Studies on the Use of Plants and Plant Parts in Ganesh Puja for Worshipping of the Lord Ganesha in Odisha, India

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 13, (2019), pp. 63-71

Studies on the use of plants and plant parts in Ganesh Puja for Worshipping of the Lord Ganesha in Odisha, India

Smrutirekha Dash, Ushashee Mandal, Sagarika Parida and *Gyanranjan Mahalik Department of Botany, School of Applied Sciences, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha, India

Abstract Biodiversity is a most valuable gift of nature that gives all the basic necessity of human being. Plants are considered as a critical task in human development. Hinduism is famous for its culture in the form of different culture, Festival like Car festival, Durga Puja, Ganesha Puja, Kali Puja, Raja etc. Being an educational institution Ganesha Puja is celebrated in grand manner. Ganesha Puja also known as Ganesha Chaturthi is being celebrated with religious fervor across Odisha. Traditionally Hindu people use a large number of plant species and plant parts for worshipping different Gods and Goddess. It has been observed that a large number of plants are being used for worshipping of the Lord Ganesha in Odisha. The data about importance of plant species, use of plants and plant parts use in worship of lord Ganesha were collected through the interaction with priests and some knowledgeable old person who are involved in Ganesha Chaturthi practices. The plant species with their botanical name, local name, family, habitat, plant parts usage and form of used are recorded. A total number of 64 plant species belong to 33 families were recorded during the observation. Among these leaves like Osimum sanctum L., Musa sapientum L., Piper betel L., Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr., etc. is exclusively used in worshipping of Lord Ganesh. Flowers like Clitoria ternatea L., Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L., Nelumbu nucifera Gaertin. are used in the form of garland, bark of plants like Ficus religiosa L., Ficus benghalensis L., Saccarum officinarum L. etc. are used in the form of paste; twig of plants like Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr., Mangifera indica L. etc. are used for worshipping of God Ganesha. Prasad is one of the most important elements of worship which is prepared with different varieties of fruits like Cocos nucifera L., Pyrus communis L., Musa sapientum L. etc. and cereal grain like Oryza sativa L., Vigna radiate (L.) Wilczek, Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper etc. are some important species utilized for the preparation of Prasad. Keywords: Biodiversity, Ganesha, Garland, Hinduism, Worshipping

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 13, (2019), pp. 63-71

I. INTRODUCTION Hinduism is an Indian religion. It is the oldest religion in the world and some practitioners and scholars refer to it as Sanatana Dharma "the eternal tradition or the eternal way beyond human history (1). The importance of plants for Worshipping God and Goddesses has been described in different Vedas. Traditionally Hindu people use a large number of plant species and plant parts for worshipping different god and goddesses. Plants are connected with ritual and traditions. Many plants are associated with religious function, rituals and also in celebration of festivals. Due to easy availability of plants, this has been given an importance place in our great Hindu culture (2). Ganesha Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesha also called Vinayaka or Vignaharata. Ganesha Chaturthi is a most favorite festival of Hindu religion. It is a ten day festival. The festival celebrates Lord Ganesha as the god of new Beginning and the Removal of Obstacles as well as the god of wisdom and intelligence and observed throughout India, especially in the states such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Tamilnadu. People in Odisha also Celebrates Ganesha Puja with devotion and gaiety (3). Ganesha Puja celebrate in the month of August or September of the Gregorian calendar various types of plant part are used in Ganesha Puja for worshipping of the god Ganesha in Odisha .Thus the present paper attempts to emphasis on the use of plants and plant part in Ganesha Puja for Worshipping of the Lord Ganesha in Odisha, India.

II. MATERIAL AND METHODS Study on documentation of plant and plant parts are used in Ganesh Puja for worshipping of Lord Ganesha in different village areas, cities, pandals of Odisha, was carried out during the time of Ganesh Puja (Fig.1). The data were recorded about the importance of various plants, uses of plants and plant parts, for worshipping of lord Ganesha. Data were collected through interaction with the specialized persons like priests, who worship Lord Ganesh in temple and different pandals and some knowledgeable old persons who are involved in Puja practices. The botanical names of the plants are documented and identified with the help of “The Flora of Orissa and Hannies flora” (4-5). Finally, the collected specimen is deposited in the herbarium nit of Department of Botany, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha, India.

