Butterfly Pea is one of the most common Indian flowers found everywhere in India. It is called Aparajita in Hindi, Bengali and Manipuri, Kannikkodi in Tamil, Sangu pushpam in Malayalam, Girikannike, kanti soppu and kirgunna in Kannada, Shankha Pushpa in Marathi and Konkani. In Sanskrit it has several names like Gokarnika, Ardrakarni, Girikarnika, Supuspi, Mohanasini, Sweta etc. We call it Aparajita in Oriya.Its Botanical Name is Clitoria ternatea Linn.
Aparajita grows throughout India. It is a beautiful-looking plant, hence cultivated in gardens. This flower has three colour variations i.e. white, violet and blue flowers. It is a perennial twining herb having 7 leaflets, which are elliptic and obtuse; the pods are 5-7 cm long, flat with 6 to 10 seed, in each pod. The flowers resemble in shape to cow’s ear, hence the synonym- gokarnika.
Its medicinal property is great in Ayurveda. It alleviates toxins (visa) and pain. It is a valuable medicine for skin diseases. The roots, seeds and leaves are used for medicinal purpose; Aparajita is used both, internally as well as externally. Externally, the paste of the roots, of white flowered variety, is applied in skin diseases and simultaneously, the seeds fried in ghee are powdered and given orally, with hot water. The same variety of roots is useful in guinea worm infestation, to expel them out, by their topical application. The paste of its leaves, combined with little salt is applied in retro auricular adenitis, with great benefit. The seeds mashed with honey, applied topically, in tonsillitis render excellent relief. In migraine, the root juice instilled into nostrils to give relief.
Butterfly Pea fruits and seeds
