How Ficus Krishnae Tree or Krishna Fig got the name Krishna’s Butter Cup?

Ficus Krishnae Tree, or Krishna Fig Tree, is known as Makhan Katori or Krishna Badh in local languages. The leaf of the tree is in the shape of a cup – Krishna’s Butter Cup. There is an interesting story which narrates how the leaves of the tree got the shape of a leaf. It is said that in the beginning, the leaves of Krishna Fig tree were straight and it did not have the cup shape. A naughty episode of Krishna was responsible for the leaves taking cup shape.

Krishna’s love for butter is very famous and equally famous is his notorious ways of stealing it from the houses in Vrindavan.

Once while stealing butter Krishna was caught red-handed by Mata Yashoda. To escape from her punishment, Krishna rolled the butter in a leaf of Ficus Krishnae.

The leaves of Krishna Fig took the shape of a cup after this incident – ever since it remained in the same shape as Krishna had rolled it.

When Mata Yashoda was scolding Krishna for stealing, the butter in his hand melted and started flowing to the ground.

After this episode there is latex – milk colored juice – coming out of the leaf base whenever a leaf is plucked.