Religious association
|
The
fruit is associated with Lord Bala Ganapathi, one of the 32 forms of
Lord Ganesha. Ganesha in this form is depicted as a child with four
arms. In each of his four hands, he holds four things - banana, sugarcane,
mango and jackfruit – all of which represent the earth’s
abundance and fertility. The fruit is also associated with Lord Vishnu.
|
|
Uses
|
The jackfruit tree has
many uses. The green, immature fruit is used as a vegetable, while
the pulp of the ripe fruit is eaten fresh, dried or preserved in syrups.
The seeds are also consumed - either cooked or roasted. The latex is
used to cure night blindness. Various parts of the plant are used in
treating toothache, caries, stomach ailments, sores, small pox, swelling
and infection.
The yellow heartwood is highly durable and of good quality. The wood
is used to make the musical instrument, Veena, associated with
Goddess Saraswati.
|
