Pillai kick starts his Goa Saimik Daiz Yatra
Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai seen with MLA Vijai Sardesai, Holy Spirit Parish Priest Fr Amandio Valladares and others on Monday.
MARGAO
A tall tree protruding into the sky is a common sight in front of many a church dotting across the State. For the devotees, the tree is locally called as Maddi, where the village Priest puts up and blesses a banner signifying the commencement of the novenas of the Church feast. In Botanical terms, however, the tall tree is known as Sterculia Foetida.
The scientific significance of the tree came to the fore on Monday as Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai kick started his Goa Saimik Daiz Yatra to the Holy Spirit Church grounds which plays host to the Maddi in front of the 450-year-old church.
Explaining the significance of the Maddi tree, heritage promoter Sanjeev Sardesai said the Maddi tree take cares of lightning by preventing lighting from striking the Metal Bell atop the Churches.
“The Maddi tree is planted in front of the Church at the time of laying the foundation stone. The reason could be simple. These trees take care of lightning and protect the metal bells on the church from lightning. Secondly, the tree comes in handy for the Church to put up a banner signifying the commencement of Novenas”, Sardesai said.
He further explained that the Nagin tree is also known as Nagin (female Cobra) tree. “This is because the pods of the tree take the shape of a female Nagin cobra when they break open”, he said.
Sardesai added: “Look at the any of the old photographs and one would find these trees mostly found in front of the churches, be it at Rachol or Basilica of Bom Jesus. Because these trees take care of lightning”, he said.
Sardesai said the top part of the Se Cathedral was twice high by lightning in the past, but the Basilica of Bom Jesus had escaped lighting because of the presence of the Maddi tree. “I have a photograph that a portion of the Maddi tree in front of Basilica of Bom Jesus was burnt down after it was hit by lightning, but it save the Chruch,” he added.
Evincing keen interest in the concept, Governor Pillai sought to know whether the scientific importance of the tree is documented, wherein Sardesai said the Botanical Society of Goa had documented the tree in 2014.
The Governor then requested his staff to collect the data and documents in respect of the Maddi tree so that the tree finds a mention in the list of heritage trees in his book.
