Jand
Jand ( ਜੰਡ ) is a Punjabi word for the banyan tree or Prosopis cineraria (also sometimes called Prosopis spicigera) which grows wild in many of the drier parts of Punjab. It is a small to medium size tree growing to about 6 m (20 feet), found mainly in desert of India. Common names include: Ghaf (United Arab Emirates), khejri, jant/janti, sangri (Rajasthan), jand (Punjabi), kandi (Sind), sami, sumri (Gujarat). Its trade name is kandi. It is an evergreen thorny tree, with slender branches armed with conical thorns and with light bluish-green foliage. The leaflets are dark green with thin casting of light shade.
People down the ages have held this tree as sacred and pious. It is sometime referred to as the golden tree of Indian deserts and plays a vital role in preserving the ecosystem of arid and semi-arid areas in this North-western part of India. This tree is a legume and it improves soil fertility
Many Rajasthani families use the green and unripe pods (known as sangri) in preparation of curries and pickles. The importance of the medicinal value of sami tree has been highlighted in our ancient literature.
There many Gurdwaras which are linked and even named after this tree.
