Tiruvannamalai Puja Flowers

Certain trees and shrubs considered sacred in that their flowers are used in worship, are currently being planted throughout the Tiruvannamalai area.

On a personal note I would consider that the most sacred of trees and shrubs would be those that are not picked throughout the flowering season and used for such worship. But thats just my personal opinion!

Below is a list of some of the trees that are specially planted in this area so that their flowers may be used in worship:

Trees

Mimusops Elengi (Maghizham)

Aegle Marmelos (Vilvam)

Couroupita Guianensis (Magalingam)

Saraca Asoca (Asoka)

Anthocephalus Cadamba (Kadambam)

Pterocarpus Marsupium (Vengal)

Syzygium Cumini (Maaval)

Prosopis Cineraria (Vanni)

Madhuca Longifolia (Illupai)

Ficus Benghalensis (Aal)

Ficus Religiosa (Arasu)

Azadirachta Indica (Vembu)

Bauhinia Tomentosa (Aathi)

Myctanthes Arbor Tristis (Pavazha Malli)

Butea Monosperma (Palasu)

Plumeria Rubra (Malai Arali)

Tecomelia Stans (Manjarali)

Cassis Fistuila (Sara Konnai)

Guetarda Speciosa (Panneer Poo)

Calophylum Inophyllum (Punnai)

Photographs of flowers from some of the above trees

Saraca Asoca (Asoka)

Anthocephalus Cadamba (Kadambam)

Calophylum Inophyllum (Punnai)

Couroupita Guianensis (Magalingam)

Madhuca Longifolia (Illupai)

Mimusops Elengi (Maghizham)

Aegle Marmelos (Vilvam)

A list of shrubs that are specially planted so that their flowers may be used in worship are as follows:

Shrubs

Cascabella Thevitia (Ponnarali)

Merium Indicum (Arali)

Ervatamia Divaricata (Mandhiavattai)

Hibuscus Rosa-sinensis (Semparuthi)

House for sale, adjacent Samudram Eri

This is a new property, which has just been constructed in an area off the Perumbakkam Road and is about 1½ kms west of Ramana Ashram. 

Plot Size: 20' x 50' = 1000 sq.ft. plot area, 2000 sq.ft of construction. 

Details: Duplex hall: 20'x20', 3 bed rooms, 2 attached baths, 1 com bath, kitchen, underground meditation hall, car parking, com utility space, good darshan of Arunachala, Pyramid roof, modular kitchen, cupboards in each room.

Water: 320' deep 6" diameter bore well with 1.5 hp submersible pump, u.g water storage sump 20000 litters cap, etc. 

The house is ready for purchase and occupancy. For more details please get in touch with me at the email address located at the top left of this page.

Adiannamalai House specifications

As promised in the previous posting of a house (currently under construction) for sale in Adiannamamalai, below is a plan of the house plus specifications. 

For any more details please get in touch via my email contact at top left of this page.

Right click for enlargement

Total plot area = 938 square feet

The building size = 20’ x 27’ 

Porch 14’ x 6’ = 624 sq. ft. 

Two bed rooms, one hall, one kitchen, one com bath and toilet

Stairs to open terrace 

Borewell 320' deep 6" diameter: Borewell with 1 hp submersible pump 

Framed structure, Vengai wood main door, inside flush doors

Al. fab windows, 2 'x 2' vertified tiles, in and out Emulsion paint, Kundan electrical fittings. 

P.V.C. sanitation. 500 litre overhead tank

House for Sale, Adiannamalai

I took the below photographs yesterday of a house currently under construction. The house is a few minutes walk from Adiannamamalai and it is expected to be completed within the next two months. 

The house will have one larger bedroom, guest bedroom, bathroom, hall/living room and kitchen. A bore well has already been drilled and there is abundant sweet water. 

Photograph taken yesterday September 12, 2013

The Civil Engineer in charge has built many Arunachala homes

Lady with pink blouse is standing where verandah and front door will be

Septic tank side of house. Boundary marker top right corner of tank.

Construction will be completed in two months

Arunachala darshan taken from house

This adorable budget home is the first one in the plot project. The land of which, is currently being sold at the rate of Rs.500/- per square foot. I will have house plans and specifications within the next couple of days. 

