Nelli maram

gooseberry plant from Kerala

Nellimaram pictures from Idukki.

'Oru vattam koodiyen ormakal meyunna
Thiru muttathe ethuvaan moham…
Thiru muttathe oru konil nilkunnoraa nelli…
Maram onne uluthuvaan moham
Adarunna kaay manikal pozhiyumbol chenneduthu….
Athilonnu thinnuvaan moham
Sukhamezhum kaypum pulippum madhuravum….
Nukaruvaan ippozhum moham
Thodiyile kinar vellam kori kudiche enthu……
Madhuramennu othuvaan moham
Oru vattam koodiya puzhayude theerathu….
Veruthe irickuvaan moham
Veruthe irunnoru kuyilinte paattu kettu…
Ethir paattu paaduvaan moham
Ethir paattu paaduvaan moham
Athu kelke uchathil kookum kuyilinte…
Shruthi pin thudaruvaan moham
Oduvil pinangi parannupom pakshiyodu….
Aruthe ennothuvaan moham
Veruthe ee mohangal ennariyumbozhum…..
Veruthe mohickuvaan moham.'

A song from a malayalam film 'Chillu'.

Nellikka is the fruit of nelli tree. It has a lot of medicinal qualities. Its rich with vitamin C. Its good for digestive problems.

A famous pazhanjollu in malayalam is 'Moothavar parayum muthunellikka adyam kaykum pinne madhurikkum'. Means the advice of the elders are like the gooseberry it will be sour at first and then we will realise its sweetness or its value. Nellikka is used widely in Ayurvedic medicines. Nellikka rasayanam, Nellikka arishtam are very common medicines in Ayurveda. Its very good for hair also. "Nellikka thalam" is a way of ayurveda to cool the head. Its mainly used in mental patients. Its also used in our language for persons who introduce wild ideas. The wood of nelli tree is very hard and its used as the base of wells in ancient homes. Thats also used in common talks like 'nelli palaka kandu'. This wood have many medicinal qualities that may be the reason for it using in the well. Anyway nelli maram and nellikka had become an essential part of life, medicines and in our literature also.

A story related with nellikka is very interesting. Its main character is Aadi shankara. One day he asked Bhiksha at a brahmin home. The lady had nothing to give except a dried gooseberry that too was kept as her food. Seeing all these Shankara prayered to Lakshmi devi for her glimpse to this house for wealth. Then golden gooseberries fell from the sky as the blessing of Lakshmi. The chantings of Shankaracharya later known as 'Kanakadhara sthavam'. Still its believed that chanting these shlokas will please Lakshmi devi.