Sacred Plants of Hinduism!

[Idiappam]

Can I have a list of plants that the Hindus consider 'sacred'? Any why are they sacred?

[viggop]

Tulasi(Vrinda?) is one of the sacred plant of Hinduism.Wives pray to it to safeguard their husbands.
Also, every God & Godess in Hindu pantheon have their own plants for workship.Lord Shiva,i think likes to be workshipped with Vilva leaves.
Not even that,Hindu Gods and Godesses have been associated with animals(Bull,Garuda,Lion,snake etc),inanimate objects like stones etc.

[kalnayak]

NEEM for Sakthi :o

[Idiappam]

Thank you, kalnayak, viggop

any myths, stories assosiated with these plants.

[viggop]

THere is one story about the Tulasi plant.You can find it in the internet.There might be other puranic stories for other plants.Google will help you
:-)

[Querida]

Tulasi(Vrinda?) is one of the sacred plant of Hinduism.Wives pray to it to safeguard their husbands.
.

just a question...why is that husbands never pray for nor praise their wives or even have elaborate ceremonies as women as expected (socially/religiously) to do so...all jokes aside it is quite demeaning...

[Idiappam]

just a question...why is that husband never pray nor praise their wives...all jokes aside it is quite demeaning...


They'd rather do something more useful for their wives! (i guess)

[NOV]

Querida, it could be because in those days, men went out for wars, hunting, fishing, etc. and their safety was always in question.

Womenfolk, on the otherhand, were house-bound, with child-birth probably being the greatest risk.
Valaikkaappu, as you know, is a ceremony for safe child-birth.

[Surya]

just a question...why is that husband never pray nor praise their wives...all jokes aside it is quite demeaning...


They'd rather do something more useful for their wives! (i guess)

She said all jokes aside. :D

A couple more things to add..

Seemandham - I think it was done on the second month when my manni was pregnant. Also is a ceremony for safe child birth, and to keep the woman happy and smiling during her pregnancy.

Therandukuli - This isn't done by the husband, but by the girl's parents. Its done when the child first reaches her physical maturity.

Regards. 8)

[viggop]

just a question...why is that husbands never pray for nor praise their wives or even have elaborate ceremonies as women as expected (socially/religiously) to do so...all jokes aside it is quite demeaning...[/quote]

Querida,
In Hinduism, in those days atleast, husband was considered to be God himself to his wife.A man in Hinduism can obtain moksha only through prayers to God Almighty and only if HE is pleased.
A woman can attain moksha by being devout to her husband(not even God can stop this)
Of course,true devotion to God or husband or parents or guru cannot be enforced.It must come from within!
People cannot be forced to do any religious custom and they can always opt out.
:)
Let us keep this discussion to sacred plants of hinduism.

[Querida]

oh sorry vigop im glad of the responses i received but i did not purposely want to steer away from the thread topic...well i think there is a logical reason why tulsi(holy basil) is considered holy in the first place..it can be used for many medicinal reasons :

The fragrant leaves and flowers, in the form of tincture, tea or decoction are considered to be stomachic and expectorant, used in treating coughs, bronchitis, skin diseases, and diarrhea. These preparations are considered to be prophyllactic against epidemics including cholera, influenza and malaria. The Tulsi seeds, taken mixed in water, juice or cow's milk, are antioxidant, nourishing, mucilagenous and demulcent. They are used in treating low energy, ulcers, vomiting and diarrhea, or as an overall tonic. The powder of the dried root, taken in milk, ghee, or as a decoction, is recommended to treat malarial fever, as an analgesic application to the bites and stings of insects. The herb improves resistance to stress and has a normalizing influence on blood pressure and blood sugar imbalances.

Used on a regular basis as tea or tincture, Tulsi is likely to prove prophyllactic against the negative effects of environmental toxins, including cancer. The plant is also richly endowed with bioavailable antioxidants, vitamins A and C, and calcium

[Surya]

Most Sacred plants have good qualities in them. Veppalai is also another example.

[viggop]

I think "arasa maram" is holy to Lord Ganesha
What is that tree called in English?

[happyindian]

Tulasi(Vrinda?) is one of the sacred plant of Hinduism.Wives pray to it to safeguard their husbands.