The price is firm and set at Rs.15 Lakhs. If you wish me to send you further details including plan and specifications of house, email me at top left address of this page. 

Compound Available for Lease

Today I visited a very lovely Compound belonging to a local Trust which is comprised of a beautiful meeting hall, several accommodation cottages, several separate accommodation rooms, a kitchen, office rooms, an agricultural well, two independent bore wells and three acres of gardens with a beautiful view of Arunachala. 

The Trust is ready to discuss with a group or organisation the possibility of leasing out the property for some years. 

For more details and photographs please email me direct at the contact email logo located at the top left of this page. 

Entrance to Compound

Large Meeting Hall

Arunachala from Compound

Accommodation Cottage

Duplex (2 Apartment House) Available Vediappanur Road

I have been asked by readers to start posting information about available houses and land in the Arunachala area. So here below are details of a completed Building for sale on Vediappanur Road, close to the girivalam roadway, Tiruvannamalai. 

Darshan of Arunachala from Vediappanur

Vediappanur is an area about 4-5 kilometres west of Ramana Ashram and is a peaceful, professional area populated by both Indians and non-Indians. 

Recently completed Duplex

Information about the recently completed duplex (house with downstairs and upstairs apartments are):- 

1. Total Area of site 2400 sq.ft. 

2. Constructed area on Ground Floor 1300 sq.ft. 

3. Constructed area on First Floor 1300 sq.ft. 

Receiving finishing touches to garden

4. Three face Electricity connections 2 numbers. 

5. Good Borewell with 1.5 H.P submersible motor. 

6. Front and Rear Gardens. 

7. Excellent darshan of Arunachala from west side of house. 

Excellent Arunachala Darshan in area

For more details of this newly built duplex, please email me at address located top left of this Blog page. 

Jackfruit Tree

The Jackfruit (Palapazham in Tamil) is a species of tree of the genus of the Mulberry family. It is believed to have originated in the Indian southwestern rain forests. Archeological findings have revealed that the Jackfruit Tree was cultivated in India 3000 to 6000 years. Although the Jackfruit Tree is well suited to tropical lands, with careful tending it can also grow in Tiruvannamalai District. I first learnt of this surprising fact some years ago visiting a friend’s house and noticing a very handsome, fruit laden tree in their small compound situated near Thiruvoodal Street, near the busy part of town. 

The Jackfruit is a huge tree that grows to as high as 30 meters, higher than the mango tree. During the season, each tree may bear as many as 250 large fruits making them the largest tree-borne fruits in the world. The fruit varies widely in size and weighs from 3 to 30 kg, and has an oblong or round shape measuring 10 cm to 60 cm in length and 25 cm to 75 cm in diameter.

Jackfruit Tree

In South India two varieties of Jackfruit predominate: varikka and koozha. Varikka has a slightly hard inner flesh when ripe, while the inner flesh of the ripe koozha fruit is very soft and almost dissolving. 

The fruits’ outer surface is covered with blunt thorns like projections, which become soft as the fruit ripe. Its interior consists of orange-yellow coloured edible bulbs. Each bulb consists of sweet-flavored sheaths that enclose a smooth, oval, light-brown colour seed. 

The spiny outside reveals the fruit bulbs inside

The fruit is cut in a similar fashion as larger fruits like watermelon. White, gummy latex oozes from the cut ends even in ripe fruit but to a lesser extent than in the unripe ones. The latex problem can be overcome by applying coconut oil on the hands or by rubbing the cut sections with fresh cut lemon. The thick rind that runs through the middle of the fruit is then removed, and the whole section is twisted few turns in order to loosen individual bulbs. 

The seeds from ripe fruits are edible and said to have a milky, sweet taste. They may be boiled, baked or roasted. When roasted the flavor of the seeds is comparable to chestnuts 

Succulent Fruit

The wood of the Jackfruit Tree is used for the production of musical instruments, furniture, doors, windows and in roof construction. 

