Day 6 Somreeta

The Plumeria

My wish list has always had Plumeria written on it. The one with white flowers and the one with red flowers. Since the past 7 or 8 years, one with pink flowers, leads the list.

For the longest time I had seen only the white and red variety. Had never thought that there could be plumeria flowers in other colours. Then once at the Bangalore airport I saw yellow flowers. And then in my housing society , I saw the pink one.

Then I also have this confusion in my mind.. are the plumeria and the frangipani, the same? I have noticed that the leaves of the plumeria are bigger and wider than that of the frangipani.

Last year, yes, last year, we did look out for a plumeria. We found one too. And it bore flowers in a beautiful shade of peach. I loved it when I was saw a video of it on the Nursery's Insta handle.

But the asking price was around Rs 6,000/- and I held back. As a new hand at gardening, I wasn't willing to risk that big an amount. Then there were doubts, whether it would thrive as a potted plant in a balcony. Then there was the bigger fear - the plant would be delivered at the society gate. The plant was biggish, planted in a big pot. There was no way, the children would be able to haul it up to the house. They would have to heave it up to the lift, and then they would have to take the lift. And God forbid, somebody's help too. Those were scary times...you touched something, you sanitized . You went out of the house, you showered and changed and washed your clothes. And I am known to be the paranoid one, one with a very active imagination and the scenes that played in my mind in those few minutes that I was watching the clip on Instagram, I myself vetoed the idea. No Plumeria,

The son tried to reason with me, tried to get me to change my mind... I did not relent.

Many months later , as I was going through Instagram or you tube videos relating to home decor - all this for our much awaited and overdue home renovation - I noted that the plumeria was being used as an indoor plant. Place it near a window so that it gets 4 to 5 hrs of sunlight, is what I have gathered.

And just around that time, the plumerias planted in the four corners of the patch of garden facing our balcony, bloomed. Bloomed a beautiful pink. My very urgent yearning for the plant got catered to , in this manner.

Around the last week of January, I started on my morning walks.

When the mind is focused on something, one starts observing. I realized there was the white plumeria, full of flowers on one side of the building. At around the same time a yellowish white plumeria bud was visible right next to the pink flower bearing plant.

It was with great joy that I ran up to my home, got hold of the camera, and clicked some pictures of the flowers.

Like the time in my Parijaat post , when the Parents - in - law had visited us, one day as we were stepping out, my Mother - in - law, pointed out to a plant. " See , how fortunate you are, there is a 'Kudchampe' plant right in front of your window.

I had always known the plumeria as 'Chaafa' as it was called by my Maharastrian friends. Sonchaafa - the yellow fragrant flower becomes 'Chaampei' in Konkani. And the white flower bearing chaafa plant /plumeria , becomes the Kudchampei in Konkani.

So what was her excitement over the plant about? Suno...

On Naag panchami day, we make a delicacy, called the Patoli. It is rice paste, smeared on the fragrant turmeric leaf, on which a stuffing of jaggery sweetened coconut is placed, the leaf folded over and steamed . The fragrance of the 'Haldi paan' is what patoli is all about.

The mother - in - law was excited because, at other times, when the 'haldi paan' is not available ie. before or after the Shravan, Bhadrapad months, one can use the leaves of the 'Kudchampe/ Plumeria) to satisfy any patoli cravings.

Now this was a 'gyaan mein bharti' kind of information. And no, that is not why I yearn for one of those - the Plumeria .

And some day, I will have my plant.

Ummeed par duniya kaayam hai,,, aur asha toh hamaaraa naam hee hai!