NEW DELHI: In the beginning there were the milk swilling Ganesh idols, followed by herbal fuel and now it’s a talking, exorcising and healing tree. Ten days ago in a 20acrelarge orchard near BKII block of Shalimar Bagh in North West Delhi. “Lord Mahua Baba” apparently bestowed a Mahua tree with his presence. Since then, over a lakh eager worshippers have thronged the orchard, which till recently only had local children filching berries and guavas. All this has, however, become a problem for the police who believe it to be a “cheap trick” to capture DDA land by building a brick and concrete shrine around the tree.

Contractor of the orchard for 35 years, Mr. Chaudhary Swarup Singh, says around a month ago, a Mahua tree, on disputed land, at Khatauli in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh suddenly began to speak when it was about to be cut down. “As the axe was about to descend, the tree began to speak. It warned its destroyers to desist because it was holy. The tree said area residents should worship it for peace, prosperity and good health, since then people have been going there to worship it. Even last Saturday, three busloads of people left for the place from ISBT.” the 66yearold Singh. His orchard Keeper, however, corrects him. “The magic sequence of worship is three Saturdays. Those who worship “Mahua Baba” on three consecutive Saturdays will know no problems thereafter.”

In Shalimar Bagh, however, the worship cycle started on October 17, when four old women came to Mr, Singh, asking him if there was a Mahua tree in the orchard. Receiving the answer in the affirmative, the women rushed to the spot, swept it clean and within half an hour the place was turned into a shrine, complete with marigold garlands and incense sticks stuck to the tree. Mr. Singh said a little later a couple of the women began to. Act “possessed. Suddenly they began running towards Sabzi Mandi yelling there is some divine power in the tree”. Since then, he said, the word spread like brush fire and the numbers of worshippers steadily increased, initially, the talking tree was said to be dispensing solutions for all sons of problems. Then it came to be known as an exerciser of bad spirits, and lately it had acquired healing powers for its worshippers.

The police, meanwhile, decided to put a guard in the area. On Saturday morning, many pol? Gn persons parked themselves 6a. Side the orchard trying to prevent worshippers for continuing with the “tamashea”’, However, Sub Inspector Raj pal Singh, in charge of the “bandobast” in the area, says: “By 7 am, around 10,000 people had collected outside on the road in front of BKII block. They started to protest and, since we saw no Sense in precipitating a sticky situation, we decided to let them in.” As for miracles, the Sub Inspector made a wry face and said: “There was a man who lay prostrate on the ground, He suddenly got up and started rolling in the dust. My constable told him to stop it. When he did not, Purshottam (the constable) landed two blows on him with his “Lathi” and lo and behold, the man forgot his prayers and took to his heels, even leaving his slippers behind.” Other devotees narrate different tales. Thus, the blind have recovered their sight, the mute their voice, the impoverished they } money and the infirm    their healthy “The Pioneer” did witness on “miracle” for Mr. Ashok Khanna who has a general provisions store near the orchard entrance. Ever since the apparent miracle, he has taken on himself the task of providing worshippers with the “pooja samagri” (offerings), comprising “batashaas”, a marigold garland and two incense sticks. A quick exchange of Rs3 for a bag and Mr. Khanna says ‘Thank you” while the worshipper proceeds with a pious expression towards the tree.

Article extracted from this publication >>  October 30, 1996