Many Hindus might have come across trees studded with iron
nails in sacred places or temples. Offering iron pieces is a very ancient form
of worship in Hindu religion. In western Himalayas, especially in the Kumaon
Hills and the Kullu valley, Hindus hold the Devadaru tree sacred and offer iron
pieces as offerings to the gods dwelling on the trees.
Nails are driven into huge trees as a form of worship mainly
to ward off illness, death and destruction of cattle, sheep and crops.
There is a popular belief throughout India that tree spirits
and gods and goddesses dwell in huge trees.
Why iron nails are offered can be explained from a common
Hindu belief that iron keeps the evil away. The trees chosen are neem, banyan,
devadaru, tamarind and other huge trees.
In modern times, people associate nails in trees with
ghosts. This is because most Tantrics in serials and movies capture the ghost
in an iron nail and then drive it into a tree.
Instead of worshipping tree with nail, we should focus on
planting more and more trees.