Apart from Vigpop's 'bhakti' answer on that; and Querida's listing of medicinal benefits, perhaps one of the main reasons why women worship Tulasi (even to this day in villages esp) is because the plants supposedly keep away snakes.

In the past, when men went out to hunt / went abt their jobs or when kids played in the garden, the probability of someone dying from a snake-bite was very high (India being densely Snake-infested in the past (and still being in the interiors)). This was the main reason Tulasi plants used to be planted around the house and was prayed to, to protect the family.

As Querida wrote, the plant parts are used very commonly for its healing properties, including the dried stems that are burnt in the homams. The smell (like that of dried burnt Neem leaves) is supposed to keep away mosquitoes, flies, etc. (natural insect repellent).

[Idiappam]

Ok, let me take stock first! We have:

1. Thulasi
2. Vembu (neem)
3. Arasa maram
4. Vilvam

Any more? Many more! Please keep rattling, dear hubbers!

[Idiappam]

viggop asked:


I think "arasa maram" is holy to Lord Ganesha
What is that tree called in English?

Tamil: Arasa maram
Botanical: Ficus religiosa L.
Common English name: Sacred fig.

Pippal in Hindi - I guess.

[geno]

Idiappam,

"Vanni" maram ethaRku siRappAna peyar koNdathu?

I know that it was the tree where the Pancha pAndavAs hid their "divine" weapons prior to the "under cover" living period in the palace of "virAda" mannan!

What is it called in english? :)

[Querida]

how about the banyan tree...is it not very important in hinduism as well as buddhism...except i don't know what it is called in tamil...or i have heard of it and have not connected it to this tree term...heck i have not even seen one close up...it's all evergreen and maple here :?

[Surya]

LOL, True, evergree, maple or redwood.

I think its called Aala maram. But I might be wrong. It's Huge!!! In many pieces of writing in Tamil, a family is discribed as a banyan tree, because it's soo huge etc.

[viggop]

Banyan Tree is "Ala maram" in Tamil.

[aravindhan]

There are a number of lesser known sacred trees - lesser known because they for some reason they never became as famous as the tulasi, and may end up being forgotten as our older traditions die.

The Vilva maram was traditionally considered the dwelling place of Shiva, and is the sthalamaram in very many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu. There are a number of legends associating it with Shiva - I remember one about the vedas taking the form of vilvailai to worship Shiva.

Atti maram (Ficus Racemosa) is also considered sacred in many parts of Tamil Nadu. I think it's called "country fig" or some such thing in English. In Karnataka, it's considered to be the dwelling place of Dattatreya. The tree is mentioned in the Kuruntokai.

The Velamaram or Velvelam (which I'm allergic to) is also considered sacred, but I'm not sure why. It's used by some people in the vijayadasami celebrations. My koLLupATTi told me that the great pulavars would meditate under this tree to gain inspiration.

[Cindy]

These sacred plants also are good medicines... a short analysis follows...

NEEM

Traditionally, Indians bathed in neem leaves steeped in hot water. This was a common procedure to cure chronic skin ailments of allergic reactions. In India and Africa, people use the twigs of neem tree as toothbrushes.

Neem is one of the most powerful blood purifiers and detoxifiers in the ayurvedic system of medicines.

Neem's excellent antibacterial and antiallergic properties makes it effective in fighting most epidermal disfunctions such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema. Neem's bitter principles was also said to counteract the excess sugar in the blood. The potential of neem tree is so great as to encompass the treatment of a white spectrum of physical ailments including sexually transmitted disease, blood disorders, chronic ulcers, digestive and nervous disorders, diseases caused by parasites such as malaria and diabetes.

Neem helps to relieve even athlete's foot, ringworm and yeast like fungus infections that develop internally note it. An anthelminic, it helps destroy and dispel parasites, which includes worms, bacteria, yeast, and fungus. It is a powerful purifier and helps loose weight in case of obesity. One can hardly dispute the translation of neem's Sanskrit name " Sarva Roga Nivarini- the curer of all ailments."

