Plantain

We are not new to Vazhai.Two plantain trees with the clusters of fruits on either side is a welcome sign of an auspicious occasion at home.
Every part of plantain is useful in one way or other.
No pooja or festival is complete without
plantain leaf and banana fruit.
The stem fibres are used a wicks .

During Iyappa Season small temples are carved out using only plantain parts. Plantain Tulabhaaram in Kerala Temples are world famous.
The use of plantain during Sraddha ceremonies needs no mention.
There are some more interesting facts regarding plantain
1.The siva temple at THIRUPAIGNEELI( திருப்பைஞீலி )has plantain tree as the sthalvriksham.The word"neeli" denotes vazhai.It is said that when Shiva and Parvati were doing penance here, all the divine damsels transformed themselves into plantain trees to make the place shady.Girls and boys plant vaazhai here praying for early marriage.

2.Some other temples at Tevur,Thirumarugal & Thirukkazhukunram have (PLANTAIN)as sthala vriksham.
3.At Thirukkazhukunram,the 5th day festival is charaterised by Shiva's procession on
PLANTAIN VAAHANAM(வாழை வாஹனம் .)
4 .We see representation of MUMMOORTHIS in Plantain varieties.
1. MONDAN ( MUKUNTHAN )-VISHNU
2..POOVAN( SEATED ON FLOWER-BRAHMA
3..PEYAN--------SIVA
Medical traits
Fruits as a relief for constipation,vazhaiththandu for stones in kidney & gall bladder,vazhaippoo is for controlling excess bleeding during menopause.
The use of plantain in cow-calf adoption technique is famous even now in villages.
Sometimes unfortunately the cow or the calf may die during delivery.When the baby dies the cow's condition will become pitiable.In the same way it is difficult to bring up a calf without being fed by the mother.
On such occasions they will bring a motherless calf,born just before a week or 10 days.
Plantain stem, RAWPlantain skin,,வசம்பு ,வெற்றிலை etc are made into a fine paste ,mix with cow dung and applied throughout the body of young calf. THE calf is made to stand very close by the side of cow.The cowjust smells the calf .
The cow has a feeling that it has delivered the calf just then and lactile glands get activated and the calf will start feeding on the mother.It is a pleasant sight to see the mother & baby get united and we can see tears of joy from the mother.
Though it might appear to be cheating the cow,it is a live calf. The mother sees her baby jump,walk and run. It can never be compared to a doll clad in calf's skin( which we used to see in Chennai streets some 20 years back)
The veterinary doctor of the village told us the viscous liquid in plantain skin and stem have the the uterine smell of the cow & that is why it yields giving milk to a different calf.What a great property!What a wonderful adoption technique!Thank you plantain,for your service as the creator of a new mother-baby bondage1

Vathsala Jayaraman M 170