(FAMOUS) Shajar Stone शजर का पत्थर - The Identity Of Banda & Ken River

The Stone of wonder, the stone of glory and of infinite history...It's Shajar Stone. Shajar is the identity of Banda District.

The Stone of Wonder, The stone of Glory and of infinite history. Its Shajar.

Shajar was discovered about 400 years ago in Banda. The one who discovered it, was an Arab. He was mesmerized by its colorful patterns which looks like leaves and trees and so he named it Sazar (in Arabic it means tree). Due to regional touch, Sazar became Shajar . it is called Haqiq (Akeek/Haqeek/Akik) in Urdu and Sphatic in Hindi.

Because of its uniqueness and religious linkages, the stone is exported to foreign countries even today. But due to cold eye behavior of Govt., its export has been declining sharply. In fact, a very small industry of Shajar stones caters demand of local and international market. But the stone is still popular in middle-east and this ensures cent percent success of export program if promoted properly.

As per the Exporters, Hajj Pilgrims from all over the world take Shajar Stone souvenirs with Quran Ayats(Quotes) at Saudi Arabia; which ironically exported from Banda through Agents

The stone of glory and beauty should get its worthy praise and fame. There is need to give some major boost to the industry but without Govt.'s help it seems near impossible.

Shajar (Shazar) Stone - The Identity Of Banda, Ken Rive and Bundelkhand

In English, Shazar is known as Dendrite Agate. It is homogenous stone and found in different colors and patterns. Augites are basically of Four types:

Plane Augite
Ring Augite
Lenin Augite
Dendrite Augite

Dendrite Augite(Agate) is Shajar and is also known as Tree Augite(Agate) and Fungus Augite. It is found exclusively in Banda's Ken River. The specialty of the stone is colorful patterns of leaves, trees, mountains, animals, symbols etc. There is a local myth about Shajar . It is believed that stone prints impression of any object which lies infront of it for a long time. But its not true. There is a scientific process behind formation of images on Shajar stone. Actually, the patterns we see on Shajar are nothing but entrapped fossils of fungus( basically algae). A fungus, which is entrapped between two or more pieces of Shajar stone, produces either acid or base. This acid/base makes the stones translucent and acts as an inorganic glue which coagulates the separate stones to one. The fossils of fungus left inside the stones looks like patterns of leaves or trees and add beauty to the stone.

Technical Facts About Shajar Stone
Common Name	Tree Augite / Dendrite Agate/ Dendritic Agate/ Ken River Stone
Chemical Configuration	Ca(Mg.Fe.Ae.)[(SiAl₂)O₆]
Types of Aggregation	Mon, Granular, Masses and Short Columnar Crystals
Colour	Black, Greenish, Brownish and Colourless white
Lusture	Vitreous
Density	3.2-3.6
Hardness	6.5-8