Patri’s for Lord Ganesha: Just a compilation of information. Various leaves or Patri’s are offered to Lord Ganesha during the Ganesh Festival. It was a tradition to know and remember these plants during the festival since ancient times. One should not rob or destroy these plants as it happens today. Many alternatives are also sold mimicking the originals.

Patri’s offered to Lord Ganesha
Common Name (Marathi/Sanskrit) Alt. Name Botanical Name Family

1 Arjun Arjunsadada Terminalia arjuna Combretaceae

2 Agast Hadga Sesbania grandiflora Fabaceae

3 Aghada Apamarg Achyranthus aspera Amaranthaceae

4 Bel Sriphal Aegle marmelos Rutaceae

5 Bor Badari Zizyphus mauritiana Rhamnaceae

6 Devdar Devdaru Cedrus deodorata Zingiberaceae

7 Durva Harali Cynodon Dactylon Poaceae

8 Dalimb Dadim Punica granatum Lythraceae

9 Dhotra Dhatura Datura Stramonium Solanaceae

10 Dorli Ranwang Solanum Indicum Solanaceae

11 Jai/Jati/Jatika Jasmine Jasminum Auriculatum Oleaceae

12 Kanher Karweer Nerium indicum Apocyanaceae

13 Kewda Ketki Pandanus odoratimus Pandanaceae

14 Maka Bhrungraj Eclipta erecta (prostrata) Asteraceae

15 Marwa Maarwa Origanum majorana Lamiaceae

16 Mogra Mallika Jasminum sambac Oleaceae

17 Pimpal Ashvattha Ficus religiosum Moraceae

18 Rui Ark Calotropis procera Aesclepiadaceae

19 Shami Khejdi Prosopis speciosa Mimosaceae

20 Tulas Vaijayanti Osimum sanctum Lamiaceae

21 Vishnukrant Vishnukranta Evolvulus alsinoides Convolvulaceae

Some other books have mentioned other plants also in this list such as Mango (Amba), Tadpatra, Kadamb, Brahmi, Malati (Hiptage madablota), Gokarna (Clitorea ternatea), Palas (Butea).


Recently *Celastrus paniculatus* (Jyotishmati) was mentioned by somebody as one of the Patri’s offered to Lord Ganesha. Somehow this plant doesn’t figure in the list provided below. Of course there are variations in the literature.


Here is my list of the 21 patris used in Ganesh puja. As … mentioned there are variations not only in the sanskrit names of the plants but also in the identification of the plants based on the sanskrit names. However, all the plants are medicinally very important.
1. Machi – Artemisia nilagirica, Asteraceae
2. Bhruhati – Solanum indicum, Solanaceae
3. Bilva – Aegle marmelos, Rutaceae
4. Durvayugma – Cyanodon dactylon, Poaceae
5. Dhatura – Datura metel/ D. stromonium, Solanaceae
6. Badari – Ziziphus mauritiana, Rhamnaceae
7. Apamarga – Achyranthes aspera, Amaranthaceae
8. Tulasi – Ocimum tenuiflorum, Lamiaceae
9. Vishnu kranta – Evolvulus alsinoides, Convolvulaceae
10. Dadima – Punica granatum, Punicaceae
11. Devadaru – Cedrus deodara, Pinaceae (Gymnosperm)
12. Maruvam /Marva – Origanum majorana/ O.vulgare, Lamiaceae
13. Sindhuvara – Vitex negundo, Verbenaceae
14 Jaji/Jati – Jasminum auriculatum, Oleaceae; some identify it as Myristica fragrans (Jai), Myristicaceae
15. Shami – Prosopis cineraria, Mimosaceae
16. Ashwadha/ashvattha – Ficus religiosa, Moraceae
17. Arjuna – Terminalia arjuna, Combretaceae
18. Arka – Calotropis procera, Asclepiadaceae
19. Choota – Mangifera indica, Anacardiaceae
20. Karaveera – Nerium oleander/ Thevetia peruviana, Apocynaceae
21. Gandaki – Sterculia urens, Sterculiaceae

Four more names were added to the list in Bhavishya purana –
Bringaraja – Eclipta alba, Asteraceae
Malati/madhavilata – Hiptage benghalensis, Malpighiaceae
Ketaki – Pandanus oderatissimus, Pandanaceae and
Agasthya – Sesbania grandiflora, Papilionaceae
What puzzled me is the inclusion of a gymnosperm – devadaru (Cedrus) in the list which is not easily available. But a search in the internet yielded this information :
Forests full of Devadaru trees were the favorite abode or living place of ancient Indian sages and their families who were devoted to Hindu god Shiva. To please Lord Shiva, the sages used to perform very difficult tapasya (meditation) in deodar forests. There is regular mention of Darukavana, meaning a forest of deodars, as a sacred place in the ancient Hindu epics and Shaivite texts.

celastrus panicualatus is an excellent brain tonic. Lord Ganesh is god of VIDYA therefore in our region fruits are hanging over the head of ganesha. oil of this species is the best brain tonic in Ayurveda. I think this is excellent traditional method for plant conservation.


Also, here in Bengal, we also offer Durva ghas
some people even make them up to look like durva in silver as permanent offering


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