Henna Application

For those of you phyto-philes out there,  I have a question for you... What is the source of the dye used in the temporary "tattoos" known as henna and also commonly used to dye hair and fabric?

The beautiful henna designs, prior to removing the paste.

Drum roll please... It is Lawsonia inermis. "Henna" also happens to be the common name for the plant, and, in case you wondered, it is the leaves that are used to make the dye.  This plant is a member of the family Lythraceae along with some other well known plants such as crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia) and purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).

Lawsonia inermis in flower.

Upon our return from the day's exciting adventures, we entered the bride's family home to see a henna artist applying the highly valued dye paste to Junni's forearm. The henna skin decorations are traditionally applied to the hands and feet of a bride and other women in the bridal party prior to the wedding (a ceremony known as "Mehndi" or मेहँदी in Hindi). In this case, it was Junni, her sister, mother, and aunt...

The talented artist applying the intricately patterned designs.

The paste is brownish-green in color when it is applied. After it dries, it is allowed to set for a few hours (3-6 at least, but more than that is not uncommon); the longer it sets, the deeper and more intense the color of the stained skin becomes. When Junni's henna artist gave the cue, the dried concoction was scraped away with a dull knife. Junni was careful not to bathe or wash her hands for about a twenty-four hour period, so that the stain could penetrate further. When the paste was first removed, the stain was light orange in color but it continued to darken over the next day or two until it was a deep reddish-brown.

After the paste was removed... notice the darker palms.

According to Wikipedia, the colorant of henna, lawsone (or hennotannic acid) reacts chemically with the protein in skin and hair (keratin) to produce a permanent reddish-orange stain that lasts until the cells are shed. The color is most intense and longest lasting on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet because the skin is thickest in these areas and it is therefore able to bind more pigment (lawsone)... Since Mehndi ceremonies are family events, this post wouldn't be complete without a picture of the bride's favorite nephew!

The bride's nephew, Masku!

Nepali Cuisine -Part 1

Well if anyone knows me and my appreciation for food, this post must come as no surprise... After exploring the Godavari Village Resort, we stopped to enjoy a wonderful dinner at the resort's restaurant with sweeping views of the valley below and the enchanting Himalayan range above... The restaurant specializes in traditional Nepali and Indian cuisine, and from what I sampled, it was well worth the trip=-)

Look close... can you see the mountain peaks?

The valley of terraced rice fields... with a brick factory in the distance...

Even in the haze, the Himalayas make their mark!

Some pictures of the dishes we enjoyed follow... "Khasi ko chhoila" was charcoal marinated mutton flavored with traditional Nepali herbs and spices. For those curious minds, "khasi" (खसी) means mutton, or, similar to the meaning of 'steer', specifically refers to a castrated goat... All the same, it was quite good...

Khasi ko chhoila...

My favorite dish was "aloo ko achar" (also romanized as "alu ko achaar"). "Aloo" (आलु) means potato and "achar" (अचार) means pickle... The English translation of the dish's name as found in the restaurant's menu was "homemade marinated tangy pickle" and it was a fitting description. The dish had an initially intense, tart flavor, which lingered for a bit before being followed with a burst of spicy heat to nicely complement the acerbity.

Aloo ko achar... yum!

A Western-inspired dish: 'sizzling chicken'

Momo (म:म) is a type of stuffed dumpling similar to Chinese jiǎozi (饺子) or potstickers. Originating in Tibet and later migrating into Nepal, the momo has since been adopted by many of Nepal's ethnic groups as a staple in their own cuisines. In fact, Junni explained that momo is, in many ways, the national dish of Nepal. Stuffed with meat (frequently yak, water buffalo, goat, chicken, or pork), momos are commonly sold in the streets as a fast food of sorts...

Momos with dipping sauce...

Mo' momos!

Godavari Village Resort

Our next destination was the lovely Godavari Village Resort, not too far from the botanical garden in Godawari, Lalitpur.

The sign that indicated we were almost there!

