Our family life in the tropics. Lots of music, art, gardening, cooking, traveling, ponderings, and joy. Creating memories, traditions
and hopefully some humor. Trying to give back as well.

October 18, 2011

corner view~whatever tickles your fancy


These are chetti flowers, or jungle geraniums.  They grow in our back yard, they were here when we bought the house.  It tickles me that they are sacred in India and used in special prayer ceremonies.  And that years ago when someone was visiting our house that she pointed this out to me, because I had no idea.  And that occasionally I get an email asking me to send some for a prayer ceremony somewhere in the U.S.  It just happened this week.  (People are always so appreciative that I can send these hard to find flowers that I have an abundance of).

I was tickled to I talk an an older Indian lady in Washington, DC.  I loved how polite and formal she was.  And she told me all about growing up in India, and how her grandmother and mother would conduct these certain ceremonies with the flowers for up to three days, and how auspiciousness things were in her family after the ceremonies.  Especially since for years the family had had a stream of bad luck, and it wasn't until the ladies began doing the special prayers that things changed.    

So that tickled me.

And it makes me feel like I am living on blessed land.

16 comments:

Kristin said...

Your post is very interesting and great.

Bonnie said...

wow. that is so interesting ! and how cool that you have them growing in your back yard !!

Here is my ”WHATEVER” !

Debra said...

sacred flowers in your backyard? If you were looking for signs from the universe, I would say that that is a good one.

Joyce said...

This would tickle my fancy to know I had these flowers, and warm my heart to be able to share, so I can image how you feel. Very beautiful flowers my friend! I also think they picked their location to grow plentiful, because of the special family that lives there. :) xo

nadine paduart said...

jungle geraniums! what a particular name and how different they look, at first sight, from regular geraniae. the colour is so fiery too!
lovely thoughts on these flowers.
n♥

likeschocolate said...

They are beautiful! How lucky are you!

KathyA said...

And they are beautiful, too! It IS a special thing that you are growing these and they are doing so well.

Anonymous said...

what an interesting story ... and the flowers look very pretty :)

la ninja said...

tickle, tickle, tickle... look at you and your blessed garden! :)

Beth said...

Lovely flowers and story. It tickled me to learn!;>)

sophie said...

About flowers connecting people and cultures... We should all have flowers in our garden that are special for another person (and vice-versa). Interesting post!

Francesca said...

never even heard of jungle geraniums. I must try to grow these auspicious blossoms - where did you get the seeds?

flowtops said...

So sweet that you share your flowers!

And adding an extra layer to "ordinary" things is always great.

Nicki

tanïa said...

This is not only a special and beautiful flower but a special and beautiful story around, too!

Karyn Taylor-Moore said...

I loved this post! What amazing flowers. Maybe we should all have more ceremonies in our lives? You are so lucky to live in such an amazing place.

Heather said...

That would tickle me as well. And what lovely flowers!