[Cindy]

BRAHMI

Relieves anxiety & tension.
Enhances memory power.
Effective for nervous disorders
Memory enhancer: Crush few tender leaves of Indian pennywort and express the juice after filtering with a clean cloth.Take 2 tea spoon of Brahmi juice before meal.

http://www.allayurveda.com/images/herbs/brahmi1.jpg

[Cindy]

CHANDANAM

Skin freshener.
Soul-stirring fragrance.

Glowing skin:Make a paste of sandalwood with Fuller's Earth (multani mitti), besan, barley flour and wheat flour and apply.
Stubborn acnes & pimples: Use sandalwood with neem and basil powder.

[Cindy]

TURMERIC (MANJAL)

An excellent anticeptic.

For a Fair Complexion: Apply a blend of raw milk, cucumber juice, olive oil with a pinch of turmeric powder on your skin.

[Cindy]

PEEPAL (BANYAN, ALAMARAM)

Effective for heart diseases, constipation, Mumps
The leaves are infused in water at night, distilled the next morning and stored in bottles for heart diseases. The dried dust power of the leaves is useful for constipation and for mumps the leaves should be smeared with ghee, warmed over a fire and bandaged over the inflamed part to get relief.

[Cindy]

LIME

Parts used for: Bark , occasionally root bark, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, kernel, oil from seeds, exudates or gum and sap. It is used for: Fungal, bacterial and other skin infections, eczema. Diabetes mellitus- as an ancillary agent. Dental Hygiene.

[Bad Boy]

viggop asked:


I think "arasa maram" is holy to Lord Ganesha
What is that tree called in English?

Tamil: Arasa maram
Botanical: Ficus religiosa L.
Common English name: Sacred fig.

Pippal in Hindi - I guess.
Could it be the bo-tree or bodhi-tree this arasabaram? If it is the tree the singhala is making a big fuss of because of buddha.

But I did not know that it also belongs to fig family. Aalaimaram (the tree that sprouts suportive roots from its branches?) also belongs to fig kind like my ficus benjamini at home or even this is a very famous room plant.

[Cindy]

LOTUS

Parts used for: Almost all the
parts of the
plant.

It is used for: Intrauterine
growth
retardation Menorrhagia. Diarrhoea
/Dysentery
Skin darkening.

[aravindhan]

Could it be the bo-tree or bodhi-tree this arasabaram? If it is the tree the singhala is making a big fuss of because of buddha.

The arasamaram is the same thing as the bo-tree, yes. It's strange that the tree seems to be sacred to just about every group in South Asia.

[Bad Boy]

perhaps because of Buddha because he was enlighten under a bo tree it is said and a branch of that original tree was once planted in Mihinthala or in Anuradhapura and still existing as they say. That is perhaps the reason why the bo tree is sacred in South Asia. But I don't remeber hindus worshipping that tree. I also think that there are not that much bo trees in Jaffna but in the south, of course they are buddists. So I don't think that this is a hidu tree but Aalaimaram yes that I can accept. Isn't it that aalaimaram was sung in lot of tamil poems and songs? There are a lot of proverbs and comparisons regarding aalaimaram but I don't remeber a single of them.

[Querida]

The Velamaram or Velvelam (which I'm allergic to) is also considered sacred, but I'm not sure why. It's used by some people in the vijayadasami celebrations. My koLLupATTi told me that the great pulavars would meditate under this tree to gain inspiration.

How are you allergic to it? Are parts of the tree edible or ingested for medicinal/religious purposes?

[Querida]

if plants such as the coconut tree, mango (leaves), banana plant and leaves, fruit are used for ceremonies are they also considered sacred?

[geno]

Some rural communities in Thamizhnaadu are known to worship the Palm tree(panai maram) especially the ones with lots of yield to "kaLLu"(toddy).

They worship the "ayyanar" who is erected under the sacred panai trees - called the "panaiyEri ayyanar" - and twice a year festivals to invole his "divine intevention" are conducted.

The offerings include panang kaLLu(fresh toddy) and kedA(Goat?) sacrifice.

"sacred" ness mostly comes from customs and practices which may differ from diff. communities, i guess.

[aravindhan]

How are you allergic to it? Are parts of the tree edible or ingested for medicinal/religious purposes?

I'm allergic to the bark. I get a nasty asthma attack if I get too close although it's become better lately.

