Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Shiuli Phul

This exotic small tree or shrub has highly perfumed flowers. The sweet scented flowers are small, 1-2", attractive shape, with white corolla and an orange-red tube in center and bloom profusely, opening at night and casting off in the morning thus making a carpet of flowers.

According to mythology, this is a heavenly tree brought to earth by the god Krishna. A quarrel over it ensued between Satyabhama and Rukmini, Krishna's wives. But Krishna planted the tree in Satyabhama's courtyard in a way that when the tree flowered, the flowers fell in Rukmini's courtyard.
Another romantic story woven around the tree is about Parijataka, a princess. She fell in love with the Sun but when he deserted her she committed suicide and a tree sprung from the ashes. Unable to stand the sight of the lover who left her, the tree flowers only at night and sheds them like tear-drops before the sun rises.

It is commonly known as :
  • Night-flowering Jasmine ( not Night Jasmine )
  • Coral Jasmine
  • Parijat (also spelled Paarijat or Paarijaata )
  • Harsinghar
  • Shephali

    As per Hindu scriptures, flowers fallen on the ground should not be offered to the deities with only parijata and bakula as the only exceptions .

    The tree is sometimes called the " tree of sorrow ", because the flowers lose their brightness during daytime; the scientific name arbor-tristis also means "sad tree".

    The flowers can be used as a source of yellow dye for clothing.

    It is the official flower of the state of West Bengal

1 comment:

TAPAS BANERJEE said...

"SHEPHALI-R MATAL KORA BAASH" enlivens the Autumn.