gharial, Mugger, Smooth Coated Otter and Gangetic Dolphin.

The Land of Semal and Sal

The Terai landscape also has vast tracts of riverine ecosystems with oxbow lakes and leftover alluvial plains of sandy loamy soil, which favour Shisham, Semal and Khair trees to grow like weeds. The tall, buttressed trunk and scattered trees of Semal always fascinated me in this region, especially when they gregariously bloom with red succulent flowers in the Basant season. The presence of Semal tree, naturally grown in the agricultural fields of farmers, has slowly become a great source of income, since its soft wood suits the making of veneers and plywood. However, it took me some time to understand how the Semal trees have been closely associated with the social and ethnic lives of the inhabitants of the landscape.

The Village by the Oxbow Lake

I recall, carrying out a major haul of Khair, Shisham and Teak logs in a village called Semari Malmala. A politically strong and well-placed person had his farm house made there in the village and had stored almost 20 trucks of illegally cut wood from nearby jungles of Dharmapur and Murtiha jungles. The person had a criminal history of illicit felling, encroaching lands, and putting pressure on forest officials for getting his illegal work done by conniving with him and providing transit permits to transport the illegally cut wood from jungles as an agroforestry produce. The village Semari Malmala was situated along a water stream locally known as Bhagahar, which means a leftover water body that was actually an oxbow lake. The word Bhagahar sounds more Bhojpuri than Awadhi, which is the native language of the area. There was another village situated right there on the bank of Bhagahar called Semari Ghatahi.

Full Circle: Back to Dudhwa

After my stint in Katerniaghat I then joined the Government of India and my direct connection to the area got lost, except for having some intermittent visits on account of my official works. After the end of my deputation tenure, I got the opportunity to work in the same landscape after almost a decade. I got posted as the Field Director of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve at Lakhimpur Kheri. During my official visits, patrolling, and tours I kept coming across places, markets, and villages having their names as Semari, Semari Bazar, Semari Purwa, and Semrahna. Later, I could make out the prominence of the Semal tree in the socio-ethnic lives of the people all across Indo-Nepal borders and in surrounding areas.

What’s in a Name: The Legacy of Semal

Semal trees with their obvious presence and prominence had resulted in the names like Semari Malmala and Semari Ghatahi, which I could recall and connect with. Moreover, the term ‘Malmala’ indicated the quality of fibres of the seeds of the tree, which are like malmal cottons, and the term ‘Ghatahi’ came from the word Ghat, which is used to refer to the riverbank.

The Scarlet Tree of the Subcontinent

Semal is native to the South Asian landscape, including India. In fact, the taxonomical common and scientific name of Semal began with Malabar Silk cotton (Salmalia malabarica).

The words Salmalia and Semal have their origin in the Sanskrit words Shalmali and Shimbal, describing this large, deciduous tree with spiky greyish bark and bearing large, succulent scarlet flowers which in turn convert into large seed pods bursting into tiny seeds bearing cotton like fibres to help with dispersal. In India, Semal is naturally found in the north, south, and northeastern parts, in forests as well as outside forest areas. Metropolitan cities like Delhi and Jaipur have a good number of Semal trees that are prominently visible flowering, during the months of March-April. Additionally,

Semal (Bombax ceiba) trees are different from Kapok trees (Ceiba pentandra), though they look very similar and belong to the same family Malvaceae. Kapok trees are native to Central-South America and West Africa.

The Tree and the Traditions that Heal….

Communities and native people across the continents have been using various parts of the trees for a variety of uses ranging from timber, traditional medicines, canoe, colour, musical instruments and toys.

Medicine in the Bark, Stories in the Buds

Amongst some of the ethno-medic uses of Semal, is that of its gum, which is considered edible, and having great medicinal value. Immature fruits of the tree are used for making expectorant, stimulant, and diuretics. Extracts of young roots are used for treating dysentery. I have also heard that dry, fallen ovaries of the Semal tree are being utilised for herbal and medicinal uses in Kerala. The buds of Semal are also called Dhepa in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Semar Gulla in Rohilkhand, which are used in local dishes.

The Feminine Grace of a Giant Tree

The tall grand trees of Semal can reach more than 50 meters in height. Its buttressed bole and thick trunk give it more of a feminine look than the masculine appearance of trees like Sal or Mahua. Similarly, the tree has been associated with many folklores and religious beliefs. A clan of the Bhil tribe in Rajasthan considers it a sacred symbol and gives protection. In many parts of the country especially in the northwest of India, the tree is used in Holika Dahan and similar rituals. It’s also believed that a clan of the Meetie community in Manipur also conserves the tree for their traditional uses. Moreover, many folk songs are dedicated to the Semal tree in tribal regions across India.

When the Forest Turns Scarlet

In our childhood we used to know the Semal tree with its succulent red flowers used for making Holi colours and its cotton fibres, which were filled in pillows. Semal, besides other deciduous trees, is considered a harbinger of Basant in north India. Its leaves start getting yellow at the advent of Basant in February.

The Season of Basant and Blossoms

By the end of February, the tree becomes leafless and full of flower buds. In the early March the crown becomes full of the characteristic scarlet large succulent flowers and makes the tree a worthy sight. As soon as budding in the tree starts, the frequency of visits of birds such as Barbets, Myna, Bulbuls, Parakeets, Hornbills and Tree Pies to the tree increases many folds. However, in the flowering stage, flowers filled with nectar also attract Sun Birds and bees in great numbers.

Sightings of frugivorous bats are also common, which start spending time on the tree for longer periods. I have also seen many birds of prey perching and nesting on Semal trees.

The Semal in the City

The nests of vultures can easily be found on Semal trees in Terai of Uttar Pradesh. Similarly Black Kites do make nests on Semal trees in Delhi. Many old trees of Semal can be found in Lutyens Delhi. There was a time when the floor of Bikaner House Annexe, in the neighborhood of India Gate, used to be carpeted with Semal trees in the months of March-April, when the offices of NTCA, CZA and WCCB used to run from there.

A Forgotten Beauty in a Fast World

Though the tree is very well propagated in both urban and rural settings, its importance and beauty is getting unnoticed in today’s fast-forward life.

The Scarlet Reminder

This is the right time to observe these wonderful trees with shedding leaves and getting decked with their scarlet succulent flowers and flaunting their beauty and cultural importance.

*The author is a member of the Indian Forest Service and was awarded the UNEP Asia Environment Enforcement Award in 2019. Views expressed are personal.