I don't think the tree is used for medicinal purposes. As far as the religious use goes, the leaves are used by some people during vijayadasami, and farmers in some parts of TN used to believe that having a velamaram in their fields made the fields more fertile. Nowadays, they tend to use fertiliser.

[viggop]

WHat about leaves of Mango tree? It is used whenever religious functions are conducted in the house.
Lotus is seat of Goddess Lakshmi

Lotus has also some philosophical meaning.Mind is a 1000 petalled Lotus or something akin to that.

[Cindy]

Hi folks,

Bo-tree, bodhi tree and aalamaram are all same... (Pipal or peepal in hindi).. and the Bodhi vriksham where Bucha got enlightened is still being worshipped, though it is the fourth direct descendant of the original one..

Please look at this link:

http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/bodhidharma/bodhi_tree.html

[nirosha sen]

Cindy - You mentioned Brahmi or the pennywort leaves. Out here, we call it "valla-ray" or in Malay, Pegaga. Local people eat it raw as part of a salad dish. Does it really enhance memory????? I've got a lot of them growing wildly in the compound too!! :)

I'd like to know more about "Maaruvu" plant as well. It's got tiny leaves and smells heavenly when crushed between the fingers. My grandmother liked to include it for worship at the prayer altar.

Sacred is also the Jasmine. What would we do without those heavenly flowers for any occasion, hmm????

[Cindy]

Niro..

Bramhi is different from vallarai.. i will try to post the pictures too to all of them..

and anyway... Vallarai is also known to enhance memory... The juice of vallarai is given to peaple with memory disorders in ayurveda...

[Cindy]

VALLARAI (CENTELLA ASIATICA)

Parts used for: whole plant and leaves.
It is used for: Anxiety neurosis Minor memory disturbance As a psychotropic agent.

http://www.herbs2stopsmoking.com/images/pix/035c.jpg

[madhu]

Hi!

the ganesa idols made from the root of "veLLerukku" is said to be having powers ! People worship them in south !

I donno the botanical name of erukku.. but u can find the flowers during "GAnesh chathurthi" everywhere ! there are two varieties, light pink and white.

Likewise, "amla" trees are worshipped as "Narayana" in many south indian villages. Girls use to clean around the tree and perform pooja for getting married !!!

[aravindhan]

Hi folks,

Bo-tree, bodhi tree and aalamaram are all same... (Pipal or peepal in hindi)..

No. Pipal, bo / bodhi tree and arasamaram are the same. An aalamaram - or banyan tree - is something quite different, it's a different species altogether although in the same family. The aalamara's Marathi name is Vad - I think that becomes Barh in Hindi, but that should be confirmed by someone whose Hindi isn't contaminated by Bambaiya.

[Hemant Trived1]

Alamaram is VAT VRIKSHA in sanskrit and Vad in Gujarati , in Hindi it is known as Bargad.
As such there are many many plants and trees of importance of religious importance.
Some of the SAMIDHA or ahuti plants which are used in Yagna are also considered sacred.
May be sometime later, a complete list of such plants can be prepared . I can help with what ever I know.

[Cindy]

Oh yes.. the confusion there was both arasamaram and aalamaram is "Aal maram" in malayalam.. one is arayal another is peral... and mostly arayal is called only aalmaram. Clear?

one has soft leaves and another has leaves with a beautiful shape that we used to make greeting cards after removing the green part and taking just the leaf veins... now tell me which one of this is aalamaram and which is arasamaram...

http://www.geocities.com/wrldwdexprts/banyan_tree_leaf______handpainted_roses_.jpg

[nirosha sen]

Cindy - I have both trees in my compound Pa!!

The Banyan tree has aerial roots growing downwards from the lateral branches itself.

The Ficus Religiosa or Arasa-maraam is the tree which has the heart-shaped leaf you have posted. This tree is a definite must wherever they worship Ganesha's idol in the open. Ganesha is always placed under this tree!! :D

[Bad Boy]

Likewise, "amla" trees are worshipped as "Narayana" in many south indian villages. Girls use to clean around the tree and perform pooja for getting married !!!

My ever first girl/woman/fun/test was a half gypsy, half german. She said that gypsy bride and groom perform something arround a tree and then they are married according to gypsy rites and rules!

