A meal served on a leaf plate, a silk saree woven from wild silk, and incense burning during a prayer may appear like three unrelated parts of everyday life. But they share an interesting connection. Each, in its own way, can be traced back to the forests and a tree that has supported communities for generations.
This is the sal tree, scientifically known as Shorea robusta. Found across the forests of eastern and central India, particularly in Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh, it has been an important part of rural livelihoods and traditional practices.
According to a 2024 research review, Sal forests cover an estimated 10 million hectares in India. For communities living around these forests, the tree is valued for much more than its timber. Its leaves, seeds, resin, flowers, and fruit have found different uses over the years, with some becoming everyday household products and others supplying local industries.
According to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), its uses range from timber and resin to seed oil and animal feed. Here is a closer look at how this one tree finds a place in so many aspects of life.
1. Its leaves become plates and bowls
One of the most familiar uses of sal leaves is something many Indians may have eaten from. Across several parts of the country, communities collect mature leaves and stitch them together to make disposable plates and bowls.
One of the most familiar uses of sal leaves is something many Indians may have eaten from. Photograph: (Amazon.in)
Commonly called pattal or khali, these plates are used for everyday meals, weddings, religious ceremonies, and community feasts. Smaller bowls, known as dona, are also made from the leaves. In Odisha, they are closely associated with local food traditions.
A research paper published in the Bulletin of the National Research Centre documents how these leaves are used to make plates and bowls, both by hand and through machine-pressed processes. It also highlights leaf-plate making as an important source of income for tribal communities across several states.
Unlike plastic alternatives, the plates are biodegradable and break down naturally after disposal.
For many forest-dependent families, collecting and stitching leaves is more than a traditional practice. It is also a way to earn an income from resources available around them.
2. Its seeds yield oil used in soaps and confectionery
The small seeds that fall from the tree have considerable commercial value.
After collection, they are processed to separate their kernels, which contain a fat commonly known as sal fat or sal butter. This fat is used in the manufacture of soaps and confectionery. Once refined, it can also serve as a substitute for cocoa butter in certain food products.
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India documents its importance as a raw material for soap and confectionery manufacturing. Even the material left behind after extracting the oil does not go to waste. Known as oilcake, it contains protein and starch and can be used as animal feed, according to ICAR.
Collecting and processing these seeds have also supported forest-based livelihoods, particularly in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh.
3. Its resin becomes incense
The tree produces a natural aromatic resin known as sal dammar, which has several traditional and commercial applications. Collected from its trunk, the resin is used to make incense and also finds applications in certain paints and varnishes.
According to Indian Woods, a publication available through the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), the resin has several such applications.
Historically, it was also used to seal gaps in boats and ships, helping prevent water from entering. This made it useful for waterproofing wooden vessels. For communities familiar with the forest, collecting resin provides another way to make use of a natural resource without cutting down the tree.
4. Its wood builds homes and railway tracks
The wood is among the most valued hardwoods in India. Hard, heavy, and durable, it is particularly useful for construction and other applications that require strength.
It is used for beams, posts, door and window frames, railway sleepers, and structural work. Smaller branches and shoots can also be fashioned into agricultural implements and household tools.
This is the sal tree, scientifically known as Shorea robusta. Found across the forests of eastern and central India. Photograph: (Catch Foundation)
The wood is also used as firewood in rural households. From large construction projects to everyday objects, it serves a range of practical needs.
5. Its leaves help produce tasar silk
There is another interesting connection between this tree and India’s traditional textile industry.
The tropical tasar silkworm, scientifically known as Antheraea mylitta, feeds on the leaves of several host plants, including sal, arjun, and asna.
After feeding, the caterpillars spin cocoons, which are later processed to produce tasar silk. Known for its natural texture and rich appearance, this variety of wild silk supports livelihoods in several forested regions of eastern and central India.
Its role in silk production is particularly interesting because the tree does not need to be harvested. Its leaves provide nourishment for the silkworms, supporting an industry that many forest-dependent families rely on.
6. Its fruit and leaves feature in traditional medicine
Different parts of the tree have also found a place in traditional Indian medicine.
The ICAR inventory of Indigenous Technical Knowledge records the traditional use of its fruit paste for treating diarrhoea. Its leaves have also featured in Ayurveda and Unani preparations, particularly in traditional remedies for skin-related conditions and wound care.
These applications reflect the knowledge that communities living close to forests have developed over generations. However, traditional uses should not be mistaken for clinically established treatments, and further research is needed to establish their safety and effectiveness.
7. It supports forest-based livelihoods
Beyond the products themselves, the tree plays an important role in the lives of communities living around India’s forests.
Collecting leaves, stitching plates, gathering seeds, and processing resin provide opportunities to earn an income from non-timber forest produce. For households with limited access to agricultural land, these activities can provide an important additional source of livelihood.
A study by the International Institute for Environment and Development examines the importance of seed-based enterprises and forest governance in India, highlighting the relationship between forest resources and local economies.
The small seeds that fall from the tree have considerable commercial value. Photograph: (Asia Research News)
The products connect villages to wider markets. Leaf plates reach shops and eateries, seeds are sold to processing units, and resin finds its way into different industries. For the people who depend on these forests, the tree is not limited to a source of raw material. It is part of their everyday economy.
Beyond these uses, the forests it forms provide habitat for wildlife, support biodiversity, and play an important role in maintaining ecological balance. For generations, communities living alongside these trees have understood their value beyond timber.
They have learnt to make use of what the forest provides, turning leaves, seeds and other natural materials into products that serve everyday needs. It is a way of life closely tied to an understanding of nature, and a reminder that sometimes the greatest value of a tree lies in everything it offers, not just the part that can be cut down.
