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Peepal in Delhi: the tree nobody cuts down
Ficus religiosa
The peepal, or sacred fig, is the tree the Buddha sat under and the one Krishna names as himself among trees in the Bhagavad Gita. Because peepals are almost never felled, the biggest trees in an Indian city are usually this species, and Delhi is no exception. The guide marks peepals as common in three places: Lodhi Garden, the Sanjay Van forest on the ridge, and the memorial parks along the Yamuna around Shantivan.
The tree the Buddha sat under, and the tree Krishna names as himself among trees in the Bhagavad Gita. Peepals are almost never felled, which is why the biggest trees in an Indian city are usually this species.
Where to see it
Lodhi Garden
Sanjay Van
Shantivan & Parks Beyond Red Fort
👀 How to recognise it
The leaf tail is the giveaway. The bark is pale and smooth, and the tree drops its leaves briefly in spring before flushing coppery-pink new ones.
Where to see peepals
Peepals grow all over Delhi, by temples, on roadsides and in courtyards. These three places are where they are part of the scene.
Lodhi Garden
Peepals among the tombs and mosques of Lodhi Garden, in the centre of the city. According to the guide, early morning is the quietest time, when yoga practitioners, runners and walkers come.
Sanjay Van
Sanjay Van, 783 acres of dense keekar woods on the ridge near Qutub Minar, with the ramparts of Lal Kot, Delhi's oldest fort, on a rise inside. Trails are long and poorly signed, so go in the morning and with company.
Shantivan and the Yamuna parks
The chain of memorial parks along the Yamuna behind the Red Fort (Shantivan, Raj Ghat, Vijay Ghat), including the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi. The guide marks peepals as common in this green belt on the edge of Old Delhi.
How to pick out a peepal
Watch the crown before you look at a leaf. Each leaf is a broad heart, 10–17 cm long, drawn out into a long thin tail, and it hangs on a long, flexible stalk, so the crown trembles in the faintest wind. The bark is pale and smooth.
The weeks to watch in Delhi are March and April. According to the guide, the tree drops its leaves briefly in spring and then flushes new ones, coppery-red to pink. Because a seed dropped by a bird can sprout in a wall or on a roof, peepals also grow straight out of old masonry, with their roots working into the stone.
Why it is left standing
For Buddhists it is the Bodhi tree, under which the Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. In the Gita, Krishna says that among trees he is the ashvattha, the Sanskrit name for the peepal and the name the guide records for it in Delhi, and the Padma Purana calls the peepal a form of Vishnu.
So in daily life the tree is treated as a shrine. Trunks are wrapped with thread and given water in the morning, and Hindus walk around the tree in worship, usually seven times. If you find a trunk wrapped in thread with offerings at its foot, leave them as they are. The Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, is shaped like a peepal leaf.
More peepals and more Delhi trees
The species page on the peepal covers its meaning in more depth and the most famous trees elsewhere in India, from Sarnath to Braj. Delhi's other trees, with a flowering calendar, are on trees and flowers of Delhi.
❓ FAQ
Where can I see peepal trees in Delhi?
In Lodhi Garden, in the Sanjay Van forest near Qutub Minar, and in the memorial parks along the Yamuna around Shantivan.
When does the peepal get new leaves?
In Delhi, in March and April. It drops its leaves briefly in spring and flushes new ones, coppery-red to pink.
Is peepal the same as the Bodhi tree?
The Bodhi tree is a peepal: the Buddha attained enlightenment under one at Bodh Gaya. Peepals grown from its line are also called Bodhi trees.
Why are peepal trees not cut down?
Because the tree is sacred to Hindus and Buddhists: Krishna names himself as the ashvattha in the Gita, and the Buddha was enlightened under one.