Seeds of Jackfruit with protective skins

This species can expand naturally because its fruit, once it falls to the ground and opens; is eagerly eaten by small mammals. The seeds are then dispersed by these animals, which allows the Jackfruit to compete for space with other tree species. 

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Jackfruit in Mythology 

Lord Shiva while on a hunt happened to hear a sweet voice in the jungle. He was surprised to find that it belonged to a tribal girl, "Koolivaka", a girl of immense beauty. The solitude of the forest area and beauty of the girl, made the Lord lustful. He informed Koolivaka of his wish and told her to wait for him until he returned from his hunt. 

Koolivaka, who was a devotee of Parvathi prayed to the Goddess to save her from the predicament of displeasing her by having a relationship with Lord Shiva. The Goddess revealed to Koolivaka that in a previous birth she was Mansawini, a servant in the retinue of the Goddess. One day the serving girl happened to breast-feed baby Lord Vinayaka. Parvati angry that a servant should feed her baby, cursed her to be born in a outcaste family. But to lessen the curse, Parvati set out that her servant while being fated to be born a chandala would get the opportunity to breast-feed the son of Shiva. 

Devi told the girl that she herself would take on the form of Koolivaka and deceive Lord Shiva. She also informed Koolivaka that the son born from the deceitful union would grow up to be the killer of Jalandhara, a powerful Asura. 

Thus the Goddess in the form of Koolivaka started swinging on a creeper attached to a Jackfruit Tree and waited for the arrival of Lord Shiva. A child with divine power was born through this holy union. Lord Shiva arranged a buffalo for the protection of the child. This divine child who came to be known as "Chathan" was given to Koolivaka to raise. Vishnu Maya or Chathan is a concept in Hinduism that refers to the power to create illusions. Koolivaka thus became the mother of Chathan, son of Lord Shiva fulfilling the boon of Parvathi. 

After spending years with Koolivaka, Chathan riding on a buffalo started on a journey to Kailas. When he was about to reach Kailas he realised that Nandikeshwara would not allow him to enter Kailas in his present form. So he took the form of Lord Vishnu. On seeing their son, Shiva and Parvathi were very happy and hugged him. Lord Shiva blessed him saying, "You invoked the form of Vishnu by Maya. So you will be known as Vishnu Maya." Fulfilling his destiny, Chanthan challenged the Asura Jalandhara to battle, and defeated him. After his victory, Chathan returned to his native place to live among the poor to who he offered his protection. 

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The Jackfruit is one of the three auspicious fruits of Tamil Nadu, along with mango and banana, known as the mukkani. These are referred to as ma-pala-vaazhai (mango-jack-banana). The three fruits (mukkani) are also related to the three arts of Tamil (mu-Tamizh). 

Silk Cotton Tree

Bombax Malabarica or Silk Cotton Tree (Ilavam, Pulai) is a genus of tropical trees of the Mallow family. It is a reddish, silky tree which belongs to the family of Malvaceae. The genus is best known for the species B. Ceiba which is widely cultivated throughout South Asia. As the tree does not fare well in arid climates, to grow in this area it needs careful attention. It can be seen at several areas at Tiruvannamalai. 

The Silk Cotton is a tall handsome tree which can grow up to a 100 feet in height. The tree forms a straight bole with horizontal or upward branches that grow in regular whorls, tier above tier, like a gigantic upside down candelabrum. The trunk and branches are usually covered with conical thorns especially when young. Thorns on older trees are often absent. 

The leaves of this tree fall off just before it flowers. The flowers are 6 to 7 inches long and are up to 7 inches wide. They are borne solitary or in clusters at or near the ends of the branches. The flower consist of five satiny, red, scarlet, or sometimes white petals. Intense blooming of this tree lasts around 29 days. The fruit contains small brown black seeds embedded in white cottonwool; when the trees’ pods burst open, the cotton is carried in the air and the seeds fall and propagate both by air layering and also by bird dispersal. 

This tree is immensely popular with many species of birds such as: Bulbuls, Mynahs, Sunbirds, Flower-peckers and Crows who are all attracted to the nectar of this trees’ flowers. 

Flowers in full bloom

The Red Silk Cotton has many valuable ethno medicinal and ayurvedic uses. 

