Screw pine plants (kaitha) Dear friends,
This posting is nostalgic memories andsome information about screw pine plants. As boys we were asked to be away fromscrew pine plants, usually found near river banks. Some species have morelengthy leaves. These are grown for their leaves used for making mats. Gopalakrishnan 27-8-23 1. Snakes and screw pine plants It is told snakes normally hide insideor near kaitha plants. So either for cutting the leaves or plucking the flower,one has to be very cautious. The leaves are about two inches widewith a centre nerve, and above 2.5 feet high. The plants appear near river banks. The leaveshave thorns on either side, for any use these thorns are to be removed with asharp knife and cut to proper size. 2. Flower of the screw pine plants. The flowers are light yellowish andlengthy in nature and have excellent fragrance. The flowers are added inwedding garlands for their fragrance, making sure no small snakes adhere to it.The flower is not used for worship in temples 3 Screw pine flower and Goddess Seetha Once Seetha had to perform srardha forDasaratha, while she was in forest life with Srirama and Lakshmana at Gaya. While Lord Sree Rama and Lakshmanawent for getting things for srardha, pithru Dasaratha appeared before Sita,telling he is very hungry and not able to tolerate any more. She performedsrardha with available things, keeping cow, Phalgu River, a pine plant with flower as witnesses. When Sri Rama returned with things,Seetha told her the circumstances she performed srardha and witnesses, amongthem one was the pine flower. Pineflower was already cursed by Lord Siva (for witnessing Lord Brahma’s lie as true)not to be used in Siva temples. But Lord Rama was using it for srardha and pine flower was gettingsalvation. Shecursed the pine flower that it will continue curse and ban on using in temples. 4. Preparing kaithaila appam/ iddali Carefully the leaves from the outer are cutensuring no snakes in it. Cleaned, thorns removed and rolled cylindrically witha diameter of 2 inches and batter is filled. For appam ginger cut is added. For iddali normalbatter is filled and boiled in iddali vessel. Served and eat hot. The screwpine leaves gives special smell which is the attraction of iddali/appam. 5 Screw pine leaves to prepare mats. Mats prepared from screw pine leavesare so soft it is compared to a cotton bed. In Kerala they are manufactured inQuilon and Alleppy areas. In olden dayssmaller mats square in size were offered for guests to get seated and lay downbabies in the floor. Elders used to spread it over cot for sleeping and receivingguests. Nowadays they are spread on floor above another thick cotton sheet andused for sleeping. The cost of mats starts from Rs. 1500-00 depending on thetype of leaves. Screw pine plants of lengthy leavesare cultivated nowadays. The lengthymedium leaves are cut, thorns removed, boiled in water, then dried and split into lengthy strips of below 1cm width. They are weaved closely more than a mat size.Edges are not cut. Two such mats are stitched to a mat size, excess weavedfolded to inside and fine colour finishing is given to edges. Most of the jobsare done using machines. Slightly thicker split outer leavesare stitched and prepared in same manner and is called Thazhappa. Methappa is spread over thazhappa andalso used. Thazhappa is also used for sleeping spreading a thin cotton sheet overit. 6. Sales. Mostly they are sold in markets or insome bed shops. Durability depends on usage and up keeping. 7. Usage I have mats purchased in 2006 is with me in perfectcondition. They are used in guest room, and spread over jamukkalam (Thickcotton sheets) and used. After use they are spread in sunlight for a shortwhile and again rolled and kept in almirah. One of the sons of my late elder brotherwhen visit home, likes onlyChithappa’s methappa . He does not prefer cots and beds. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1761768928.589431.1693147259664%40mail.yahoo.com.
