Baval is best

Baval is best
The kathi wood being used at present in large quantities in Parsi fire temples in India is a hardwood obtained from the Acacia nolotica, known in Gujarati as desi baval. This is a naturally growing species in the open lands of southern Gujarat. The wood is easily available in this region and is comparatively cheaper. No fire temple has so far tried any other species of wood.
Desi baval is a slow growing hardwood tree with wood of high calorific value which burns slowly without creating much smoke, making it suitable for our requirements. Sandalwood being very costly, cheaper kathi wood has gained in importance for use in our religious rituals.
Someone had suggested the use of Acacia holocerices for this purpose, but the species is still in the nursery stage. I personally recommend the use of Acacia tortilis, but that would work out more costly as it is not a locally growing species. PIROSHA M. TAMBOLI
Navsari