Neela Amari

Shots from Anchuruli-Idukki District of Kerala

neela Koduveli

Picnic spot at Idukki District

Arutha

Arutha leaves are used to make medicines affecting nerves.

Kadukka

A small fruit used as a medicine against cough and ulcer. Kadukka, nellikka and Thannikka are called thriphala in Ayurveda.

Kizhakkila chethi

Medicinal plant used as anti-poison in Ayurvedic medicines.

Poovarasu

Flower of Poovarasu. Yellow flower will change into pink colur after some time.

Poovarasu is an ever green tree with high medicinal value. This is used for furniture making also. Yellow beautiful flowers are main attraction of this tree. Its leaves, barks and flowers are used in Ayurveda medicines. Its mainly used in medicines for skin diseases, jaundice and cough.

Kurunthotti

Kurunthotti is an effective herb for Arthritis. 'Kurunthottikkum vathamo' (vatham means arthritis) is a famous adage in Kerala. It is a smll shrub with tiny leaves. Its roots, stem and leaves are used for making medicine.

A humble plant

Thumba poo is a very small flower in pure white. Thumba plant is very common in Kerala and it is used in some ayurvedic medicines. Thumba poo has a main role in the floral decoration (atha poo) of Onam festival. The bunch of flowers is called 'Thumba kudam'. It is also used in 'Karkkidaka vavu bali tharpanam'(a ritual offered to the ancestors). Its also used in the bali conducted at homes in Kerala. Thumba leaves are excellent mosquito repellers. The juice of leaves with honey is a medicine for indigestion and stomach ache. In ayurveda it is known as 'Dhrona pushpi'. It is an excellent antipyretic. The flowers with honey is effective for coughs and cold in children. Thumab poo mala(garland made of flowers of thumba) is a major offering in Vaikkathu temple for' mangalya bhagyam'.

Now most of the children didn't know the thumba. They make athapookkalam with the colourful flowers from Tamil nadu.

Some malayalam song which mention thumba plant

'Thumbi penne va va thumbachottil va va'

'Thumba poo niramulla cherumani chorundu'
Thumba is famous for the Rocket Launching station at Thiruvanathapuram. That place was rich with Thumba plant thus the name Thumba.
Dasha pushpam

ashokam

Leaves of Ashokam

Ashoka chethi from my home.
Its a herbal plant. The flowers are orange in colour like chethi but having more thickness. Legend behind this tree is that Sita devi spend her days in the shades of this tree during her stay at Lanka in Ravana's Castle. Hanuman met her at the Ashoka grove after a long search. The flower of this plant is like chethi but having more thickness is used as a medicine for skin diseases. Paste of dried flowers boiled with coconut oil is an effective way to enhance your complexion and a medicine to skin allergies. 'Ashokarishtam' an ayurvedic medicine is for menstrul disorders of women, its main ingredient is Ashoka flower.