Bel fruit, scientifically known as Aegle marmelos, offers a multitude of health benefits. Studies suggest that bel possesses antimicrobial properties, potentially aiding in the fight against certain bacteria and fungi. Its anti-inflammatory effects have also been noted, providing potential relief from bodily inflammation.

Moreover, bel is believed to harbor hepatoprotective properties, which could contribute to liver health, along with anti-diarrheal effects to alleviate digestive discomfort. Its anti-mutagenic properties may help prevent DNA damage.

When you delve into the study of bel, you can uncover many more claims about its health benefits. But did you know that bel patra once cooled down Lord Shiva? If it could cool down the God of Gods, then the pulp of the bel fruit can cool us down during summer. How? Let’s begin with the story of Mahadev or Shiva during the time of the churning of the ocean.

But first, let’s address the false story of bel bibaha—the misinformation about Newar girls marrying the bel fruit. The ceremony is called Ihi, and the girls are married to Suvarna Kumar, which symbolizes Lord Vishnu. It probably started to save Newar women from ‘Sati Pratha,’ where widows were forced to sacrifice themselves in the burning fire. During Ihi, bel fruit is given as a witness, as bel fruit (wood apple) has a peculiar quality of not rotting and remaining fresh forever.

Due to the release of poison during the churning of the ocean, the entire world became unable to bear its heat. Even the Sura and Asura (gods and demons) were troubled by the heat. Then everyone worshiped Lord Shiva and asked him for his help in getting rid of the heat created by the poison.

Lord Shiva drank the poison to free everyone from it. The heat of the poison was so intense that its effect did not diminish, and Mahadev’s throat turned blue. Then the Sura and Asura offered bel patra and water to Mahadev. Due to the effect of bel patra, the temperature of the poison started decreasing. Lord Shiva’s fever subsided after the offering of bel patra, and he became happy and blessed everyone, saying that from now on he would fulfill every wish of those who offer bel patra to him. Since then, the tradition of offering bel patra on Lord Shiva or one of his forms—the Shiva linga—has been ongoing.

According to another story, the leaves are dearest to Lord Shiva because the Purana mentions that once Goddess Parvati’s sweat droplets fell on the Mandrachal Mountain. It led to the growth of the bel plant. So, the Goddess is considered to reside in the bel tree in all her forms.

Bel is known as Bengal quince, stone apple, curd fruit, elephant apple, Adhararutha (Sanskrit), Iyalbudi (Tamil), Sriphalamu (Telugu), Billi (Gujarati), and Bel in Nepali, Hindi, and Bengali.

Bel possesses many medicinal values and is therefore used as an ingredient in Ayurvedic herbal medical preparations. The fruits, bark, leaves, seeds, and roots of bel contain bioactive compounds such as coumarin, xanthotoxol, imperatorin, aegeline, and marmeline.

Bel sharbat is traditionally made during summer. It’s said that if you drink bel sharbat in the morning, it will protect you from outside heat throughout the day. The plant is highly edible, and the fruit is eaten raw or made into marmalades, jams, jellies, and drinks.

In Indonesia, the fruit is opened and dressed with palm sugar for eating at breakfast. Young leaves and shoots are cooked as a vegetable in Thailand or used as a condiment in Indonesia. An infusion of the flowers is used to make a refreshing beverage. The fruit is also processed to make candied fruit and fruit toffees.

In Nepal and India, bel sharbat is quite popular during summer. There are many ways of making it. The seeded pulp is beaten also with milk and sugar to make sharbat. In the Indian state of Odisha, bel fruit pulp is mixed with fresh cheese, milk, water, sugar, crushed black pepper, and ice, and it becomes the great drink called bela pana.

During their New Year’s Day, Maha Bishuba Sankranti (on Baishakh 1 of the Nepali New Year’s day), Odia people prepare special bela pana with ripe bel, milk, black pepper, cheena (cheese curd), tiny pieces of peeled banana and honey or jaggery, yogurt, cardamom, ground cashews, and freshly grated coconut.

One popular method of making bel sharbat is to wash wood apples, cut them, and take out their pulp. Mix it with double the volume of water and mash it. Run this mashed pulp through a strainer and extract the juice by pressing it with the help of a spoon.

Add sugar to the juice. When it’s mixed in the juice properly, pour cold water or put some ice cubes in it. You can mix salt and cumin (jeera) powder as per your requirement. You can make four to five glasses of squash from one kg of wood apples.

Efforts to conserve the Bel tree are crucial as over-exploitation and habitat degradation have led to its classification as ‘near threatened’ on the IUCN Red List. To safeguard this vital aspect of culture and tradition, initiatives to plant and conserve bel trees are necessary.

 The author is a UK-based R&D chef