Night jasmine a divine flower also popularly known as Harshringar, Aparajita, Night-flowering Jasmine, Coral jasmine, Night Jasmine, Sad Tree, Tree-of-Sorrow, Tree of Sadness, Parijat, Lover’s Tree, Queen of the Night, Sefali, Sephalika, Pavalamallikai, Manjapumaram, Mannappumaram and Siharu. The name indicates its importance as Pari means Heavenly and Jat means produce.
The Parijat plant holds a significant place in Hindu beliefs, considered a sacred and auspicious tree in Hindu scriptures. Legend has it that Lord Indra planted the Parijat tree in heaven, later brought to Earth by Lord Krishna for Goddess Satyabhama. This divine tree is said to have originated from the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan).
The Parijat is known for its unique flowering pattern. Its flowers, blooming for only a month, fall far from the tree, making them the only flowers that can be offered to the Gods after being collected from the ground. In India, they bloom during auspicious times like Navaratra and Diwali, particularly in the months of Aashwin and Kartik, playing a significant role in religious ceremonies.
The white flowers with five to eight lobes and an orange center are revered in worship as symbols of purity and are especially pleasing to the deities. These aromatic flowers are not only used in rituals but also have medicinal properties.
Mythologically, the Parijat tree is associated with various stories. One legend speaks of Princess Parijataka, who, having fallen in love with the Sun god, ended her life, and a Parijat tree grew from her ashes. This tree blooms only at night, shedding its flowers like tears before sunrise due to the inability to bear the sight of her love during the day, spreading their scent throughout the day.
Goddess Lakshmi is said to hold a special fondness for Parijat flowers; hence these blooms are offered to her during worship. While plucking Parijat flowers for worship is discouraged, the fallen flowers are collected and offered to the Gods.
There’s a mention of the Ramayana and the Bhagwad Gita, with many events believed to have taken place in what is now Uttar Pradesh. One legend tells of Kunti expressing a desire to her son Arjuna to offer Parijat flowers to Lord Shiva during worship. Acting on this, Arjuna is said to have brought the entire Parijat tree from Dwarka and planted it in Kintoor village, presently located in the Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh.
Recently PM Modi planted a Parijat plant at Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya. The above said importance of the plant may be the reason for choosing it.