This beautiful resort was built by and is owned/operated by a close friend of the bride's family. It was constructed with traditional Newari architectural details, such as the intricately carved wooden windows, balconies, and doorways. The accommodations are nice with numerous cottages and several larger buildings. The grounds are replete with well-kept gardens and horticultural displays, and the whole property overlooks a visually inviting valley with terraced rice paddies amidst stunning viewsheds of the mighty Himalayas in the background.

The front entrance gate...

There were not too many tourists or patrons while I was there, perhaps due to the stigma associated with traveling in Nepal following the civil war and recent political strife. However, this fact made the place even more magical, since we had it nearly all to ourselves! It also made me think that booking a room or cottage there would probably be a great bargain...

Some of the exquistely hand-carved, traditional Newari architectural details

Amazing detail on this wooden column!

Ok, yes, I admit it! I am a plant geek! I couldn't help but admire the refreshing touches of horticulture throughout the resort!

Nice collection of planters...

I am still amazed at the amazing selection of plants from a diversity of climates that were all equally happy to be growing side-by-side in the mild climate of Kathmandu Valley!

Araucaria trees, Agave, and Poinsettias, oh my!

Evergreen Nursery, Lalitpur, Nepal

Well, it has certainly been awhile but, at long last, I am back and quite eager to be posting again!

Approaching our next destination, we exited the bus at a location known for retail garden nurseries. Praful's mom had found out we would be in the general vicinity and requested that he stop to purchase a few plants for her... It was quite a delight for me since this was right up my alley (I worked for 5 years at a small nursery in my hometown!)...

The sign along the road...

Along the bucolic road traversing Godawari, we stopped at the somewhat small, but exceedingly charming Evergreen Nursery. I was overjoyed to see the diversity of plants for sale. There were many garden favorites such as Pentas, Petunia, and Euphorbia pulcherrima (aka Poinsettia). These plants, treated as annuals in the temperate climate of the Mid-Atlantic U.S., thrived as perennials in the sub-tropical environs of Kathmandu Valley. A gardener's paradise for sure...

Some of the nursery's bounty!

Some of the Poinsettias for sale.

I was quite fortunate to have two native speakers handy to inquire of the workers on my behalf -I definitely had many questions! Eventually, after some rather technical questions were asked, we were joined by the nursery's owner and managing director, Mr. Hari Ram Shrestha, who proudly showed us around his family business. I never cease to be amazed at the universality of a gardener's passion... Despite the language barrier and our quite disparate backgrounds, our mutual love for horticulture transcended all of that. As he exuberantly explained the development and expansion of his business and the enjoyment he had for propagating and disseminating not only his phytological wares but also his immense gardening knowledge, I was struck by our instant bond and mutual affinity...

The nursery is expanding to include aquatic plants!

One of the most impressive aspects of the nursery was its extensive offering of orchids. The most common genera that I could see were Cymbidium and Paphiopedilum, but there was a noticeable abundance of others as well. I learned that Mr. Shrestha was the Vice-President of the local Cymbidium Society. He learned a lot of his propagation and growing techniques through collaborations with a professor from the University of Mississippi (I believe) and several from Japan. He received citrus cuttings from Japan which he grafted for local sale, while his Japanese counterparts took cuttings from several of his plants for conservation and research purposes in their own country.

Mr. Shrestha with his orchids.

In case you wondered, the plants for sale were quite a steal. One could buy 8 of the bedding plants for about 150 Rupees (approx. $2 US). However, the Paphiopedilum orchids were about 300 Rupees ($3-4 US) each, while the hybrid orchids were about 100-150 Rupees each. Upon further inquiry, the special growing media required for the more particular orchid species was the main reason for their higher prices. Mr. Shrestha overviewed the finetuning process that was necessary to determine the right balance of materials in his orchid growing media... composed primarily of pinebark and coconut fiber.

8 Primula for only $2!

I was quite struck by the immense conservation potential that nurseries such as this one have. Not only can they help in a direct way by preserving plants ex situ in their own collections, or by assisting with in situ conservation further afield, but with the sheer volume of people that they come in contact with in the local community, perhaps their greatest potential is in their invaluable educational activities and in the legal propagule dissemination of threatened plants. Hmm, it seems like there might be a dissertation or at least thesis imbeded in here somewhere!

Success! Praful & Bishav's plant acquisitions...