[Idiappam]

Geno asked


Vanni" maram ethaRku siRappAna peyar koNdathu?

I know that it was the tree where the Pancha pAndavAs hid their "divine" weapons prior to the "under cover" living period in the palace of "virAda" mannan!

What is it called in english?

Tamil: Vanni
Botanical Name: Prosopis spicigera L.
Common Name: Indian Mesquit

No too sure of the 'pAndavA' story. But The vanni maram doesn't offer much cover for weapons. Probably they hid them in a cluster of bamboos (Venu in sanskrit).

Vanni maram seen in Murugan temples?

[Idiappam]

Oh yes.. the confusion there was both arasamaram and aalamaram is "Aal maram" in malayalam.. one is arayal another is peral... and mostly arayal is called only aalmaram. Clear?

Well, the peral is called aalamaram by the Tamils. The Arayal is the Arasa Maram in Tamil.

Tamil: Aal (also pErAl)
Bot: Ficus benghalensis L.
Common name: Banyan
Malayalam: pErAl
Hindi: Bargad
Sans: Vatah

Tamil: Arasu
Bot: Ficus religiosa L.
Common Name: Sacred Fig
Malayalam: arayAl
Hindi; Peepal
Sans: Pippalah, Asvatthah

[Idiappam]

Madhu said:

I donno the botanical name of erukku.. but u can find the flowers during "GAnesh chathurthi" everywhere ! there are two varieties, light pink and white.

Tamil: erukku
Bot: Calotropis gigantea L.
Common Name: swallow wort

Vellerukku - with white blooms common in Malaysia and Singapore. Another variety with purple blooms common in Tamil Nadu.

[Raghu]

Sorry for the digression ,

But is it Maha Shivarathri today? :?

[Raghu]

Bili Leaves, have a look at this

http://www.swaminarayan.org/festivals/Shivratri/

[madhu]

Hi Raghu !

Maha shivaratri comes between the middle of February and the middle of March ! ( Maasi maadham amavasaikku oru naal munnE )

[Cindy]

Shivrathri this year is on March 8th.

[Raghu]

Hi Raghu !

Maha shivaratri comes between the middle of February and the middle of March ! ( Maasi maadham amavasaikku oru naal munnE )

Hi madhu,

Thanks for the info, I phoned up a Local brahmin and he has confirmed it to be the 8th of march :D

[Raghu]

Shivrathri this year is on March 8th.

thanks Cindy :D

[nirosha sen]

Does anybody know more abt a sweet smelling flower called "Nithya-Kalyani"???? It is white and shaped like a pin-wheel. The tree is short and shrubby. It even produces small flat pieces of seed pods. They are best fragrant in the mornings only.

[Idiappam]

Nithya kalyani - the periwinkle - Vinca rosea is a herbaceous plant rarely exceeding half a metre in height, with blooms purple, red white and variations of these colours. 'Pin-wheel' flowers.

The tree-like shrub bearing white pin-wheel flowers, you are talking of is probably the 'nanthiyaa-vattam' - Ervatamia divaricata (Syn: Tabernaemontana divaricata)

Google images for the Botanical names to confirm please.

[nirosha sen]

No Idiapam, I'm neither talking about the Madascar Periwinkle nor the Nanthyaa vaate, Pa!!

This is a fairly tall shrub of about 5 ft in height and produces these flat pinwheel flowers just like the periwinkle but smells heavenly in the mornings only. Somebody told me it's called Nithya Kalyani.

[hehehewalrus]

There is a carnatic raga by name nityakalyani :lol2:

[scorpio]

Does any of you know about 'Pavazha malli'?

Small white flowers with a contrast orange stalk. Is there any restriction on offering that flower to all Gods? Remember someone telling me it is best for Lord Shiva only.

[NM]

Remember someone telling me it is best for Lord Shiva only.
Yeah, Scorpio, I was told the same too...not sure if we can offer it to other deities...

[Surya]

Has anyone heard of a flower called "Manoranjidham"? I heard that it smells like anything u think about. So if ur thinking about a rose, it smells like a rose, or atleast u think it smells like a rose. I think the chinese name for it is Lang Lang. It doesn't look like a flower. It's green and just looks like....I don't know, u could probably find it on google. Is this true?

