Scenic Series - Ceylon 3

Frangipani or Pansal Mal (temple flowers) trees can be seen just about anywhere in Sri Lanka. They flower all year round and come in a variety of shades, from pure white to deep red, to dark purple. The fragrant flowers, fresh picked in bunches, are a favorite offering at Buddhist temples, thus the name "pansal mal." The color of the more abundant variety, yellow, resembles the color of the robes worn by the Buddhist monks, again making it the favorite color of the devotees. The flowers are used in making modern day fragrances, and when dried, can be used in a potpourri with other flowers and spices. In Sri Lanka and India, garlands made with fresh frangipani flowers are favorites when welcoming dignitaries to various functions. Anybody who has been to Hawaii as part of a tourist group will also recognize this as the flower used in making the Ôlei's" that welcome the visitor to that island paradise.

Photo: Lal Hegoda