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 13, (2019), pp. 63-71

Figure 1. Data collection through survey and interaction with priests

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Study on documentation of plant and plant part are used in Ganesha Puja in the different village area, sites, area, pandals of Odisha, were carried out during the time of Ganesh puja .The data about the importance of plant species, uses of plants and plant part use in Ganesha Puja for worshipping of god Data were collected through interaction with the specialist. A total 64 plant species belong to 33 families were recorded during the survey. Most of the species were tree (29 spp.) followed by herbs (20 spp.), Shrubs (8 spp.), Grasses (3 spp.) and climber (4 spp.) (Fg.2). In Hindu custom, it has been accepted that various divine beings and goddess have some particular character and they adore distinctive plant contingent on their shading, fragrant and so on (6). The main plant used is stem of sugarcane i.e. Saccarum officinarum. There are about 22 leaves are used for decoration as well as worshipping, 20 different types of flowers were used for garland, 16 fruits/ seeds were used to prepare Prasad and other 6 plant species were used for worshipping Lord Ganesha. Details of the recorded 64 plant species in term of their botanical name, local name, family, habit, parts used and uses are given in table 1.

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 13, (2019), pp. 63-71

Figure 2: Habit-wise distribution of plant species Table 1: List of plant and plant parts used in Ganesh puja for worshipping lord Ganesha Leaves Sl. Part Botanical Name Local Name Family Habitat Form of uses No used Phoenix sylvestris 1 Khajuri Arecaceae Tree Leaves Decoration (L.) Roxb. Eclipta postrata 2 Bhringraj Astraceae Herb Leaves Worshipping (L.) L. Aegle marmelos 3 Bela Rutaceae Tree Leaves Worshipping (L.) Corr. Cynodon dactylon 4 Duba Poaceae Grass Leaves Worshipping (L.) Pers. Ziziphus mauritiana 5 Barakoli Rhamnaceae Tree Leaves Worshipping Lam. 6 Datura metel L. Dutura Solanaceae Shrub Leaves Worshipping 7 Osimum sanctum L. Tulasi Lamiaceae Herb Leaves Worshipping Phaseolus vulgaris 8 Simba Fabaceae Herb Leaves Worshipping L.

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 13, (2019), pp. 63-71

Achyranthus aspera 9 Apamaraga Amaranthaceae Herb Leaves Worshipping L. 10 Bixa orellana L. Sinduri Bixaceae Tree Leaves Worshipping Solanum Kanta 11 Solanaceae Herb Leaves Worshipping virginianum L. baigana Cinnamomum 12 Tejapatra Lauraceae Tree Leaves Worshipping tamala Nees Sesbania gradiflora 13 Agasthi Fabaceae Tree Leaves Worshipping (L.) Poir. Nerium indicum 14 Kaniar Apocyanaceae Tree Leaves Worshipping Mill. Worshipping, 15 Musa sapientum L. Kadali Musaceae Tree Leaves Prasad Calotropis procera 16 Arakha Apocyanaceae Herb Leaves Worshipping (Ait.) R.Br. Terminalia arjuna 17 (Roxb.ex DC.) Arjuna Combretaceae Tree Leaves Worshipping Wight & Arn. Polyalthia 18 longifolia (Sonn.) Debadaru Annonaceae Tree Leaves Worshipping Thw. Origanum 19 benghalense Pukasunga Lamiaceae Shrub Leaves Worshipping Burm.f. Phanera variegate 20 Gandhari Fabaceae Tree Leaves Worshipping (L.) Benth. Pandanus 21 Ketaki Pandanaceae Tree Leaves Worshipping fasciculars Lam. 22 Piper betel L. Pana Piperaceae Climber Leaves Worshipping Flowers Tabernaemontana 1 Tagara Apocyanaceae Shrub Flower Used in Garland divaricata (L.)

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 13, (2019), pp. 63-71

R.Br.ex Roem. & Schult. Cascabela thevetia 2 Kaniara Apocyanaceae Shrub Flower Used in Garland (L.) Lppold Vine or Allamanda 3 Lata kaniara Apocyanaceae Shrubby, Flower Used in Garland cathartica L. Climber Small 4 Nerium olender L. Karabiro Apocyanaceae Flower Used in Garland tree Polianthes tuberose Rajanigandh 5 Asparagaceae Herb Flower Used in Garland L. a 6 Tagetes erecta L. Gendu Asteraceae Herb Flower Used in Garland Makamali/ 7 Tagetes patula L. Asteraceae Herb Flower Used in Garland Gendu Dahlia imperialis 8 Dahlia Asteraceae Herb Flower Used in Garland Roezel ex Ortgies Gerbera jamesonii Gerbera/ 9 Asteraceae Herb Flower Used in Garland Bolus ex Hook.f. daisy Impatiens 10 Haragaura Asteraceae Herb Flower Used in Garland balsamina L. Berberis aristata 11 Daruhaldi Berberidaceae Shrub Flower Used in Garland DC. Caesalpinia 12 pulcherrima Purai phula Fabaceae Shrub Flower Used in Garland (L.).Sw. Michelia champaca Swarna 13 Magnoliaceae Tree Flower Used in Garland L. Champa Hibiscus rosa- 14 Mandar Malvaceae Shrub Flower Used in Garland sinensis L. Nelumbo nucifera 15 Padma Nelumbonaceae Herb Flower Used in Garland Gaertin.

