The humid Chennai air carried the scent of jasmine and the salty breeze from the Bay of Bengal as I sat on the cool verandah steps of my grandmother’s home. She rocked gently on her wooden chair, a rhythmic creaking accompanying her words. “Every tree has a story,” she said, her voice rich with nostalgia. “Some carryblessings, others bear curses, but all of them whisper ancient secrets to those who care to listen.”
The Cursed Flower: The Tale of the Screw Pine (Thazhampoo)
She leaned closer, lowering her voice, as if revealing an old family secret. “Do you know why the fragrant Thazhampoo is never used in temple worship?” I shook my head, eager to hear more.
“Long ago, there was a dispute between Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu about who was the most powerful. Their quarrel was so fierce that it threatened to disrupt the balance of creation. To end this, Lord Shiva appeared as an endless pillar of divine light and challenged them to find its beginning and end. Vishnu transformed into a boar and dug deep into the earth, while Brahma took the form of a swan and soared into the sky. After searching for eons, Vishnu admitted defeat, but Brahma, desperate to win, encountered a falling Ketki flower and convinced it to lie. He claimed to have found the summit of the divine light.
Lord Shiva, enraged by this deceit, cursed Brahma, declaring that he would never be worshipped in temples. As for the poor Ketki flower, its punishment was eternal – never again would it be offered in worship.”
I glanced at the Thazhampoo in my grandmother’s flower basket, now holding a newfound respect for its untold past.
The Coconut Tree: A Celestial Connection
My grandmother chuckled. “And do you know why coconuts fall from such great heights?”
I laughed. “Gravity?”
She shook her head. “Once upon a time, Sage Vishwamitra tried to send King Trishanku to heaven in his mortal body. But the gods refused to accept him. When Trishanku began falling back to Earth, Vishwamitra, in his defiance, used his yogic powers to hold him midair with a celestial pole. Over time, this pole became the coconut tree, and Trishanku’s head turned into the coconut fruit.”
I looked up at the towering coconut tree in our backyard and suddenly felt grateful for not standing directly beneath it.
The Golden Shower Tree of Thiruvanchikulam Mahadevar Temple
My grandmother pointed at a tree adorned with golden blossoms. “That is the Konrai, the golden shower tree, the sacred tree of Lord Shiva. There’s a temple where this tree blooms all year round, thanks to the presence of a self-manifested Shiva Lingam beneath its shade.”
I gazed at the tree, its golden flowers swaying in the breeze, as if acknowledging its divine heritage.
The Jackfruit Chronicles
“In Kerala, the jackfruit is more than just food,” she continued, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “They say Kerala even has a chakka anthem! It is the state fruit, and every part of it is used – from chips to curries to ice creams.”
She patted the large jackfruit resting by the kitchen door. “Nothing goes to waste.”
The Jamun’s Sacred Legacy
Grandmother handed me a ripe jamun fruit. “Did you know Lord Rama survived on these during his exile? And Krishna’s complexion is often compared to its deep purple hue.”
I popped one into my mouth, savoring its sweet-tart taste, feeling as if I were taking a bite of mythology itself.
The Enlightening Bodhi Tree
“And this, my dear, is the most sacred of them all,” she said, showing me an image of the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya. “Under its shade, Prince Siddhartha became the Buddha. This tree symbolizes wisdom, peace, and spiritual awakening.”
I traced the veins of a dried Bodhi leaf she had preserved in her book, feeling the weight of centuries in its delicate frame.
The Eternal Amla (Nellikani) of Avvaiyar
“The Amla fruit is known for its longevity,” she said. “King Athiyaman once had an eternal Amla and chose to gift it to the poet Avvaiyar, believing her wisdom was more valuable to society than his own life.”
I smiled, wondering what modern leaders might learn from such selflessness.
The Treasured Kundumani Seeds
She picked up a handful of small, red Kundumani seeds. “We used to play with these as children,” she mused. “They are often used in religious rituals and even as the eyes of Lord Ganesha idols.”
I rolled a seed between my fingers, its smoothness familiar, its significance newly realized.
The Haunting Mystery of the Tamarind Tree
Grandmother’s tone dropped to a whisper. “And do you know why people fear sleeping under tamarind trees at night?”
I shuddered. “Ghosts?”
“Some say the tree releases toxic vapors after dark,” she said with a wink. “But whether fact or folklore, you won’t catch me napping under one!”
The Sacred Punnai Tree of Mylapore
“Mylapore gets its name from the Tamil word ‘myil,’ meaning peacock,” she explained. “Lord Shiva, worshipped as Punnaivananathar, is linked to the Punnai tree here. Its twigs have been used as toothbrushes for centuries.”
I ran my fingers over the rough bark of a nearby Punnai tree, marveling at its silent service to humanity.
The Frangipani Tree: A Symbol of Immortality
“This tree is special,” she said, pointing at the fragrant Frangipani. “It blooms even after being uprooted, which is why it symbolizes immortality.”
I inhaled its sweet scent, realizing how much resilience and beauty nature offers us.
As the evening shadows stretched across the courtyard, I looked around at the trees standing tall and silent, each carrying a story that had traveled through time. My grandmother’s voice had woven magic into their branches, and I knew that I would pass these stories on, just as she had passed them to me.
“Remember,” she said, placing a gentle hand on my head, “trees are the earth’s silent storytellers. All you have to do is listen.”
And I did.