Gokarna/Butterfly pea
Gokarni or Gokarna/Butterfly pea is an Ayurvedic herb that grows in India. The plant is so named because its flowers resemble a cow’s ear. This plant is one of the 64 plants used for mercury control.
Names in other languages
The name of the plant is Gokarna, the name of the vine is Gokarni (Marathi).
Aparajita (Sanskrit)
Supli, both Hindi and Marathi (supli means small soup)
Butterfly pea, Blue pea, Cordofan pea and Asian pigeonwings (English)
Clitoria ternitea (classical name)
Gokarni is an evergreen plant of Indian origin. Gokarni flowers are usually dark blue or whitish in color. But Gokarni with pale blue, pale pink flowers is also found. Whatever the color; These flowers stand out among the dark green leaves.
Gokarna’s vine climbs up with support. Easy to set up on the balcony grill or fence.
The leaves of Gokarni are dark green in color and are of compound type. Being an evergreen vine, leaves remain on the vine for twelve months and thirteen. Gokarni is cultivated in gardens as an ornamental vine due to its distinctive leaf structure and shape. Gokarna vine is perennial. The leaves are used in medicine. In panchakarma, this vine is used to balance the tridoshas in the body, as well as to flush out unwanted toxins from the body.
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Gokarna flowers
Gokarni flowers are shaped like a cow’s ear. In this flower made up of five petals, one petal is bigger. Its shape is like a cow’s ear. The gokarna vine blooms in the rainy season. When these flowers dry up, pods emerge. Pods about the size of a pod of shravan gheva; But they are flat. Young pods can be vegetable.
Gokarni flowers have numerous medicinal properties. That is why these flowers are used to cure many diseases. A natural dye is also prepared from the blue flowers of Gokarna. Gokarna flowers are dried in the shade and their powder is made. This powder can be made into tea. Gokarna flower tea is highly medicinal and is taken with honey or jaggery.
Every part of gokarna flowers, pods, leaves, bark, roots are used in medicines. Gokarna is a medicine for cold, cough, fever, asthma. Gokarna is also used for skin disorders and blood purification. In short, consider using gokarna as a medicine for any disease; Gokarna will never be defeated, i.e. will never lose. That’s why Gokarna has the beautiful name ‘Aparajita’.
Gokarna is cultivated from seeds. When the pods are ripe, they change color and crack. About eight to ten seeds are obtained from it. New Gokarna plants can be created by rooting these seeds. These seeds take root very easily in any well-drained soil. You don’t have to work hard.
Gallery of house, arch, school gate arch, temple entrance.
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Shimbavant vine is found everywhere in tropical regions. This plant belongs to Fabaceae family and its scientific name is Cleotoria ternetia. This plant is native to the tropical regions of Asia and later spread to Africa and Australia. This plant is found everywhere in India and is often seen growing on fences and ornamentals in gardens.
Gokarna is a perennial vine with twisted trunk and branches. The leaves are compound and pinnate and the leaflets are 5-7 and elliptic. The flowers are blue or white, solitary and borne in leaf axils from June to January. The pods are flat like guwari and their tip is like a beak. The seeds are 5-10, soft and yellowish grey. The name ‘Gokarni’ is derived from the fact that the flowers look like the ears of a cow.
The root is cooling, diuretic and anthelmintic. Root is useful as an analgesic in eye disorders and headache, roasted seed powder is useful in sore throat and skin diseases. Flowers are used for worship.
Benefits of Gokarna/Butterfly pea flower
Every part of gokarna flowers, pods, leaves, bark, roots are used in medicine.
1. Gokarna is medicine for cold, cough, fever, asthma. It is also used for skin disorders and blood purification.
2. Leaf juice given with ginger juice reduces perspiration. Useful for fat people and diabetics who sweat profusely.
3. Gokarna is used medicinally on the bite site to remove the venom from the snake bite.
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4. Drops of legume juice in the nose every day relieves migraine. Drops provide relief from earache.
5. Gokarna is used for body cleansing. It is used to cleanse the body by removing toxins accumulated in the body for many days.
6. It is used in almost all diseases related to brain diseases. It is used in children’s problems like forgetfulness, non-remembering of what has been read.
7. Beneficial in curing laryngeal, throat diseases related to voice.
8. Root powder mixed with ghee relieves sore throat.
9. Applying gokarni root paste on the skin increases the glow.
10. Cools the eyes and is beneficial for increasing the performance of the head.
11. Applying paste of the plant on body swelling, muka maar cures.
12. Increases intestinal strength by reducing indigestion problems. which cleanses the stomach.
13. Extract of gokarni leaves and drinking it is beneficial as a medicinal treatment for diseases like fever, diarrhoea, nausea.
14. Drinking gokarni leaves in tea can reduce heart disease and respiratory diseases.
This article is for information only, consult your doctor for proper treatment.
Source – Marathi Vishwakosh
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Faq –
1 What is Gokarna called in Sanskrit ?
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3 What are the benefits or uses of Gokarna flowers ?
