By Tanjid Shubhro

Flowers of many colours bloom everywhere from village courtyards to busy city roads. They open in bright colours season by season and spread their scent. Every flower has its history and its hold on the heart; flowers give not only colour and fragrance but also a gentleness to life. Many of them are close at hand, and you can grow them in a yard, on open ground or on a rooftop.

Shiuli is the unmistakable symbol of autumn. Because it blooms in the dark of night and falls as soon as dawn breaks, many call it "nishipushpi". It can be seen everywhere: in village yards, mosque courtyards and along paths in the morning, with its sweet scent carried on the air. Shiuli announces the arrival of the new season as autumn's messenger. The mix of white petals and orange stalks gives it a beauty all its own.

Kash flowers are another great attraction of autumn. A symbol of whiteness, they too announce the season's arrival. On river banks, at the edges of fields or on fallow land they suddenly rise in great clusters. Kash is not just decoration but a messenger of autumn: white clouds playing in a blue sky, cool breezes and kash fields swaying to the horizon together create autumn's unique charm.

Beli is the name of pure white love; to the young it is a symbol of love and romance. The small white flowers, with their enchanting scent, open on summer evenings and at night, spreading a heavenly fragrance. Beli is also a favourite adornment for young women: sometimes a garland around the neck, sometimes a gajra on the wrist, sometimes tucked into the hair. Tea, attar and jewellery are also made from beli.

Bhringraj is a herbal plant that grows without care. It springs up easily by roadsides, in fields and in yards, and is seen almost everywhere in Bangladesh, though wet or damp places suit it best. The plant looks ordinary: small yellow flowers bloom behind shiny green leaves, and depending on the species the flowers can also be blue or white.

Rangan means a mass of colour. Depending on the species and variety its flowers are deep red, pink, orange, yellow or white, and two-coloured rangan is also seen. The small flowers bloom together in clusters, like festive alpana patterns. Rangan is very popular in city gardens; wherever it grows, in a yard, a park or an office compound, it brings a touch of joy.

Kathgolap is an elegant flower whose white and yellowish petals seem a symbol of endless peace. When its light scent drifts by, it feels as if nature is whispering. Some flowers are milk-white, some have yellow marks on white petals, and some carry a reddish-pink glow. In gardens, mosques, temples and house yards, the tree catches the eye everywhere.

Nature has given us countless flowers, each with its own beauty, its own benefit and its own sweet memory. To love flowers is to love nature, and to love nature is to save life.

The writer is a student in the Department of Botany, Bhawal Badre Alam Government College, Gazipur.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.