Pushpa: The Rise, was a sensational movie that had audiences from all ages drawn to the theatres. Released in December 2021, Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna had the lead roles in the movie; however it was the Red Sandalwood or Red Sanders that stole the limelight in the story. The movie’s entire premise focuses around these rare woods. Let’s explore why.
Red Sanders
Red Sanders, also known as Red Sandalwood or Rakta Chandana in India, is a member of the Fabaceae family and is botanically known as Pterocarpus Santalinus. This tree is a rare species with a exclusively specific geographic range in the southern parts of India’s Eastern Ghats. The reason for this is the region’s abundance of red soil, which has the ideal balance of water, nutrients, and other elements that cannot be found anywhere else.
This tree’s greatest distinguishing trait is its rich red wood colour, which makes it stand out. It can reach a height of 26 feet and has a diameter of 50-150 cm.
The slow growth of these trees adds another reason for them being so rare and expensive. It can take up to 10 years for a red sandalwood tree to organically grow.
It is predominantly found in the Seshachalam Hill ranges of Andhra Pradesh, which encompass Kadapa, Chittoor, and Kurnool in the Rayalaseema region, as well as parts of Nellore district. This wood has a high demand in China and Japan and they are also exported to the USA and Romania.
Why the hype
The timber of this tree has high demand both domestically and internationally. The heartwood, or centre of the trunk offers a lot of medical benefits.
Sandalwood bark possesses anti-diabetic effects, which aid in blood sugar reduction by boosting the insulin secretion in the body.
Skin inflammation problems like Eczema can be managed by using red sandalwood paste which helps in the relief of itchiness, this paste is also beneficial for treating burns. Antioxidants found in red sandalwood bark aid in the control of high cholesterol levels.
According to Ayurveda, applying Red Sandalwood paste has fast wound healing properties and can help with tiny cuts and wounds since it contains Ropan, or healing qualities. The heartwood is also used to cure digestive issues like dysentery and diarrhoea.
Beauty benefits
Red Sandalwood contains a variety of natural components that have a beneficial effect on the skin. The powder obtained by crushing this wood is either used as face masks or combined with other components.
This contains healing agents that not only makes the skin radiant and glowing but also aids in combating acne problems. It can be used as a natural scrub to exfoliate dust particles and dead skin cells. And can also control the oiliness of the skin, with that it also helps in the reduction of suntan and pigmentation along with premature ageing. Overuse, however, should be avoided because it might cause the skin to become extremely dry.
Amara face pack, Vedagiri red sandalwood powder, Kerala Naturals red sandalwood powder and Looms & Weaves etc are some brands that deal in Red Sandalwood powder.
Other uses
The wood is dense and exceptionally hard, making it ideal for woodworking and fence post construction. The red, fragrant heartwood is used to make furniture, cabinets, and other products. Moreover, the rich red dye derived from the wood is used to colour silk, cotton, and other textiles. It’s also used in food colourings and pharmaceutical preparations.
In addition, in Japanese culture, this wood is utilised to build the bridge and neck of the Japanese musical instrument called Shamisen.
The illegal smuggling and crimes associated with this rare wood, inspired the movie Pusha; however, the movie played a vital role in spreading awareness about this endangered wood and hopefully more such natural resources will come under the spotlight in mainstream media.
Read More: Windy Woods, Munnar: Where the wind whispers to the trees
