JOIN USVillagers freak out over a tree leak
The residents of Veerapura and surrounding villages are astounded at the phenomenon, since it is well known that tamarind trees don’t ooze resin.
Attracting attention
Veerapura resident Krishne Gowda, who noticed the happening shared it with his neighbours and soon the news spread and opened a flood of visitors to the tree. The curious event brought forth a welter of explanations from the crowd.
“This is some magic. No tamarind tree issues resin,” said one. Another had a more odd explanation, “A cobra is living in a hollow under the tree, and it is responsible for the happening.”
Even as the debate was on, one of the residents brought forth kumkum and turmeric, colours considered holy, and applied them on the tree, and did a pooja (worship).
Although the reaction of the village residents indicated superstition, it is the nature of the tamarind wood that is reason for their unusual reaction.
The wood of the tree is close-grained and hard, making it the preferred material for making the the axle for the wheel of ox carts, the rotating beam for oil mills and the handles for axes and long pestles for grinding grain. The wood is also is also used as firewood and charcoal in silk yarn making.
What science says
When Deccan Herald spoke to Prof S C Chandrashekhar of the Department of Plant Pathology in GKVK, he had a simple explanation. “This is mere bacterial infection. When the sugar content in the tree bark is infected by bacteria, a fermentation process occurs, producing froth,” Prof Chandrashekhar said.
“It is very much like the nose running during a cold. It is a form of resistance to the infection. This is common in neem (azadyrachta indica) and tamarind. After some time, the bark recovers and the oozing of the froth stops. But if the infection is serious, the branch dies,” he said.