But what's great about it is that, it's very good for the human body. If u make "Kashayam" with it, it's very good.

[scorpio]

Surya,

Manoranjidham has a very fruity smell. I dont think it can ever smell akin to Rose or jasmine.. probably a variety of ripened fruits..again it is only our perception.

By writing about manoranjidham, you've got me into nostalgia about my childhood when we used to get lots of them from the temple!

[Surya]

Manoranjidham has a very fruity smell. I dont think it can ever smell akin to Rose or jasmine.. probably a variety of ripened fruits..again it is only our perception.

Really? Thanks for the info. I didn't know much aobut the flower. It doesn't look like a flower though huh?

[scorpio]

If Green is not the color of flowers, then it doesn't look like one..

Each petal is very thick and succulent. We used to break the petal into half and enjoy the slight 'phat' sound.

[Surya]

Ever made "Kashayam" with it? Yuck! My grandmother still gives it to me. It tastes horrible, but supposed to be very good.

[scorpio]

Never heard of the kashayam though!

Perhaps, u should post the recipe and its uses.

BTW, Surya, all 'kashayam's are supposed to be YUCKY.

[Surya]

I'll try to get the recipi from my grandmother.

True, Most kashayams are yucky. But there are some that are drinkable, and some u have to take a deep breath and just shove it in ur mouth. That's the kind this is. :)

[Idiappam]

nirosha sen said:

No Idiapam, I'm neither talking about the Madascar Periwinkle nor the Nanthyaa vaate, Pa!!

This is a fairly tall shrub of about 5 ft in height and produces these flat pinwheel flowers just like the periwinkle but smells heavenly in the mornings only. Somebody told me it's called Nithya Kalyani.

Well, then I won't know! But the Tamil name for the Periwinkle is positively 'Nithya Kalyani'! But, as with English common names - the Tamil name may point to more than one specie!

For pictures:
Periwinkle
http://biotech.icmb.utexas.edu/botany/perihist.html

Nathiya vattam
http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/fo52/aptabmal.jpg
http://biotech.tipo.gov.tw/plantjpg/1/Ervatamia%20subglobosa-1.jpg

[Idiappam]

hehehewalrus said:


There is a carnatic raga by name nityakalyani

Ah! Never heard of that! Must be a rare gene! Nityakalyani??? Of which melakarta??? Any songs, please!

[Idiappam]

scorpio asked:

Does any of you know about 'Pavazha malli'?

Small white flowers with a contrast orange stalk. Is there any restriction on offering that flower to all Gods? Remember someone telling me it is best for Lord Shiva only.

It is 'pavaLa malli' - pArijAtah (sanskrit).

What is best for the Gods, you should ask the Gods! But I think Lord Siva is just seeking sincere hearts!

[nirosha sen]

Hey guys - what about "tallam-poo"???? There was once a legend that it told a lie on the way down from Lord Shiva's hair and hence was banned from its lofty position ever again???? Anybody knows more????

[madhu]

Hi !

"Manoranjitham" is available in Srirangam flower bazaar in the morning ! They use to offer this flower to Lord Sudharshan in the temple ! Normally its green with thick petals, but later turns yellow !

[Querida]

heard about the tallampoo story before, here is what i found on the story:

According to another legend in the Shiva Purana, once Brahma and Vishnu were fighting over who was the superior of the two. Horrified at the intensity of the battle, the other gods asked Shiva to intervene. To make them realize the futility of their fight, Shiva assumed the form of a huge column of fire in between Brahma and Vishnu. Awestruck by its magnitude, they decided to find one end each to establish supremacy over the other. Brahma assumed the form of a swan and went upwards and Vishnu as Varaha went into the earth. Nevertheless, light has no limit and though they searched for thousands of miles, neither could find the end. On his journey upwards, Brahma came across a ketaki (another name for same flower?) flower wafting down slowly.

When asked where she had come from, Ketaki replied that she had been placed at the top of the fiery column as an offering. Unable to find the uppermost limit, Brahma decided to end his search and take the flower as a witness. At this, the angry Shiva revealed his true form.

