Parijat Plant: Overview
The Harshringar or Parijat plant also spelled “Paarijat” and “Paarijaata” is a beautiful plant whose flowers fall on the ground after blooming. The flowers bloom at night and drop down from the branches at the first rays of light. Parijat flower is known as Coral Jasmine and Night-flowering Jasmine worldwide. Parija/harshringar plant is also called a ‘Kalp Vriksha’ due to its heavenly fragrance prominent only during nights.
The flowers of Parijat are beautiful with bright orange stems and centers connected to a white flower. This plant shrub can grows about 10 m tall with flaky grey bark. It is one of the well-known medicinal plants used for various ailments like fever, sciatica pain, and arthritis. The flowers look breathtaking with 5 to 8 white petals, having an orangish-red center.
The leaves are quite broad with a margin. It loses its brightness during the daytime and is most commonly used as a yellow dye for clothing. It is found widely in sub-Himalayan regions and southward to the Godavari. It is also found in Bangladesh, Indo-Pak subcontinent and South-East Asia, and tropical and sub-tropical South East Asia.
Mythology and spiritual importance Of the Parijat Plant
According to folklore, a princess “Parijataka”, who was in love with the Sun tried to win the heart of the Sun. When he rejected her, she committed suicide and a tree sprung from her ashes. It is found widely in sub-Himalayan regions and southward to the Godavari.
This Harshringar or Parijat plant has many attachments to it as per Indian mythology. It has been mentioned several times that there are a few stories connected to this fragrant plant.
The other story behind this plant is going that Apsara Urvashi used would sit under the shade of this tree for stress relief and Lord Indira used to grow this plant in his garden. Also, Lord Indira gifted this plant to Lord Krishna for defeating and killing Naraksura. After that Lord Krishna gave it to his wife Rukmini.
One other famous story of this plant is that Arjun brought this tree from the heavens and Kunti used to offer and crown Shivji with its flowers.
That’s why this is also an important plant as per Hinduism.
Benefits of Parijat/Harshringar plant
- On the full moon day, if 5 flowers are given in flowing water, all the malefic effects due to the moon will be removed.
- On Tuesdays, if anyone recites the Hanuman Chalisa sitting under a harshringar tree after burning joss sticks, malefic effects due to Mars and Saturn will be reduced.
- The person who drops 5 flowers daily on the bathing water and takes bath with that water, he/she will be relieved from all the malefic effects due to planets.
- Lord Hanuman bless the person who waters this plant mixed with milk on Tuesdays and put a punctum of vermillion on it.
- Collect some roots of this plant in a systematic way during the Guru Pushya period. Keep this root in a small box of vermillion and keep it in the house and business establishment. Doing this evil sight can never harm you.
- If hanged the leaves of this plant on the main gate of the house, then no malefic effect could happen to the house and its members.
- The person who has many such wishes never materializes due to obstacles. What he can do is, after taking bath and wearing clean clothes stand under the tree and catch the flowers which are falling down from the and before touching the ground the flowers to be caught in the air and make garlands and garland the idols of Lord Ram and Sita or you can also offer the flowers directly on the feet of Ram and Sita.
- The plant has the power to cure fever, intestinal sickness, and dengue.
- The leaves can be made into a tonic which helps in working on joint pain, clogging, and worm infestation.
- Its leaves are great for immunity. Grind 25 leaves and blooms of parijat with 1 glass of water. Boil it to half and make 3 portions. Each portion must be consumed in the morning, afternoon, and evening and do this for 2 months. However, it is best to consult an ayurvedic specialist to avoid any allergy.
Other names of the Harshringar/Parijat plant
- Sanskrit — Shefalika
- Bengali — Shefali
- Marathi — Parijata
- Gujarati — Harshangar
- Latin — Nyctanthes arbortristisLinn.
How to take care of the Parijat plant
There are some precautions that you need to follow while growing or taking care of the parijat plant:
- This plant should be under the sunlight for that 6 hours.
- It should be in partial shade, the temperature must not be too high.
- There should be proper drainage as the accumulation of water harms the plant.
- It should be watered once in the morning and then in the evening time, only if the top layer of soil seems dry.
- Avoid watering it regularly, especially in the cold season.
- You should use Use good quality fertilizer for outdoor Parijat once a month.
How To Grow Parijat/Harshringar at home
Here are some points that how you can grow the parijat/harshringar plant at home and care for it with some easy steps.
There are some common beliefs that parijat is an outdoor plant that needs a lot of space but it is not exactly true. You can grow it at your home also but there are a few rules and tips that must be kept in mind while growing these plants in the house:
- The earthen pot must have three drainage holes at the bottom and 6-inch in diameter made as that is important to get rid of excess water from the pot.
- Cut the stems in the spring season
- Avoid planting parijat/harshringar in the winter season
- The potting mix must be that of 50% organic compost like vermicompost and 50% normal garden soil. Mix well and fill the tray.
- Each section must have one seed and remember to maintain a 2 cm depth.
- Maintain the moisture but do not overwater the plant.
- It grows well in sandy soil.
- It cannot tolerate high-salty environments.
