ISSUE
Friday, August 1, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 70
Dashera is the festival that is celebrated in India in various ways in different states of India. As I am born and brought up in Maharashtra, I used to celebrate it by exchanging Sona Patti with my friends, relatives and neighbours. Sona Patti is a leaf of Apta tree.
After exchanging the Sona Patti we used to greet and wish each other. Whenever I celebrated the Dashera one question always came in my mind that what is the reason behind this exchange of leaves. I asked this to my parents but as they are not originally from Maharashtra they were unable to answer me.
One day on the occasion of Dashera one of my Marathi friends came to wish me. I asked her about the reason behind exchanging the Sona Patti and she answered my all questions and cleared my mind. She told me two stories behind this custom.
The first tale is that once there was a king named Raghu. He was very generous and was Lord Ram’s ancestor. Once he decided to give all his wealth to the poor people.
He did Yagna (Prayer) and did as he decided. After distributing his wealth to the needy people, a poor boy came and asked him if he could give him some money. As Raghu had distributed all his wealth there was no way remaining. Then Raghu decided to ask Kuber, the renowned God of Wealth. Kuber agreed and there was rain of gold on earth from heaven. There was shower of gold on Apta tree also. Since then the custom of exchanging Apta tree leaves (Sona Patti) got started.
The second story is that once there was a student named Kausta in Ayodhya and his guru’s name was Guru Varatantu. After completing his training he wanted to give Guru Dakshina (present) to his guru. At first the guru denied but Kausta insisted him very much and then he agreed for the Guru Dakshina.
He said he wanted 14 crore (140 million) gold coins just so that Kausta would stop insisting. But Kausta took it seriously and went to Lord Ram for help. Lord Ram with the help of Kuber showered gold coins from the leaves of Apta tree. Kausta collected the gold coins and gave it to Guru Varatantu.
Some of which he also distributed to needy and poor people. This happened on Dashera and from then onwards people collect the leaves of Apta tree and give it to teachers, elders and friends as a present or a gift.
I listened to my friend with a great interest and thanked her for telling me the traditional importance of Sona Patti. After this I became more curious and wanted to know more about Apta leaves. I read the books and searched on Internet. I came to know the medicinal properties of Apta leaves.
Apta is a small fibrous tree, has leaves with two lobes, and has small white flowers.
According to some researchers it has been found that Apta has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
It can cure diseases like diarrhea and dysentery. It is also displays anti-tumor properties and is useful in treating the first stages of cancer. It is administered to prevent miscarriage and is also used as a beauty enhancer to remove unwanted hair. The bark is used to treat a range of diseases from asthma, bronchitis, dysentery, leucoderma, leprosy, muscle tremors, to piles. Knowing the medicinal and traditional values of Sona Patti, I consider it as a real ‘Sona’.
By giving Sona Patti to our dear ones, we wish them so that they remain free from all the diseases and become rich, as health is wealth.
After this I sometimes wonder about the well-known phrase ‘All That Glitters Is Not Gold’ and I think it will not be wrong to say ‘All That Not Glitters Can Be Gold’… because no one knows.
Dashera is the festival that is celebrated in India in various ways in different states of India. As I am born and brought up in Maharashtra, I used to celebrate it by exchanging Sona Patti with my friends, relatives and neighbours. Sona Patti is a leaf of Apta tree. After exchanging the Sona...
Dashera is the festival that is celebrated in India in various ways in different states of India. As I am born and brought up in Maharashtra, I used to celebrate it by exchanging Sona Patti with my friends, relatives and neighbours. Sona Patti is a leaf of Apta tree.
After exchanging the Sona Patti we used to greet and wish each other. Whenever I celebrated the Dashera one question always came in my mind that what is the reason behind this exchange of leaves. I asked this to my parents but as they are not originally from Maharashtra they were unable to answer me.
One day on the occasion of Dashera one of my Marathi friends came to wish me. I asked her about the reason behind exchanging the Sona Patti and she answered my all questions and cleared my mind. She told me two stories behind this custom.
The first tale is that once there was a king named Raghu. He was very generous and was Lord Ram’s ancestor. Once he decided to give all his wealth to the poor people.
He did Yagna (Prayer) and did as he decided. After distributing his wealth to the needy people, a poor boy came and asked him if he could give him some money. As Raghu had distributed all his wealth there was no way remaining. Then Raghu decided to ask Kuber, the renowned God of Wealth. Kuber agreed and there was rain of gold on earth from heaven. There was shower of gold on Apta tree also. Since then the custom of exchanging Apta tree leaves (Sona Patti) got started.
The second story is that once there was a student named Kausta in Ayodhya and his guru’s name was Guru Varatantu. After completing his training he wanted to give Guru Dakshina (present) to his guru. At first the guru denied but Kausta insisted him very much and then he agreed for the Guru Dakshina.
He said he wanted 14 crore (140 million) gold coins just so that Kausta would stop insisting. But Kausta took it seriously and went to Lord Ram for help. Lord Ram with the help of Kuber showered gold coins from the leaves of Apta tree. Kausta collected the gold coins and gave it to Guru Varatantu.
Some of which he also distributed to needy and poor people. This happened on Dashera and from then onwards people collect the leaves of Apta tree and give it to teachers, elders and friends as a present or a gift.
I listened to my friend with a great interest and thanked her for telling me the traditional importance of Sona Patti. After this I became more curious and wanted to know more about Apta leaves. I read the books and searched on Internet. I came to know the medicinal properties of Apta leaves.
Apta is a small fibrous tree, has leaves with two lobes, and has small white flowers.
According to some researchers it has been found that Apta has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
It can cure diseases like diarrhea and dysentery. It is also displays anti-tumor properties and is useful in treating the first stages of cancer. It is administered to prevent miscarriage and is also used as a beauty enhancer to remove unwanted hair. The bark is used to treat a range of diseases from asthma, bronchitis, dysentery, leucoderma, leprosy, muscle tremors, to piles. Knowing the medicinal and traditional values of Sona Patti, I consider it as a real ‘Sona’.
By giving Sona Patti to our dear ones, we wish them so that they remain free from all the diseases and become rich, as health is wealth.
After this I sometimes wonder about the well-known phrase ‘All That Glitters Is Not Gold’ and I think it will not be wrong to say ‘All That Not Glitters Can Be Gold’… because no one knows.
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