He punished Brahma for telling a lie, and cursed him that no one would ever pray to him. The ketaki flower too was banned from being used as an offering for any worship, as she had testified falsely. Since it was on the 14th day in the dark half of the month of Phalguna that Shiva first manifested himself in the form of a linga, the day is especially auspicious and is celebrated as Mahashivratri.

[Surya]

WOW! Q! Thanks for the gr8 explanation! :D That also explains why there's only like one temple for brahma in the whole world. :)

[nirosha sen]

:D Thanks for the story Querida Mia!! Yes, it's the same story I recalled from "Dhas Avatharam" the movie of the many incarnations of Lord Vishnu.

The Tazham-poo has been banned eversince, I heard!! : 8)

[nirosha sen]

How about the "Karr-poorra Valli"??? It's a succulent plant with thick, furry leaves and emits a strong herbal smell??? :D

[NM]

How about the "Karr-poorra Valli"??? It's a succulent plant with thick, furry leaves and emits a strong herbal smell??? :D
I remember grandma used to give us the leaves to chew or pound it and asked us to drink the..it was supposed to be good for cough (cold?)..I still like eating the leaves..

[Querida]

my amma did the same when i was a child, we were luckily to find the plant here and grew it as a house plant...anyways everyone shied away from using the plant one (ignorant) woman made it in the newspaper that by giving her child this karpoora-valli she had killed the child...the child had a severe case of pneumonia and this woman had made her child drink a mixture made of more than 5-6 leaves...usually 1-2 is enuff and that with lots of honey/sugar....the child was not even a year old...such a shame... :cry:

just a rule of thumb however miserable you may feel with your illness (im asthmatic i should know :x )...please don't drink more medicine than you should, drinking more will not make you feel better faster!

how many varieties of malli are there?...it's sometimes hard to get a malli plant that will withstand the winter indoor conditions...but we have a flowering plant that grows in our front garden in the summer that doesn't look quite like malli but smells like it...

[nirosha sen]

Querida - I have that plant here too!! I believe it's actually a kind of Sorrel??? I found a similar looking plant in my Herb book. Out here, we just call it, Seema Malli!!

It's lovely in chutneys for Dhosa, idlies, Pa!! Just pluck a couple or so of the leaves, and grind it with the rest of the ingre. for coconut chutney and taste!!!! Yummy!!!!! :D

[mandangi]

Hindu's have more love on nature. So they look some plants as sacred.

[nirosha sen]

Yes, only if you view the world and its natural properties as sacred, would you be inclined to be protective of it! Otherwise, it's annahilation all thru with nary a thought for its existence.

Sa sacred is the right word to use for plants!!! :wink:

[mandangi]

Margosa (neem) is one of the sacred trees of hindu's. I eat margosa leaves even they are bitter.

[mandangi]

Eating basil (tulasi) leaves is also good for health. They are rich in iron.

[viggop]

Arjuna tree is the tree of "Marutha" and the place where Lord Shiva appears as a Linga under this "Martha" tree is called Arjuna Kshetra.

The Thiruvadaimaruthur in Thanjavur which Sri Adi Sankara visited is called Madhyaarjunam. Srisaila, in Andhra, is called Mallikarjunam as Lord Shiva resides under a Marutha Tree which has also got Jasmine creepers on this tree. Sri Adi Sankara visited this tree and became ecstastic on seeing the linga at the foot of this tree. His happiness flowed like the waves of a flood and became a sloka called Sivanandalahiri.

Copied and pasted above from a website :D
Idiappam,what is the Tamil name of this tree?

[Idiappam]

Idiappam,what is the Tamil name of this tree?

Tamil name of the 'Maruthu' tree is just that 'Maruthu'

Tamil: Maruthu
Sanskrit: Arjunah
Botanical Name: Terminalia arjuna R.

[nirosha sen]

Hey, I just remembered turmeric, Pa!! Particularly, kasturi manjal and pulang killangu!! Isn't that sacred for us??? Alot of Hindus use it for all sorts of cleansing process, Pa!! Be it new mothers, or babies or even hormonal break-outs like acne on teenage skin!

[viggop]

There is a holy place of Murugan near Coiumbatore,Tamil Nady called Marutha Malai. Is that place named for this
tree?