Prajakti – a flower fit for the Gods

I remember when I studied in School there was a tree just outside the administrative office. During September and October, as you entered the School gates you would be greeted with an unusual scene. There would be hordes of students, of all ages, picking flowers from the floor around the tree. They would sit on the steps nearby and either string the blooms into small garlands or thread them on to thin Neem tree twigs to give friends and teachers. A strong fragrance would envelope you, which would grow stronger as you walked closer to the building. The tree didn’t have a very thick trunk nor was it very tall but it had put out its lean branches which rained white stars every morning. These pretty scented flowers had an orange heart, bright orange like the first rays of the sun. Well, I’m sure you must have seen these blossoms at some time or the other and even inhaled their divine fragrance. Yes, I’m talking about the Shiuli flowers that Rabindranath Tagore speaks about in his poems ‘I cannot remember my mother’ and ‘Paper Boats’.

By the way did I tell you that the Shiuli flowers are also known by names such as Parijat, Prajakti and Harsingar? This flower is the only one picked from the floor and offered in puja, it is deemed to be fit for the Gods. They had after all obtained the tree from the Samudra Manthan! For some reason these flowers have always fascinated me. For many years I had used their images as wallpaper on my mobile phone. I tried to obtain a sapling of this divine plant for long and finally did manage to get the gardener to plant one. I waited for months to enjoy the blossoms but... you won’t believe what happened! The so called Harsingar sapling the gardener grew brought forth long mulberry instead of fragrant flowers. How disappointed I was! The poor man offered to get the correct plant this time. As he sat preparing the soil for the ‘original’ Harsingar, he proudly recounted his brief spat with the owner of the nursery wherein he gave the man a piece of his mind. By the time the story ended the sapling was firmly ‘installed’ and lovingly watered. I admired the green leaves and hoped it would flower in the coming year. Another year passed and finally I had my own blooming Prajakti ... with its heavenly fragrance and divine blossoms. Every morning the flowers, like dew drops would roll down the leaves into various flower pots around.

Somehow, I wasn’t to enjoy these flowers the next year. My fur baby, Waffy passed away and the Prajakti had to make way for his grave. The decision wasn’t a pleasant one but had to be made all the same because Waffy loved to sit at that spot and bark at the birds and squirrels who dared to enter his territory. During those months of grieving and mourning, the Prajakti was pushed to some dark corner of my mind. But gradually, as time passed I found myself thinking of renewing my association with this plant even the Gods had fought over. Do you know that Krishna had to fight with Indra to win these flowers? Though unparalleled in beauty and fragrance, the Harsingar (meaning an ornament for the Gods) is cursed never to bear fruits.

Here I must recount to you a story I read recently. It is said that after Krishna won this tree from Indra, Satayabhama, his wife demanded that he plant it in her backyard. However, every night the flowers would bloom and fall in the backyard of Rukmini, Krishna’s most loved and favourite wife thus, glorifying her love, loyalty and devotion to her husband.

This is just one story; I was quite amazed to learn of numerous Indian legends behind this tree. There’s another which tells why the Parijat blooms only at night. It’s a sweet love story and goes somewhat like this. Apparently, there was a princess named Parijataka who fell in love with the Sun God, Surya. The God who was aware and even proud of his power and immense glory promised to marry her only on one condition that she would never turn her back on him no matter what. Parijataka who was deeply in love was overjoyed and readily agreed. They got married in autumn and lived happily until summer when Surya’s powers multiplied. One summer afternoon, Surya dropped by at Parijataka’s doorstep and quite helplessly, she flinched at his brilliance. The Sun God was extremely angry, he fumed and as a consequence, the princess wilted. When he calmed down, he realized how much they both loved each other and grieved for her. The Gods interceded and revived her in the form of a tree. Surya would visit her every night because of which it is believed that the Parijat’s flowers are so fragrant in the dark hours as if they’re kissed by the Sun. The flowers fall down every morning as soon as the Sun’s first rays colour the sky. Now, there’s another version to this same story which says that Surya refused the love of Parijataka so she killed herself. And, from her ashes rose a tree to prove her love to the Sun God. The falling blossoms are her tears which she sheds when she sees her lover rising over the horizon every morning.

Well... well... well... the Parijat flowers aren’t significant only for their mythological and romantic aspects. Now, here’s a surprise for food lovers. These flowers are added as an important ingredient to Assamese and even Bengali cuisines. It is said to have numerous health benefits. Although bitter in taste, it aids digestion and gut health; boosts immunity and relieves flu-like symptoms. It is added to fish recipes to make the dish more aromatic. It is often used as a side dish with sweet potato and is cooked with chillies and fried onions. The flowers are collected during the blooming season, washed carefully and sun-dried to be stored in air-tight containers. They are then used as an alternative to saffron, a natural food colorant.

With the Navaratras here, this reminds me that these flowers announce the arrival of Goddess Durga, in West Bengal. Our Nobel Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore has penned numerous poems with Shiuli flowers and the Devi as a backdrop. By the way, do you know, the Shiuli is the official flower of West Bengal?

Anyway, I was about to tell you of my desire to renew my acquaintance with the Harsingar once again when I veered off the track. So, I recently had the opportunity to ask at a nursery about the availability of a Parijat and I wasn’t disappointed. I have the tender sapling firmly ensconced in a flower pot as of now, planted lovingly by my mother. I’m looking forward to enjoying the blossoms in the next flowering season, with some luck! If you too want to experience the beauty and fragrance of this flower get yourselves a sapling as soon as possible.

Image Courtesy: pinterest, etsy