Some of which include: 

Root: Diarrhoea, dysentery, diabetes, scorpion sting and snakebite, brain tonic 

Stem and Bark: Bacterial, viral, heart tonic, kidney stone, easy delivery 

Gum: Asthma, dental caries, scabies, dysentery 

Leaves: Glandular swellings, rheumatism Flower: Anemia, Colitis, internal bleeding 

Fruit: Anti-fertility agent Fruit and Heartwood: Anti-diabetic, snakebite Seed: Chicken pox and small pox Spines: Skin troubles, headaches 

This tree is also widely used commercially for timber, packing boxes, floating logs for fishermen and gum utilised in both the cosmetic and food industry. 

Photograph showing branch arrangement

There are many myths, legends and traditions associated with this large deciduous tree. In one such myth, the tree is said to be the tree of infernal region and the thorny appearance has led it to be called as Yamadruma, the tree of Yama (the Lord of Hell). Its cuplike flowers are considered sacred to Shiva. When the tree is in full bloom it is compared to Lakshmi, the goddess of good fortune, standing with her arms outstretched and a lit oil lamp on each palm. 

Red Vented Bulbul drinking Nectar

One myth of this tree can be found in the Mahabharata and goes like this: Tale of the Tree During their exile in the forest the Pandava brothers worked in the forest, hunting, clearing and gathering fuel. At night the wife of the Pandava brothers would massage one of her husbands after their heavy workday. One evening Bhima deciding to trick Draupadi, brought in a log of Semal (tree name in Hindi) wood to his room, put it in his bed and covered it. Bhima hid outside to watch the fun while someone called Draupadi to the room. 

Draupadi began massaging Bhima, remarking how tired he must be as his body and knotted muscles felt very hard. Continuing to massage her husband, Draupadi asked several times whether he was satisfied with her work. Receiving no answer and loosing patience, she finally snatched away the sheet off the form in the bed, and found that it had been covering not her husband Bhima, but a log of wood. She cursed the wood from that day onward that the wood would grow thorns always. 

After Draupadi left the room, her husband climbed back, picked up the log of wood and took it outside to open land and planted it. Whereupon it grew into a tall tree with thorns on its trunk. 

Tamarind Tree

The name Tamarind is derived from the Arabic word, Tamar-Hind meaning Indian Date. The Indian Tamarind Tree (Tamarindus Indica) known as “Puli” in Tamil is a member of the Leguminosae family. It grows throughout India and can live to be 200 years or even more. It can be seen in great numbers around Tiruvannamalai, lining the thoroughfares and roadways leading into the town. 

The Tamarind tolerates a great diversity of soil types, from deep alluvial soil to rocky land and porous, limestone. It also withstands salt spray and can be planted close to the seashore. This tree can be grown just about anywhere and also because of its deep root system, can withstand the hot summer days of South India very effectively. 

Gathering Tamarind Fruit

It is a large, handsome, evergreen tree with symmetrically spreading branches. The trunk is thick and short and the bark rough, almost black, and covered with long cracks. The leaves are separated into green fringed stems and pale yellow three-petalled flowers cluster in small bunches around the leaves. Flowers appear in May and the seeds are encased in sweet-sour tasting pulp covered with a scaly rind. The fruit of the Tamarind which hang from the branches begin as a pale green and as the fruit matures turns into a dark, shiny brown. 

In South India, the tree is grown in the precincts of temples to the Mother Goddess who battles evil spirits at night. People avoid walking near Tamarind trees in the dark and locals believe that the neighbourhood in which the Tamarind tree grows becomes unwholesome, and that it is unsafe to sleep under it owing to the acid the tree emits during the moisture of the night. Another superstition about the Tamarind is that few plants will survive beneath it and that it is harmful to both people and animals to sleep under it, because of the belief of the corrosive effect that fallen leaves from the tree have in damp weather. 

