Crochet Bel / Bael Leaves

Fig 1

Hello friends,
In Hindu pujas and rituals, Bel / Bael leaves are of very importance. Especially it is used in worshiping lord Shiva. It is also called Bilva Patra. Fig 2.
Most of the plants and trees referred in Vedas for worshipping, also has its medicinal value. Medicinal importance of Bael leaves can be found here,
https://www.netmeds.com/health-library/post/bael-medicinal-uses-therapeutic-benefits-for-skin-diabetes-and-supplements

Fig 2

Fig 3

On Mahashivratri, Haritalika  and also on every Monday of the Hindu calender month Shravan, lord Shiva is worshiped by offering 108 Bilva-patra.
In my post Crochet shiv-ling,
https://alkaandart.blogspot.com/search?q=crochet+shiv-ling
I have explaied about Shiv ling.
At that time making of crochet shivling is more important hence I made Bilva patr

Fig 4

Fig 5

simply by [(ch9, dc 2 in forth ch from hook, ch1-picot, ch3, join at 4th ch), sl st 1 in 3 sts {out of starting 9 chs}, make two more leaves on left and right as per ( to ). It was just a symbolic. But then I made Bel / Bael leaves exactly as natural one which are shown in fig 1.
One Bel leaf consists of 3 leaves as in fig 2.

Fig 6

Fig 7

Fig 8

Pattern: Chs 31.
R1: sl st 1 in each of 3 sts starting from second, sc 1 in each of next 2 sts, hdc 1 in next 2 sts, dc 1 in next 2 sts, dc 2 in next, dc 1 in next 2, hdc 1 in next 2, sc 1 in next 2 and sl st in next 3 sts, ch 1, now on other side make, sl st 1 in 3 sts, sc 1 in 2, hdc 1 in 2, dc 1 in 2 sts, dc2 in next, dc 1 in next 2 sts, hdc 1 in 2 sts, sc 1 in 2 sts and sl st 1 in 3 sts.Fig 4. At corner st make sc 1, ch1 picot, fig 4.
R2: same as R1 and 1 sl st extra at first corner st, fig 5, then similarly on other side of leaf and lastly in second corner sc 1, ch1-picot, fig 6
R3: sl st on each st of both sides. Fig 7.
Bind off.. Join the yarn at lowest edge corner of the leaf and make sl st 1 in each of the 5 sts, see fig 8, now we make second leaf.

Fig 9

Fig 10

Small leaves: chs 12.
R1: (sl st 1 in 2 chs starting from second ch from hook, sc 1 in next, hdc 1 in next, dc1 in next, dc2 in next, dc 1 in next, hdc 1 in next, sc 1 in next, sl st 1 in next 2 chs), see fig 9.
Then on other sides work in same manner from ( to ).
At corner make sc 1, ch1-picot then row 2. See fig 10.
R2: sl st 1 in 2 sts, sc 1 in each st till last 2 sts, sl st in each of the last 2 sts. Sl st at corner st and bind off. Fig 11.

Fig 11

Fig 12

Similarly make another leaf at the same place on other side as shown in fig 12.
Hide yarn ends.
I made 5 leaves like this (though in that photo the colour of yarn lokks very different. Actually it resembles very much with natural colour as in all other photos.
As this is lock down period in India, it becomes difficult to buy Bel leaves for worship of Lord Shiva, so this is the best solution to make yarn bel leaves as shown here and worship God. This is also usefull for those of my friends who live abroad, where it is impossiblt to get bel leaves for worshipping God Shiva.

The following video may help you in making Bel leaves.