Shastra's like Rudraksha J abalopainshad, Shiv a Purana. Devi Purana and Padma Purana extol the value of the Rudraksha seeds. The Rudraksha tree belongs to the Elaeocarpaceae family and is as huge as the banyan tree, taking between 15 to 18 years to attain maturity. Rudraksha is a fruit of that tree which has a seed covered with pulp and an outer skin. After drying, the skin turns black and grooves appear on the surface running from apex to the bottom, thereby demarcating clear areas called 'Mukha' or faces. The Rudraksha are classified based on the number of faces, which can range from one to twenty one. Although the Shastra speaks of four colors, (Red, yel low, black and white) it is next to impossible to differenti ate after the seed has dried. Authentic and High quality beads of Rudraksha (Elaeocarpus Ganitrus Roxb) is avail able in Indonesia and Nepal. other beads of Elaeocarpus family look similar to Rudraksha (for example Ganitrus Roxb) but are not as effective.