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Saddula Bathukamma -19

Immersed bathukammas in pond at Padmakshi temple

Today, Durgashtami, Telangana has celebrated 'Saddula Bathukamma' festival with great fervour.  

Women carrying bathukamma on their head

Though it was raining women dressed up traditionally in their best carried bathukammas on their or otherwise, and reached nearest temple.  Women played with devotion singing songs in praise of  'Gouri Devi'.  After leaving bathukammas in water they offered turmeric to one another for longevity happy marital life. 

After Gouri puja, turmeric is offered to one another

 Here are few pictures taken at Padmakshi temple in Hanamkonda, Warangal.

Traditionally dressed woman with bathukamma with picture of Devi Maa

Though it rained, the lights, huge crowds was creating some anxiety carrying bathukamma safely has made her sweat

Bathukamma too tall to carry on head, so this is how this young beautiful girl was carrying it

Another woman with carrying Devi Maa on top of her Bathukamma

A woman with bathukamma waiting for her companions to go to Padmakshi

Christmas Candle

Two weeks ago I was passing through a street in our neighbourhood.  I noticed these beautiful flowers in one plot with boundary wall and a little distance away along the boundaries of another plot.  The flowers were bright yellow, attractive and awesome.  This is the first time I have ever seen them.  I captured them with my mobile.  After coming home I did a reverse image search and came to know that it is native to Mexico but can be found growing in diverse habitat.  The plant belongs to the subfamily caesalpinoideae and Senna alata is its botanical name.  It has multiple common names - Candle bush, Emperor’s candle stick, Ringworm shrub, Empress Candle plant, Christmas candle, Candelabra bush or Candle tree. 

The plant grows as shrub but it can grow up to 1200m in tropics.

The plants I seen growing wild, 1-2m shrubs, with long leaves that close in the night.  The yellow flowers look like candle and are attractive.  The fruit is a straight pod.  The plant can be grown from the seeds.  The seeds are distributed by water and/or animals. Maybe, here the seeds are dropped by the birds and plant started growing wildly.    

This plant, grown as ornamental plant, also has medicinal properties.  The paste of ground leaves mixed with vegetable oil is used for treatment of fungal infection – ringworm.  It is also used as laxative.   

Do you know where is it seen commonly in India?