Bhojpatra

Bhojpatra

भोजपत्र, bhojpatra

The thin bark of the Himalayan birch (Betula utilis) has long been used in India instead of paper for writing sacred texts, as well as in tantric rituals. Nowadays, bhojpatra is usually used in yantra puja:  yantra is drawn on it with a special ink; it is believed that in this way the prepared yantra is energetically more powerful and resonates with a better with person than yantra on metal or ordinary paper. Bhojpatra is often used to make various amulets, kavachas.