Gular or Udumbara is sacred Hindus and its wood is included in various homas, pujas and rituals in Hinduism. The root of Gular is Brahma, its bark is Vishnu and its branches are Shiva. The tree is compared to Vishnu and Udumbara is also one of the 1000 names of Vishnu.
Gular tree rarely has any flowers and this is because on Diwali night, Devas gather on the tree and pluck all its buds and flowers.
The tree and its wood were widely used during the Vedic period. As per Atharva Veda, the sacrificial post and the sacrificial ladle are made of it. The seat of Vivaswan, a powerful deity in Vedas, is worshipped at the end of the Soma sacrifice is made of it, as well as the three throne of King Soma is carved out of its wood.
It is a highly medicinal plant – roots, bark, leaves, fruits and latex are used to treat various diseases.