ree Worship in Ancient India by B.C. Sinha is a concise yet rich scholarly work that delves into one of the earliest and most enduring dimensions of Indian spirituality—veneration of trees and plants. In just over a hundred pages, Sinha traces how, from the mature Harappan civilization of the 4th millennium BCE through the Vedic era and onward into Buddhist, Jain, Gupta, and medieval Hindu traditions, trees were regarded as sacred embodiments of divine presence (). He explores various strands, examining the origins of arboreal devotion, its expressions in rituals across different religious communities, and its deep entwinement with cultural symbols—right down to depictions on ancient coins and its regional variations in South India . Sinha draws on a range of textual and archaeological sources, including the Vedas, epics, early Buddhist and Jain scriptures, as well as tangible imprints in art and material culture, to show how tree worship remained a vibrant, living tradition even into the modern era .

He illustrates that this practice is far more than superstition—it reflects a profound ecological wisdom, acknowledging trees as sources of sustenance, shelter, spiritual inspiration, and community cohesion. Sinha’s work not only charts historical continuity but also underscores the symbolic and environmental centrality of trees in shaping India’s religious and cultural landscapes. Perfect for students and enthusiasts of religious history, environmental humanities, and cultural studies, this volume situates arboreal veneration as a foundational, yet often underappreciated, pillar of India’s sacred ecology.