Bibhitaki (Terminalia bellirica) is a large deciduous tree native to South and Southeast Asia. Its fruit has been used for thousands of years in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. Known as “Baheda” in Hindi, it forms one-third of the revered Ayurvedic remedy Triphala. In Sanskrit, it’s called Vibhītaka, which translates to “the fruit that takes away the fear of disease.”
The seeds contain an oil with a 40% content of fatty acid methyl ester, meeting major biodiesel requirements. Interestingly, the nuts of the tree were used as dice in the epic poem Mahabharata, where players called odd or even numbers based on the cast nuts. Despite its historical significance, some Hindus avoid sitting in its shade, believing it to be inhabited by demons.