Roadway entering Tiruvannamalai

Maybe because of the supposed health dangers attributed to the tree, there also exists the common village superstition that the Tamarind attracts ghosts. For this reason it is uncommon to see this tree planted on private land. It is more often seen on the sides of public roads, where it provides effective, cooling shade to travellers. In Hindu lore the tree symbolizes the wife of Brahma, the creator. One of the most famous Tamarind tree in India is in Gwalior, where it stands over the tomb of Emperor Akbar’s musician Tansen. The legend goes that all classical singers should eat some leaves of this tree to make their voices as sweet as his.

One popular legend connected to this Tree concerns Rama from the Ramayana epic and is believed to date from the 4th Century B.C., goes like this. While in exile Rama, Sita and Laxman were camping under the tree and Sita was cooking food. In those days the Tamarind tree had large leaves but still could not keep raindrops from disturbing Sita and putting out the fire. In anger Rama ordered Laxman to shoot an arrow of protest to Lord Indra, the rain god. The arrow pierced the leaves and they were divided into tiny parts that exist to this day.

There is another story as to why the leaves are divided. Orissa tribal legend states that Bhima had a plantain tree with large leaves and Rama planted a Tamarind tree also with large leaves. In a jealous fit of rage Bhima sent a parrot to break up the Tamarind leaves into tiny parts and so they are to this day. Yet another legend associates the Tamarind tree with Shiva, Parvati and Usha. Usha was so busy playing with Lord Ganesha that she ignored the presence of Lord Shiva who became enraged and cut of his son, Lord Ganesha’s head. The frightened Usha hid in a barrel of salt where she was discovered by Parvati and accused of neglecting Lord Shiva and was cursed to be born on Earth as the daughter of Banasura. Usha begged for forgiveness but the curse could not be revoked. Parvati granted a boon that in her honour, instead of taking salt during the month of Chaitra, people would drink the juice of the fruit of the Tamarind tree and so it came to be. 

Tamarind Tree, Arunachala background

In northern parts of India, the Tamarind tree is associated with Lord Krishna. ‘Imli-tala’ is a sacred Tamarind tree located in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh. It is believed to date back to Lord Krishna’s time. Legend has it that the tree was cursed by Radhrani. One day when she was walking to meet Krishna, she stepped on the thick bark of a ripe Tamarind fruit and it cut her foot. This made her late for her meeting with Lord Krishna. She therefore cursed the tree that its fruits would never ripen. Even today, the fruits of this tree fall down before getting fully ripened.

Village Tamarind Tree

The acidic pulp of the fruit of the Tamarind is used extensively in cooking and food preparation in South India. Leaves, flowers, wood, fruity pulp and seeds are all useful and the tree is utilised in myriad ways throughout India. Tamarind has been used in India from the most remote times against scurvy and is known for its effectiveness against mouth and throat infections. The seeds have industrial as well as medicinal uses. The leaves also yield a yellow dye to colour fabrics. The wood is strong and is used to make wheels for carts and for furniture. 

Tamarind Pods on Tree

Valued as an antidote to heat stroke, tamarind pods are often preserved in salt and sold by weight. The whole plant has medicinal virtues. Its leaves are cooling while bark and seeds are astringent, a tonic and reduces fever. Poultice made from the bark heals open sores. Paste of powdered seeds is applied on boils and in chronic diarrhea and dysentery. Decoction of the leaf is useful in jaundice. Leaf paste helps reduce swelling and pain on inflamed joints. The fruit pulp is digestive, cooling and laxative. In modern, mainstream medicine it is used in the manufacture of a variety of drugs with uses ranging from treating intestinal worms to antiseptics, antiviral and antibacterial agents. 

Various parts of the Tamarind

To learn more about this remarkable tree go to this post here:

Hiking in Arunachala countryside

Even though the area close to the Hill is getting increasingly urbanised, there is still a plethora of unspoilt land in relative proximity to the Hill. The below photographs are of a day's hiking outing on land about eight kilometres southeast of Arunachala. From my house at the side of the Arunachala Samudra Eri, I can view hills in the distance and have always been eager to one day visit and investigate them. 

Goats are still very much part of the rural countryside

Farmer, with his bullock cart. Notice the electricity pylon in the background!

