Trees of love and sorrow

In popular Thai belief, there are four trees which are associated with love and the effects of love, namely, the Rak, the Sok, the Rakam, and the Sal trees. Beginning with the Rak or the tree of love, this tree has unscented white flowers which are woven into garlands for the bride and bridegroom at their wedding ceremony. On many occasions, the Rak flowers are mixed with jasmines for fragrance. And, especially as they are unscented and heart-shaped, lovers may gallantly say that the fragrance emanates from the hearts of their beloved.

There is another tree of the same name which grows in the forest. It has large blossoms of a color ranging from pink to dark red. The extract of this Rak tree is jet-black and thick. It is most useful for coating Buddha images before gold leaves are put on. And both the Rak and gold have helped preserve many images to this day.With the Rak or the tree of love one begins. But, as love is not always happy, one is given caution in the following saying:
'Ton Rak Dok Sok' which means: 'The tree of love may bear the flower of sorrow'. The Sok tree, then, means sorrow and mourning. Its flowers are quite beautiful, but they are of a gloomy color and a cold fragrance. Like sorrow, the tree lives long and is often very big.

Originally called the Asok tree, by which name it was the tree of happiness and peace, this tree prominently figures in King Vajiravudh's The Story of Nala. There, the heroine in great sorrow seeks consolation from the Asok tree, addressing her sorrow to the sorrow less tree. Its name has since lost the prefix and become the tree of sorrow instead. Thus there is something in the name.

Next to the Sok tree is the shrubby Rakam tree. Its name connotes the pangs of love. Curiously, the long, jagged green leaves of the Rakam tree hide many thorns. Even on its fruit, there are short thorns which can prick. And the fruit, even though perfumed and delicious, has an oversized seed which annoys one with the sense of incompletion.

Love as seen through the Rakam tree is as painful as it is unrequited. This mood is marvelously evoked by Suntorn Phu, one of Thailand's greatest poets in the early Bangkok period:

The big Sok tree with the Rakam shrub all around.
Is love with passion strangely grafted on; 
my great sorrow has just these sharp pangs
Because my love remains unfulfilled!

The Sal tree is no other than the big bunyan tree with long thick roots hanging down which are often mistaken for branches. The tree is believed to have a tutelary god who looks kindly on lovers. In the story of Unarut, written by both Si Praj in the Ayutthaya period and King Rama I in the Bangkok period, the hero Phra Unarut took shelter under the Sal tree. Before he went to leep, he paid homage to the tree god. Being satisfied with the show of respect, the god of the Sal tree transported him to the most beautiful woman, Nang Usha. Ever since, every Thai has had a wishful thought of being carried to a lovely woman in his sleep. Significantly, King Vajiravudh in one of his plays reversed the situation, as he had his heroine named Usha speak as follows:

It is for nothing that my name is Usha, for no god helps me to my love.

In a popular Thai song entitled 'Maan Sal Yol,' 'The Overhanging Sal Curtain,' the Sal tree shows three important aspects of love. First, the hanging roots bind the lovers together; second, the Sal tree sways in the wind, suggesting the uncertainty of love; third, the falling roots serve as a laced curtain to keep the lovers in privacy as in a bridal chamber. The Sal tree is, therefore, best loved by the Thais.

Source : farang news