Calotropis procera (Ekkada gida)
Did you know that Calotropis procera, Ekkada gida in Kannada, or Arka Tree or Giant Milk Weed, is one of the 21 leaves offered to Lord Ganesha during Patra Puja ritual and the hymn chanted on this occasion is "Om Siddhaya Namaha , Arka Pushapam samarpayami"?
Calotropis procera, known as Arka Tree or Giant Milk Weed, is called Ekkada gida (ಯಕದ ಗಿಡ), found throughout India at drier locations up to elevation 500 m, is healing herb in Indian Ayurveda, grows world wide and also known from Biblical times. is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae, which oozes toxic milky sap when cut and which is extremly bitter and turns into a gluey coating which is resistant to soap.
In Hindu religiuos worship, Arka flower is considered a form of goddess Parvati, who took refuge in her Lord Shiva when she was pursued by Andhaka, the malevolent Asura. It is a belief that it emerged from the abode of Rudra, a form of Shiva, and hence identified with Rudra. It is one of the 21 leaves offered to Lord Ganesha during Patra Puja ritual and the hymn chanted on this occasion is "Om Siddhaya Namaha, Arka Pushpam Samarpayami". Lord Hanuman, the eternal (Chiranjeevi) monkey god is also honoured with a garland made of Arka leaves or flowers reciting the hymns “Om Kapiklya Namaha, Arka patram Samrapyami”. Arka tree is also worshipped on Rathasaptami day (symbolically represented in the form of the Sun God Surya) and its leaves used in water while taking bath.
Calotropis procera, with the family name Asclepidaceae, has many vernacular names in India such as: Akand, Akan (Assamese); Akanda, Akone (Bengali); Aakado (Gujarati); Aak, Alarkh, Madar (Hindi); Ekka, Ekkadagida, Ekkegida (Kannada); Acka (Kashmiri); Erikku (Malayalam); Hiran Dodi, Shendri, Gheaphul, Dhora, Amri in Marathi; Arakha in Oriya; Ak in Punjabi; Ravi, Bhinu and Tapna in Sanskrit; Vellerukku, Erukku, Erukkan in Tamil; Jilledu in Telugu; and Madar, Aak in Urdu. In Biblical terms, the name Apple of Sodom and Dead Sea Apple comes from the fact that the ancient authors Josephus and Tacitus described Calotropis procera as growing in the area of Biblical Sodom.
Arka means ‘ray of light’. It is native to India that gorws in dry waste lands. it grows to a height of about 3.5 m with thick branches and and is ash coloured. A milky sap oozes when the plant is cut and hence is known as “Gaint Milkweed”. As its flowers are clustered the Aeka or Arka or Ekka flower is also known as “ the crown flower”as it is structured with five petals with a central flower that resembles a crown. The plant can sometimes produce a single bole that is free of branches for up to the first 2.5 metres. Calotropis procera's leaves are broadly elliptic, with waxy white flowers bearing grey-green fruits with seeds that are bitter with toxic susbtance. Arka plant's parts used are latex, leaves, root bark and flowers.
Calotropis procera's chemical composition consists of the volatile oil which is traditionally useful. Reported for the first time in literature it consists of nine identified compounds in leaf, and ten in stem, which are respectively responsible for 93.9% and 86.4% of leaf and stem oils.
Calotropis or Arka or Ekka, a healing herb, is said to cure skin diseases, digestion problems, abdominal pain, wounds, asthma, earache, arthritis, toothache, etc. It is also used as a cardic stimulant and also fish poison.
Another species of the same variety is known as Calotropis gigantea, also called the crown flower, either white or lavender in colour.
- Narasipur Char