Pretty view from the Hills I was hiking

Land is Government Reserved Land

Rock formation on hills I can see from my own house

Inviting roadway taking me into Reserve Land

Spectacular Darshan of distant Arunachala

Frangipani

The Pagoda Tree, known as ‘Ezha Chempakam’ (genus Plumeria), is found throughout Tiruvannamalai District. This plant more often known by its more common name of Champa or Frangipani, can grow to a height of five to six metres and has low, narrowing straight branches with broad lance-shaped leaves. The plant is sometime leafless but is rarely out of bloom. Profuse flowering, which form in clusters at the tip of branches, take place throughout the year. It is a quick-growing, medium-sized, deciduous tree. 

The name, Frangipani, comes from the Italian nobleman, Marquis Frangipani, who created a perfume used to scent gloves in the 16th century. When the Frangipani flower was discovered its natural perfume reminded people of the scented gloves, and so the flower was called Frangipani. Another version has it that the name, Frangipani, is from the French Frangipanier which is a type of coagulated milk that the Plumeria milk resembles. The name, Plumeria, is attributed to Charles Plumier, a 17th Century French botanist and traveller throughout the world 

Less Common hereabouts, the Rubra Frangipani

Plumeria flowers are most fragrant at night in order to lure moths to pollinate them. The flowers have no nectar, however, and simply dupe their pollinators. The moths inadvertently pollinate them by transferring pollen from flower to flower in their fruitless search for nectar. In India the Frangipani is a symbol of immortality because of its ability to produce leaves and flowers even after it has been lifted out of the soil and for this reason is often planted near temples and graveyards. Frangipani won't burn except in extreme temperatures (over 500 degrees). 

Alba variety most common at Arunachala

Hindus consider it one of the holiest trees and plant it near temples with the flowers being offered to the deity. The tree is considered sacred to Kamadeva, the God of Love, and it is inauspicious to cut it. In Hindu culture this flower represents loyalty and is often used in wedding rituals. It is also believed to have a calming influence on the mind, and is utilised in various Ayurvedic concoctions. 

Pure White Frangipani

Many stories are associated with this beautiful plant. In “1001 Arabian Nights” there is a story of this plant which involves the tale of two sisters jealous of their younger sibling, check this link for the story. 

Another story related to this beautiful plant appears in the Vishnu Purana; it is entitled “The Seven Princes,” and the story goes thus: 

There once lived a King with two wives. The older, senior wife was cruel and greedy, the junior wife who was mute, was tender and gracious. The first wife was struck with extreme jealously when she learnt that the younger wife was pregnant and made a plan to kill the child to protect her position of authority. In the King’s absence from his capital, the older Queen stole the son born in his absence and then killed and buried it. In place of the newborn child she substituted a monkey in the baby crib. 

The King was shocked to learn on his return that his young Queen had given birth to a monkey, but because of his love for her, he did not banish her, and the junior consort, continued to live at the palace. 

In the following years, the younger Queen gave birth to seven sons and a daughter. Each time, the older Queen found a pretext to send the King away and each time she substituted a monkey for the baby. The eight children were killed and buried outside the palace wall. Even his great love for the junior Queen couldn’t prevent the King’s horror and unhappiness and swayed by the continual poisonous words of the older Queen, the King finally banished the innocent young girl to a hut outside the palace wall. 

Over the years outside the hut appeared seven beautiful trees with fragrant flowers and a smaller more delicate tree. The large trees were named Champa and the little one Parul. The trees with fragrant flowers became famous throughout the Kingdom. However the only person able to pick flowers from the trees was the young Queen. The King on hearing of the wondrous flowers of fragrant scent commanded his gardener to pick blooms for the palace, but when the gardener approached the trees, the smaller one (Parul) called out that the King himself should come to pick the flowers from any of the eight trees. 

The King with his senior wife went to the garden to learn the truth of the gardener’s story. As soon as the trees saw the senior Queen, they called out, “Murderer!”, and shouted out that their mother was the young, junior Queen. In the face of such allegations, the older Queen confessed her dire sins and was immediately banished from the Kingdom. 

Thereupon the King brought his younger Queen back to the palace. The Champa and Parul trees were brought into the Queen’s garden and both the King and Queen treated them like their children for the rest of their lives.