Tuesday, November 9, 2010

For whom the ‘karnikaram’ blooms.


On 25th June 2009 I made a posting in my blog with the title 'Karnikaram'
I had raised a doubt whether 'karnikaram' is indeed 'kani konna' (golden shower, Indian laburnum) the state flower of Kerala as assumed by so many Malayalees.
'karnikaram poothu thalirthu, kalpanakal thalameduthu…' and
'Vaalittu kannezuthum karnikaram, ninne varavelkkum shankupushpam....' are very popular film songs. And 'karnikaram; in these songs is taken to mean 'konna poo'. Perhaps, the lyricists had a different meaning in mind.
In the Malayalam translation of Shloka 5, Dashakam 67 of Narayaneeyam (Vanamala Vyakhyanam) too 'karnikara' in the line "Ha chootha, ha champaka, karnikara..' is 'konnapoo'.
Subsequent to my earlier blog post I had sent a letter to Prof.O.N.V.Kurup requesting a clarification. Unfortunately he could not find time to give any clarification. I addressed a letter to Smt. Leelavati c/o Bhaktapriya, Guruvayur. I do not know whether it reached her. There was no reply. I sent letters to Prof.Rajesh, and a few other eminent Malayalam literary figures at the addresses obtained from the Kerala Sahitya Academy publication Malayalam Literary Survey. None of them responded.
The latest use of the word 'karnikara' to mean 'konna poo' was on Metro Manorama (Thrissur) of 2nd. November 2010. The Malayala Manorama Thrissur Metro supplement reports planting of 1000 'karnikaram' (Konna) saplings by the Bharathan foundation. I sent an email to Malayala Manorama too . There was no response. As 'kani konna' is our state flower besides being an integral part of every Malayalees' nostalgia, I thought I should get authoritative information on it myself. I could get a copy of 'Amarakosha' in Malayalam lipi and with Malayalam translation from the District Library. The translator is K.K.Balakrishna Panikker with a Foreward by K.P.Narayana Pisharody.
Shloka 6 in the Chapter "Oushadhee Varga", Page 99 is as under:
"Aaragwadhe, Raajavriksha, Shamyaaka, shChathurangula:
Aarevatha, Vyadhighatha, Krthamaala, Suvarnaka:
These are the eight names in Sanskrit for 'Konna"
Shloka 42/43 in the same Chapter, Page 106 which comes after the Shlokas dealing with the names of such medicinal plants like Kadukka, (Harithaki) and 'Charala' clearly states that Dhrumotpala, Karnikara,and Parivyadho are the names of the Karnikara tree.
"Amarakosha" is the last word on Sanskrit synonyms. The jury is no longer out. 'Karnikaram' is not our state flower,'Kani konna'. It a fragrant yellow flower called 'kanak champa' which adorns the ears of Krishna. "Karnikara is the Sanskrit and Malayalam names of 'kanak champa'-Dinner plate tree (Pterospermum acerifolium'. The Tamil name of this is given as 'vennagu' and the Marathi name is 'karnikar'. The narration given in the internet is:-
'the golden hued flower has a beautiful tassel like form which makes it look very ornamental. It has an intense fragrance, perceptible from a great distance while it is on the tree. The fragrance starts fading the moment it is plucked. The golden pendant flowers of the 'karnikara' adorn the ears of Srikrishna of the Bhagavatam (karnayoh karnikaram)

Those interested in seeing a photo of Kanak Champa can visit the following site:

5 comments:

  1. Prof ONV ,even in his wildest of dreams would have reckoned that he would have to answer to a troubled soul out there grappling with the meaning of karnikaram. The “praasam” is ok and the lyrics lend to good music, so why bother?, he would have felt.
    Manorama has tried to elevate the friendly neighborhood Konna to Karnikaram, to add pep to their story. They would not have expected “Ingane oru Pulivaal”. Neither will they correct it nor clarify, rest assured.

    Unni

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  2. കര്‌ണ്ണികാരത്തിന്‌ ചെറുകൊന്ന എന്നും കണിക്കൊന്ന എന്നും ശബ്ദതാരാവലിയില്‌ അർത്ഥം കാണുന്നു. ഇതിനെ മറികടന്ന് എനിക്കൊന്നും പറയാനറിഞ്ഞുകൂടാ. ഇതിനൊരു അവസാന വാക്കു പറയേണ്ടത്‌ ആരെന്നും അറിഞ്ഞുകൂടാ.
    ആണ്ടൂര്‍ സഹദേവന്‍ ഫേസ് ബുക്കില്‍.

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  3. Interesting... Kanikkonna trees turn Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia to a sea of yellow during March-April. While writing some notes, the same doubt occurred to me too, whether Karnikaram is Konna or not! Thanks for enlightening me.

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  4. കർണ്ണികാരവും നമ്മുടെ സ്വന്തം കണിക്കൊന്നയും ഒന്നു തന്നെ എന്നായിരുന്നു വിശ്വാസം. ശബ്ദതാരാവലിയിലും കർണ്ണികാരത്തിന് കണിക്കൊന്ന എന്ന് അർത്ഥം കൽപ്പിച്ചു കാണുന്നു. ഗൂഗിളിൽ കർണ്ണികാരത്തിന്റേയോ കണിക്കൊന്നയുടേയോ ചിത്രങ്ങൾ പരതിയാൽ കാണുന്നതും ഒന്നു തന്നെ.. വിഷുവിന്റെ വരവറിയിച്ച്, സർവ്വാഭരണവിഭൂഷിതയായ നവവധുവിനെ പ്പോലെ, വ്രീളാവിവശയായി നിൽക്കുന്ന കണിക്കൊന്ന, കവി ഭാവനകളിലും കർണ്ണികാരം എന്ന് വിവക്ഷിക്കപ്പെട്ടിട്ടുണ്ട്.
    താങ്കളുടെ ബ്ലോഗ് വായിച്ചു. രണ്ടും രണ്ടെന്ന തോന്നലുണ്ടായി. കർണ്ണികാരം എന്ന സംസ്കൃതപദം കണിക്കൊന്നയെ സൂചിപ്പിക്കുന്നില്ല എന്നിരിക്കട്ടെ. കണിക്കൊന്നയുടെ സംസ്കൃതനാമം എന്തണ് പിന്നെ എന്നു കൂടി വ്യക്തമാക്കാമോ?

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  5. To Varada Krishna Today at 9:20 AM
    Your mail. I am not a language expert and had relied on the following from Amarakosham
    ഔഷധീ വർഗ്ഗം Shloka
    ആരാഗ്വധെ രാജവൃക്ഷ : ശംയാക ചതുരംഗുല
    ആരേവതാ വ്യാധിഘാതാ കൃതമാല സുവർണ്ണകാ

    ആര്ഗവധാ , രാജവൃക്ഷ , ശമിയാക, ചതുരംഗുല, ആരേവത, വ്യാധിഘാതാ , കൃതമാല , സുവർണ്ണക എന്ന് എട്ടു പര്യായങ്ങൾ
    അതേ അദ്ധ്യായത്തിൽ 43 ശ്ലോകത്തിൽ കര്ണികാരം കനക ചമ്പയുടെ പര്യായമായി പറയുന്നു.

    I had later on referred to Monier Williams Snaskrit-English dictionary which lists both Indian Laburnum (Konna) and Dinner Plate tree as meaning of Karnikaram. As this appears in Shabda Thaaravali too, as pointed out by you, it must be correct. This meaning may also have been added since the days of Amarakosham.

    T am publishing both your mail and my reply in the blog under comments.

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