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Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Cannon Ball Tree

During my recent visit to Ernakulam (Kochi/Cochin), on a particular day, we were roaming about the street known as Broadway. It dawned on us that there is a very old temple belonging to a rich community known as Gowda Saraswat Brahmins (GSB in short) nearby. We found our way and reached the spot where the temple stood. However, the doors were closed. Disappointed, we were just exploring the surroundings. There was a small, modern shrine for the serpent Gods. However the huge stone pillars having cavities for lighting oil lamps seemed to belong to the distant past. Needless to say that it attracted our attention for the purpose of capturing them in our cameras.

Alongside there stood a huge tree with large spherical fruits hanging on its trunk. There were very many pinkish buds as well. The flowers were quite at a distance at the top and the withered ones were scattered on the ground.

The tree was a curiosity for all of us to look at. There was a guy nearby who told us its name as Nagamalli or Naga Pushpam. He also added that Hindus revere it as a sacred tree because the bowl shaped  flower,  within which there is a  circle of barren stamen, over which a hood resembling a serpent, stands. The flower is used as an offering in all Shiva temples. Incidentally in the main temple over there, the presiding deity is Vishnu and not Shiva.

The fruits are quite large. They  fall down when they mature making some noice. This explains as to why they are termed as cannon balls. People are advised not to stand below the tree lest they get injured. However when they fall down, the pulp within, fills the air with a kind of fowl smell. Interestingly the flowers have a very pleasant but strong fragrance. There is a myth associated with that scent. My mom says that if some one smells the flowers, keeping it very close to the nostrils, blood could ooze out of the nose.

By Hans Bernhard in Wikimedia Commons


The Cannonball Tree possesses antibiotic, antifungal, antiseptic and analgesic qualities. The trees are used to cure colds and stomach aches. Juice made from the leaves is used to cure skin diseases.  The inside of the fruit can disinfect wounds and young leaves ease toothache.

Though the tree is said to be a native of northern part of South America, they are found in many Shiva temple compounds in India. Likewise even Buddhists consider this tree as sacred and plant them in their Viharas (monasteries). The trees’ Indian connection is said to be over 2000 years old.

The scientific name of the tree is `Couroupita Guianensis` In Hindi it is  known as “Shiv Kamal” and some times referred to as “Top ka Gola” literally meaning Cannon Ball.

35 comments:

  1. The temple structure looks like resembling a Buddhist Vihara to me and those stone lamps indeed look quite ancient. The flower, Shiv Kamal is very beautiful and pretty.. never knew of the facts and its medicinal properties. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. the temple is lakshmi venkatesa temple (T,D.-Thirumala Devasom)
      Ernakulam of G,S.B-Konkani community the said tree is behind Yakshi & naga sub temple

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  2. Wish you and your family very Happy New Year.
    The flowers looks very pretty and temple looks marvellous. Very informative post.

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  3. WOWO what a tree I love the flower on it .. and i like the name TOP ka GOLA :)

    Bikram's

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  4. Happy New year PNS.
    That is our community temple.Feel so happy seeing it on your blog. My post on this temple is in the queue. Was there a few months back.My uncle lives just close to the Nag shrine.
    Just for info. these flowers are also used in Vishnu temples. We regularly get this as prasadam in our temple.

    I have also written a post on canon ball tree,which I saw in Thiruaavin kudi temple, Palani

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  5. Hello PNS,

    Greetings and good wishes.

    Amazing photos with fantastic detailed information.I am astonished at the in depth research done by you.

    Best wishes,
    Joseph

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  6. Very nice pictures and interesting information.

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  7. आपके फोटोग्राफी की कला हमें हमेशा प्रेरित करती है।
    इस अद्भुत वृक्ष के विविध गुणों से परिचय बड़ा ही सुखद अनुभव रहा।

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  8. @ Chitra:
    I could not locate your post on Cannonball tree. Could you provide me the link?

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  9. Good Morning .Wish you A Happy 2012 .Thanks for this wonderful post .I too wrote a post on this tree about two years back .Here is the link http://kavita-myguwahati.blogspot.com/2009/12/beautiful-treehave-you-seen-this-before.html.

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  10. Interesting information. I may visit Cochin in May month. I will surely check this out.
    Wish you Happy and Prosperous New Year.

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  11. Interesting name isn't it!
    Happy New Year to you!

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  12. What a fascinating post, so glad you shared it with us. Best wishes for 2012 to you and yours.

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  13. Here's the link. I named it as Nagalinga tree.
    http://manchitra.wordpress.com/2010/11/28/naga-linga-tree/

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  14. Fascinating indeed.. Great post..
    Happy New year PNS..!

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  15. @ Chitra:
    Thank you Chitra. It seems forgetfulness is dawning upon me. I find my own comments in your post.

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  16. A great blog .Superb. we say this as nagalinga poo

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  17. wow these photos are so serene and beautiful!!

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  18. PNS sab, A very HAPPY NEW YEAR. THE FIRST TIME I SAW THIS FLOWER WAS IN HAMPI. SO MUCH TO ADMIRE NATURE

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  19. This is a neat place...I like the cannonball tree, it is gorgeous

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  20. Very nice post and photos. Happy new year to you!

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  21. Nice posts , we call it Nagasampige . Thanks for sharing .

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  22. बहुत बेहतरीन पोस्ट है।

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  23. interesting plant and flower!!

    http://sushmita-smile.blogspot.com

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  24. This post reminds me of my brief kindergarten days in a school in Walajapet...it had the same tree.....happy new year wishes to you and your family!

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  25. Beautiful photographs. Nice description about the Nagalingam flower. Yes we find these in many Shiva Temples and is considered very sacred.

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  26. nice post and beautiful photos! we have lots of these trees in our colony

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  27. informative post with nice close up photos

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  28. Namaste....
    thank you, this was informative. This tree reminds me of trees at home that has something similiar we call it Calabash and the bowl is then carved and used as dipping cups etc.

    thanks for sharing
    stay blessed.
    rhapsody
    http://twitter.com/rhapsodyphoenix

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  29. Hi I was reading a blog from Joseph and how you met, unfortunately I can't get through to his comment page, Please can you tell him Yvonne has read his blog and was most intrigued and enjoyed the read and pictures.
    Yvonne.

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  30. Dear Mr Subramanian, The pics are nice but the cannon ball tree is not Calabash tree.It is called Nagalinga tree can be seen inside the campus of St Alberts College Ernakulam. Calbash tree is known as Cresentia cujte, Bignoniaceae.

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    1. Thanks. However I do not appear to have said that it is "Calabash". A friend Rhapsody only said that they have a similar tree back home which they call Calabash.

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