Research On Regions Based On Tree Names From Ramayana

Research Done by me.
Mentor : My mom

I was given this verse from Valmiki Ramayana. My goal was to find out in which regions the trees mentioned by Sugreeva, are found in the current time. I was also asked to find out the botanical name of the trees and write few sentences about the trees.

Verse from Valmiki Ramayana

लोध्र पद्मक खण्डेषु देवदारु वनेषु च |
रावणः सह वैदेह्या मार्गितव्या ततः ततः || || ४-४३-१३ Valmiki Ramayana

Sugreeva instructs a vanara Shatabali and his army to go up North in search of Devi Sita. The above verse comes in the Kishkinda Kanda.

Translation:
In the stands of Lodhra Trees, Padmaka Trees and in the woods of Devadaru, or Deodar trees, Ravana is to be searched there and there, together with Seetha. 

My Research below.

1. Lodhra Tree 

Botanical Name: Symplocus Racemosa

Found in North Eastern India, Assam
It is a very important Ayurvedic herb mainly used in bleeding disorder, diarrhea and eye disorders.

Image Source: http://www.artbaby.in/

2. Padmaka Tree

Botanical Name: Prunus Cerasoids
Found in Himalayas from Himachal Pradesh to South Western Chinese Forests
Also known as Bird Cherry. A very large tree which looks very decorative while flowering.

Image Source: https://www.brahmayurved.com/herbs/himalayan-wild-cherry-or-paddam.php

3. Devadaru Tree also known Deodar Tree

Botanical Name: Cedrus Deodara
Native to Western Himalayas, Eastern Afghanistan and Norther Pakistan

These are magestic long needle pine trees and Deodar tree is the national tree of Pakistan.

Image Source:http://www.bimbima.com/health/post/2015/05/22/himalayan-cedar-treedevdar-information-and-medicinal-uses.aspx

I also created a mindmap on www.mindmup.com on the three tree names and the regions where it could be.

Based on my research, I was asked by my mother to speculate where Sugreeva asked Shatabali Vanara to go in search of Devi Sita.

My answer is that Sugreeva could have asked Shatabali to go to Assam, Himachal Pradhesh, South West China, West of Jammu and Kashmir, Northern Pakistan, Eastern Afghanistan and Western Himalayas.

Me and Mom also played a game. We created a quiz for each other. We gave clues about flora, fauna, people, rivers and lakes and the other person has to find out which place is that. Some of the questions I gave my mom

1. the place where you will find a dead sea
2. here is where many koala bear lives
3. the country which is the largest theocracy of the world
4. a place where there will a big tower with a clock near a bridge
5. country where you can find the most stinkiest flowers which smells like flesh

Some of the questions  my mom gave mea place where more sugar canes are grown, where there are many numbers of rivers than any other country etc.

References:
http://easyayurveda.com/2013/09/30/lodhra-symplocos-racemosa-benefits-usage-dose-side-effects/

http://www.ayurwiki.info/wiki/padmaka

http://www.itslife.in/gardening/trees/deodar-tree

http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Wild%20Himalayan%20Cherry.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedrus_deodara