Mogra- The Summer flower

Summer is near the corner & the most visible flower to be seen is the Mogra, or known as Arabian Jasmine in English. At all the flower stalls, the hawkers sitting on the footpath with their basket to the florists near your place, one can find mogra garlands. This little white bloom is known for its intoxicating fragrance which lifts your mood.  

At our Kolkata home my mother had planted several  mogra plants &  before the onset of summer the little plants would start flowering, every evening the mogra buds would start blooming & fill the breeze with its mesmerizing fragrance. 

Kolkata summers are very hot & humid, during the day it’s too hot but  nights are a bit breezy & warmer.  Every evening those little white blooms would fill the summer breeze with its fragrance & perhaps made it a little bit cooler. Before the onset of summer my mother would rush to the nearest nursery to get herself a new plant, so that we could experience more flowers.

Here in Mumbai my mother buys  mogra garlands to offer to her deity, more or less every summer days she makes a visit to the florist to get  new fresh flowers. Speaking of my experience here I see so many women wearing mogra garlands or only a flower on their hair as accessories. They wear it everywhere whether they are going for a function, to their workplace etc… while travelling in a train early morning sometimes I find women wearing the flower in their hair, in that crowded train, where all women quarrelling   for a place to stand, the sweet smell of the flowers ease out a little bit of tensed environment out there.

Image Courtesy: http://rajyash.blogspot.in/2012/04/mogra-flower.html