Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Little Ms Sunshine - Jasmine


Pictures of the jasmine flower from a friend's garden. Really pretty, aren't they? Jasmine has a special place in South Indian culture - it is THE flower of garlands and temple rituals and was (and to a large extent still is) worn by women to decorate their hair and as a fragrant. Essential oils from jasmine are used in Ayurveda, aromatherapy and other alternative herbal treatments to treat breast cancer, post natal depression and skin ailments. It is supposed to have a calming effect on the nerves, stimulate the uterus and act as an aphrodisiac for women. These probably explain its ubiquitous presence in south indian tradition!
Jasmine in Persian (Yasmin) means 'the gift of gods'. It is the national flower of Pakistan, Indonesia and the Phillipines.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

hey, the article is super! thouroughly enjoyed reading it and my jasmine does look pretty! thx for the add!!-aparna