"ASRA"...ASHAON KA

Monday, March 16, 2009

JASMINE

"Mallige" in kannada & "Mogra" in hindi. They are "DIVINE", with both the fragrance & value. The mostly sought flowers to "impress" God. Used in all poojas, functions, celebrations, decorations, gardens, on the lovely braided plaits of the traditional INDIAN WOMEN.

I personally loved these flowers on actresses like Sridevi, Jayaprada, Rekha & and always dreampt of wearing them after wedding accompanied by the sari, sindhoor, bangles, Mangalsutr, big round bindi, nathni & toe rings.

Hmmm..... it's only now that I realise that I feel terrible to be in a sari for a long time. Its kinda heavy & perspiring. Salwar or a simple Capri is far more manageable & comfortable as far as I am considered. Of course occasionally on auspicious days & functions I still prefer to look very Indian. A sari clad Indian woman is always "beautiful".

CHRYSANTHEMUMS

"Sevanthige" as they are called in Kannada are beautiful flowers in many colors like yellow, white, deep pink & dark orange .

Used mostly in all South Indian festivals, they are light on our nose. They do not have the nose capturing fragrance, but they still have the capability to make their presence felt. The fresh flowers or garlands during festivals or other auspicious days, especially the yellow color ones make you "feel" the need to have them in your celebrations.

HIBISCUS

There are many varieties in 'Hibiscus'. The single layered petals, multiple layered petals etc., etc., These creamish flowers act as the focal point of my garden. My parents love them too.

SUGANDHARAJA

SUGANDHARAJA or NANDI BATTALU!!! Some say they are the fragrant Nandibattalu & some others say they are called sugandharaja in Mangalore. I'm confused as to what they are really called. Even my bit of R&D did not help me.

They are really beautiful. Usually after the buds appear it takes a very long time to bloom. In a way good! The hope to see it bloom lasts for a long time & the feel is deeper & a prolonged one. And similarly once it blooms, it lasts for a couple of days.

'Nandi Battalu' that I know are also beautiful but do not smell good. I know of two types. One which is slender & small and the other which has multiple petals which I've seen in Mangalore. This time when I had been to M'lore, I had photographed the multiple petaled NandiBattalu.

Whateva they are called, they are still beautiful. Their white & off white colors and the twisted petals make them so different.

Beautiful Flowers in My Garden

Gardening! It's nice & attractive. But the hard work that goes behind maintaining it , is really a LOT. It's nice to admire them, feel them & nurture them as my own, but anything goes wrong & I am totally out. Sometimes all of a sudden a planter goes dry even when u've been watering them. Then when day it is no more there. All the love & affection just goes waste.

Here is the insight to my gardenia!!!!

The lovely Dahlias, Jasmine, Roses, Chrysanthemums, Hibiscus & Sugandharaja.

I'm not aware of gardening methods or what happens when, exactly. When all the dahlia buds bloomed & gradually when the plant dried out, I thought that was not fair. I did not know that the planter had a dahlia tuber within, which would inturn grow into another beautiful plant after some days. I felt so disheartened, but once I got to know this & realised the truth myself, my joy knew no bounds.