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.

Crochet Shiv-ling, Mahadev-Pind: 

Fig 1

Most of my friends out of India may not know, what is Shiv-ling or Mahadev- Pind. It is an abstract representation of Hindu deity Shiva or Shankar or Mahesh or Mahadev. a God of divine energy, Meditation, Arts, Yoga, Supreme destroyer of evils and Lord of devas (God).
Lord Shiva is worshipped by offering white flowers and Bilv-patra (Bael leaves). In fig 1, I have shown crochet Shivling I made along with bael leaf and white flower.
For details you may read,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingam
There are various forms of Shivaling but most general forms are as in fig 2 and 3.
But one which is shown in fig 3 is already made in crochet by one of my youtube creator friends. So I make Shivling as in fig 2.

Fig 2

Fig 3

I run one youtube channel "Kalopasak" and many of my subscribers requested me for making crochet Shivling. Hence I made it. Thanks to them who suggested me to make this.
Here is the pattern.

Pattern: In a magic loop make ch 1, sc 8, cl by sl st in first sc. (8sts), fig 4.
R2: ch1, sc 1 in each st, cl, fig 5
R3 to R5same as R2. Fig 6.
R6: ch 1, sc 2 in each st, cl (16 sts). Fig 7.
R7: ch2, (hdc 1, hdc 2) repeat, cl, (24 sts). Fig 8.
R8: Work in back loop, ch2, (hdc 2, hdc 1 in next two sts) repeat, cl, (32 sts). Fig 9.

Fig 4

Fig 5

Fig 6

Fig 7

Fig 8

Fig 9

Fig 10

Fig 11

 R10: ch 8+2, make hdc 1 in each st from third ch, sl st in the st, to the st next to the starting of 8 chs. BO.
R11: Join yarn to the st next to middle st on other side as in fig 10, make hdc 1 in each st. including corner st then bind off.

R12: Now join the yarn again at the same st as shown in fig 1o and make sc 1 in back loop of each st. Also decrease 2 sts in between while making scs  along the round portion, cl.

Fig 12

R13:  ch 1, sc 1 in each st, cl.

Fig 13

Shivling is ready and it will look as in fig 13.

In fig 1 there is a green leaf on this shivling which is Bel Leaf (Aegle marmelos), leaf of a special tree. See fig 14.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aegle_marmelos

Fig 14

It is said that God Shiv likes these leaves.
There is also a story behind this, you may read,
https://www.kannadigaworld.com/news/karavali/208051.html

The following video may help you in making this.