KOCHI: The wintery air around bears the hint of an inebriating, sensuous scent. It can be trance-inducing, often more passionate than placid.
Sweet and heady, the fragrance can be traced to the blooms of ezhilam pala (Alstonia scholaris). The pale, petite flowers tinge the serene year-end breeze with a cloying aroma that evokes a sense of the fantastic.
Known for its shimmery white dazzle at night, the pala has left an uncanny and mysterious impression on the Malayali mind. With tales of yakshis and Gandharvas interwoven with its petals, these blooms usher in memories of enchanting lore and horror.
“The intoxicating fragrance of these flowers is its magical charm,” says Aswathi Jerome, known for her Instagram handle @treesofcochin. “Spending time under a pala tree in full bloom may ‘seduce’ you into a trance. This must be the reason why so many eerie myths are connected to the tree. Most of these stories are either highly sensual or terrifying, always transporting you into a land of fantasy.”
Native to India, the ezhilam pala — aka blackboard tree, scholar tree, or devil’s tree — has been a constant presence in our myths and legends due to its association with the paranormal. These trees were once believed to be the abode of yakshis and Gandharvas, ready to seduce you with their supernatural powers.
Malayalam literature and cinema, especially in the 20th century, had many references to these legends. The cult classic ‘Njan Gandharvan’, directed by the legendary P Padmarajan, is an example.
Ezhilam pala blooms across Kerala, especially on temple grounds. The famed Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Temple also has a pala tree. Iron nails used to be hammered into its trunk during exorcisms, in the belief that evil spirits could be tamed once bound to the tree.
But beyond the myths, pala and its beautiful blooms are also known for their romantic charm. “In Delhi, they are planted as avenue trees in many areas,” Aswathi notes. “However, its flowering season can trigger allergies and asthma in some people.”
According to K B Rameshkumar, principal scientist at Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Palode, these trees might go unnoticed during the day but are easily recognised at night by their towering stature and hypnotic fragrance.
“The scent of these flowers can have different effects on different people. Many find it pleasing, while some get overwhelmed and can be left nauseous,” he says, explaining that the volatile compounds in the flowers can seep into the atmosphere and persist for a long time.
“The fragrance is most potent at night because that’s when pollination happens. It can even spread up to half a kilometre.”
Pala trees occupy a place of cultural and religious significance in our society. “Also known as yakshi pala or Gandharva pala, these trees are an integral part of many sacred groves,” says Rameshkumar
“It was believed that snakes often bite the bark of the pala tree to relieve their venom, so people were warned not to go too close to the tree.”
Ezhilam pala, he adds, is the official state tree of West Bengal and is known by many names across borders. The name ‘ezhilam pala’ comes from its peculiar leaves, often found in a cluster of seven (ezhu in Malayalam).
It is known as ‘saptaparni’ in Sanskrit, with ‘sapta’ meaning ‘seven’ and ‘parna’ meaning ‘leaf’. It is also called the ‘blackwood tree’ since it has been used in making blackboards in many countries. The species name of the tree, ‘scholaris’, stems from this association.
According to Rameshkumar, the branches of these trees were used in sorcery and black magic in India and Africa. “Perhaps this is why it got the name ‘Devil’s Tree’,” he says.
But, mind you, there is nothing ‘evil’ about this lovely tree. On the other hand, parts of the tree are used in ayurveda, especially for treating skin diseases.
The tree grows straight for some time before developing a distinct branching pattern, which is most obvious in young trees. Standing tall at about 30m, these trees have dark-coloured wood that oozes a milky sap when cut. Hence, it’s also called milkwood in some places.
Though toxic, this sap is also used for medicinal purposes. Found abundantly in tropical areas like South Asia, the flowering season of the pala tree typically spans from October to December.