QUEEN OF THE NIGHT
NISHAGANDHI
Nishagandhi is an Indian Mythological flower that belongs to the species of cactus. It belongs to the Cactaceae family. It blooms only at night and rarely, and its flowers wilt before dawn. Its blooming stage is complete by Midnight. Nishagandhi is the name given because the flower bloom only at night. The meaning of Nisha is night. The flower looks like a star in a cradle, and hence it is also named Bethlehem Lily. Nisha Gandhi is also known as the Queen of the Night. The flower is Oxypetalum in nature.
Mostly it takes 20 days for the buds to bloom, but it is a sight to behold when the bud starts opening in the night. The pinkish-brown layer opens slowly, and the petals open by one, releasing a lovely fragrance. The buds of the flower begin to appear on the edges of the leafy system. Propagation can be done through stem or leaf cuttings. Nishagandhi has been used as a medicine in Asian countries, including India, Malaysia. The plant is widely used in traditional medicine settings to treat bleeding conditions respiratory ailments and is also believed to help inflammation and reduce pain. The stem is also used to cure dropsy and cardiac issues. Some people use petals of the faded blooms to make soups which are supposed to have tonic and aphrodisiac medicinal properties.
If a video recording of blooming is performed, one can experience delightful moments along with complete silence. Because of the rare blooming, people invite their friends and relatives to cherish this wonderful and memorable event.
In India, Nishagandhi, known as Brahma Kamalam, is named after the Hindu god of creation- Lord Bhrama. There is a belief that the wishes of people who pray to God while the flower is blooming will be fulfilled. Nishagandhi blooms only for one night in an entire year, most probably sometime between mid-June and mid-October. The blooming lasts only for a few (10) hours. This Bhramakamal is also related to how Bhrama AARSHAemerged from Vishnu’s navel. It is also believed that Nishagandhi is a sacred flower, and it does not bloom in all homes and normal places, and in the homes where it blooms, it was considered lucky and is a sign of goodness and prosperity. There are some exciting stories about Brahmakamal; It is believed that Brahma, the Hindu God, resides in this flower, and the place where it blooms will be received with happy things. If people pray to God while the flower is blooming, their wishes get fulfilled. There is also a belief and myth that the Brahmakamal should be gifted and not be sold or bought from the market.
One of the frequent attributes mentioned about this flower in scriptures is that its existence is‘ lifegiving’.
Brahmakamal makes an inevitable appearance in the stories of Mahabharata as well. The beloved queen of Pandavas, Draupadi, who followed them into their exile in the forests, felt continually agonised over the memories of her dishonouring by the Kauravas.
The extreme hardships from the forest life also began to affect her badly. During one such evening, she beheld a sight that filled her being with such numinous joy. She had seen the blooming of a gorgeous golden lotus, the very Brahmakamal. The blooming of Brahmakamal is an infrequent occurrence; there is a belief that only the rare souls who get to witness this divine sight would have their wishes fulfilled.
Brahmakamal grows aplenty within the Himalayan regions like Valley of Flowers, Kedarnath, Tungnath, Satopanth Lake, Srikhand Mahadev etc. These are considered spiritual flowers and are offered at the holy place of Kedarnath and Badrinath.
Especially during the festival of Nanda Ashtami, which occurs around September and October, Brahmakamal flowers are delivered abundantly. The flowers are customarily offered to the deity and distributed as prasad among the devotees.
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