16 Nymphaea Dhalakain Nymphaeaceae Herb Flower Used in Garland

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 13, (2019), pp. 63-71

pubescens Willd.

Nymphaea nouchali 17 Nilakain Nymphaeaceae Herb Used in Garland Burm.f. Flower Leucas aspera 18 Gaiso Lamiaceae Herb Flower Used in Garland (Willd.) Link Nyctanthes arbor- 19 Gangaseoli Oleaceae Herb Flower Used in Garland tritis L.

20 Clitoria ternatea L. Aparajeta Fabaceae Climber Flower Used in Garland

Fruits / Seeds 1 Pyrus communis Naspati Rosaceae Tree Fruit Used in Prasad L. 2 Prunus dulcis Badam Rosaceae Tree Seed Use in dry form (Miller) D.A. of Seed Webb. 3 Sesamum indicum Raashi Pedaliaceae Herb Seed Used in Prasad L. (ladu) 4 Syzygium cumini Jamu Myrtaceae Tree Fruit Used in Prasad (L.) Skeels 5 Musa Paradisiaca Kadali Musaceae Shrub Fruit Used in Prasad L. 6 Psidium guajava Pijuli Myrtaceae Tree Fruit Used in Prasad L. 7 Vigna radiate (L.) Muga Fabaceae Herb Seed Used in Prasad Wilczek 8 Vigna mungo (L.) Biri Fabaceae Herb Seed Used in Prasad Hepper 9 Terminalia Harida Combretaceae Tree Fruit Used in Prasad chebula Retz. 10 Terminalia Bahada Combretaceae Tree Fruit Used in Prasad bellirica (Gaertn.)

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 13, (2019), pp. 63-71

Roxb. 11 Cucumis sativus L. Kakudi Cucurbitaceae Climber Fruit Used in Prasad

12 Mangifera indica Amba Anacardiaceae Tree Fruit Used in Prasad L. 13 Pyrus malus L. Seu Rosaceae Tree Fruit Used in Prasad 14 Cocos nucifera L. Ndia Arecaceae Tree Fruit Used in Prasad 15 Vitis vinifera L. Anguru Vitaceae Tree Fruit Used in Prasad 16 Averrhoa Karamanga Oxalidaceae Tree Fruit Used in Prasad carambola L. Others

1 Cocos nucifera L. Nadia Arecaceae Tree Fiber Worshipping Shorea robusta Dipterocarpace Wax 2 Sala Tree Worshipping Gaertn.f. ae (Jhuna) Ficus benghalensis 3 Bara Moraceae Tree Bark Worshipping L. 4 Ficus racemosa L. Dimbiri Moraceae Tree Twig Worshipping Worshipping, 5 Oryza sativa L. Dhana Poaceae Grass Seed Prasad Saccarum 6 Akhu Poaceae Grass Stem Worshipping officinarum L.

IV. CONCLUSION The study based on religious plant and plant parts used in Ganesh Puja for worshipping and the important role of plants in human life. The present study helps to understand how Hindu community of Odisha is contributing towards the conservation of plants and forest in general of their own interest to safeguard their inherent socio-cultural and religious activities, such movement of monitoring and utilizing plant species for the sake of worshipping and socio-social convictions uncovers a solid immensity in the present worry of biodiversity preservation.

International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology Vol. 28, No. 13, (2019), pp. 63-71

V. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors are thankful to villagers, old people and priests who given the information for this work and kind support, special thanks to priest Ramakanta Dash, Harihar Rath for their valuable help and co-operation during conduction of this work.

REFERENCE 1. B. K. Dalasingh, G. Mahalik and S. Parida, “Study on the use of Plants and Plant parts in Durga Puja for Worshipping of the Goddess Durga in Odisha, India”, International Journal of Management, Technology and Engineering, 8 (XII), (2018), pp. 2911-2918. 2. S. Brahma, H. Narzary and J. Brahma, “Socio-cultural and Religious plants used by Bodo tribes of BTC, Assam, India”, International Journal of Science and Research Publication, 4(1), (2014), pp. 1-11. 3. N. Bhatla, T. Mukerjee and G. Singh, “Plants: Traditional worshipping”, Indian Journal of History of Science, 19(1), (1984), pp. 37-42. 4. J. Sarma and A. Devi, “Study on traditional worshiping plants in Hindu religion from Nalbari and Sonitpur districts of Assam”, International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 5(5), 2015, 1-5. 5. H.O. Saxena, M. Brahmam, “The Flora of Orissa (1994-96). Vol. 1-4”, Bhubaneswar: Regional Research Laboratory and Forest Development Corporation of Orissa (1994). 6. H.H. Haines, “The Botany of Bihar and Orissa, 6 parts, London (1921-25)”, Calcutta: Botanical Survey of India, (1921).