Flora from Bengal and their common names:
Recently I read a beautiful novel “Restless Waters of the Ichhamati” written by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay.
In the flow of novel, it narrates a wonderful world of flora and fauna flourishing in Bengal during 18th-19th century.Since this is a translated version in English I couldn’t make out the names of plants, flowers from Bangala language. The translator Rimli Bhattacharya writes in her note, ” Like all of Bibhutibhushan’s writing, Ichhamati is a celebration of flora and fauna, particularly of the profusion of commonly found plant life that flourishes in most regions of Bengal. So as not to impede the syntactical flow and the aural rhythms, I have retained most of the Bangala names of the plants, flowers and trees except when they have a familiar equivalence in English “.
I will be grateful if any Bengali readers can translate these names either to common or Botanical names.
Off course it’s a very long list. At some places I have tried to mention from d book about the color and part of the tree or a small reference :
* Garan, Madar and Kunch trees.
* Foliage of Bonnyeburo.
* Yellow flowers of wild Titpalla creeper.
* Shrubs of Uluti-bachda and Bainchi.
* Clusters of Sandhyamoni flowers.
* Heady scent of Ghentukole.
* Honey of Jiuli tree.
* Dense bushes of Nal-khagra.
* Pituli,Gamar and Notkaan trees.
* Slender creepers of Gulancha.
* Fragrance of Bonmorche-creeper’s flowers.
*White petals of Ghentu flowers.
* Juice of Sheuli leaves as medicine.
* Bright ripe fruits peeping out from Telekucho creeper.
* Sondali tree.
* Nak-joaley and Shyamlata flowers.
* Banakalmi flowers blossoming in the bushes along the bank.
* “the jungle of Saibabla and keya-jhanka was overrun by the blue flowers of Bonkalmi; by the water’s edge you saw the wild Kochu buds and the little wild purple flowers of Chanda-grass on the edges of the bank “.
* Clusters of floating vegetation- Toka-pana.
*” afternoon breeze was fragrant with the smell of Chhatim flowers”.
* ” Behind the dense green foliage the baggy rosy-red fruits of Kakjongha peeped out.”
* Jonti fruits.
* Red flowers of Atimuktlataa bush.
* Dash-baichandi flowers.
* Kamranga tree.
* Chhanra tree.
* White flowers of Ulukhagra.
* Jungle of Kakjongha.
* Koonchkanta-nata and Bonmorich.
* Tittiraj trees.
* Yellow flowers of Radhalata.
Interesting query! Dinesh may be able to comment on some names. One flower I can recognize easily is Ulu Khagra. Khagra is a generic name for reed/grass. So Ulu Khagra should be Cogon Grass. In one book the author writes, “From behind the waves of the ulukhagra flowers that surrounded Shiptom Saheb’s grave, a women’s figure rose up with a start…” Indeed the swaying flowering Cogon grass looks like waves. Bonmorich may be Pigeon Berry. Sondali tree is Amaltas. Tittiraj tree should be Pithraj Tree. Sheuli (Shiuli) is Har Singar. Gulancha creeper is quite common – Gulancha. Ghentu is Hill Glory Bower with white flowers. Shyamlata is Black Creeper. Kakjongha may be Bristly Leea with red berries. It is a native of East India. Kamranga is Star Fruit. Chhatim flowers are the flowers of Scholar Tree with a heady scent. Telekucho is Ivy Gourd. Sandhyamani is Four O’Clock flowers. Gamar tree is Gamhar. Pituli is False White Tea. Notkan tree is Burmese Grape. Jiuli tree is Indian Ash Tree. Bankalmi is Purple Heart Glory, a coastal creeper. Toka-pana is Water Cabbage.
Yes, sure, I will attempt finding the botanical names of the plants listed.
Thank you so much … You too seem to have read this wonderful novel. I will now go through those pages again so that I can connect with the flora. Some of the trees/ flowers are common throughout India but some are definitely local.
