Aegle marmelos, Rutaceae

Medicinal Uses

1. Prameha(Diabetes): Take 15ml
   of leaf juice once in a day before
   food to manage diabetes and
   reduce excess urination.

2. Intestinal worms: 5 grams of
   dried and powdered pulp of the
   bilva fruit with butter milk should
   be administered twice a day
   for one week for elimination of
   intestinal worms
3. Piles: Crush an unripe bilva fruit,
   3gms of dried ginger and 3gms of
   fennel soak this mixture in 200ml
   of Hot water over night. Consume
   this water in dose of 50ml 3 to 4
   times a day to heal piles.
4. Constipation: Intake of 5gms of
   bilva fruit pulp mixed in a glass of
   butter milk or warm water twice
   a day to get relief from irritable
   bowel syndrome, constipation
   and indigestion.
5. Chronic diarrhea: Dry the slices
   of an unripe bilva fruit in sun and
   grind them into powder. intake
   of 5gms of this powder along
   with warm water 2 times a day is
   useful.
6. Jaundice: Administration
   of 3gms of black pepper in a 15ml
   of bilva leaves juice followed by
   butter milk twice or thrice a day
   in beneficial in Jaundice.
7. Mouth ulcers: Consume the
   mixture of a 20ml of bilva fruit
   pulp and a teaspoon of sugar
   in the morning on an empty
   stomach for 3 days. It heals
   stomach and mouth ulcers.

Vernacular names

Assamese : Bael, Vael
Bengali : Bela, Bilva
English : Bengal Quince, Bael fruit
Gujrati : Bill, Bilum, Bilvaphal
Hindi : Bela, Sriphal, Bel
Kannada : Bilva
Kashmiri : Bel
Malayalam : Koovalam
Marathi : Bel, Baela
Oriya : Bela
Punjabi : Bil
Tamil : Vilvam
Telugu : Maredu
Urdu : Bel

Bilva, known botanically as Aegle marmelos and commonly as Bael, is a sacred, deciduous tree native to India and Southeast Asia, highly revered in Hinduism for its trifoliate leaves offered to Lord Shiva. It is a potent Ayurvedic medicinal plant, with its fruit, leaves, and roots used to treat digestive issues, diarrhea, and infections. 

Key Details About Bilva (Bael):

• Religious Significance: Known as Shiva Druma (Lord Shiva’s tree), the leaves (Bilva Patra) are essential in Shiva and Parvati worship. They symbolize the trident (Trishula) of Lord Shiva.
• Medicinal Properties: It is used to treat IBS, diarrhoea, dysentery, constipation, peptic ulcers, and respiratory infections. It is considered anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and a digestive stimulant.
• Nutritional Value: The fruit is rich in antioxidants and is often used in drinks to combat heatstroke.
• Botanical Characteristics: A medium-sized tree, it thrives in tropical regions, requiring full sunlight and well-drained soil.
• Usage:
  • Leaves: Offered in worship, also used for medicinal juices.
  • Fruit: Ripe fruit is eaten, while unripe fruit is used in traditional medicine.
  • Products: Bilva powder or Bael powder is consumed for digestion. 

Cultural Significance
Beyond its medicinal uses, the Bilva tree is believed to be the abode of Lakshmi and is often found in temple gardens. It is considered to have high energy-retaining properties, which is why the leaves are offered to the Shiva Linga.