Myth of Brahmakamal

I was told this is Brahmakamal (Saussurea obvallata) – a rare flowering plant, found in the Himalayas.

Night Blooming Cereus

Photographer: My camera phone

So yesterday night we had gathered around the white magnificent flower and enjoyed its full bloom and its heady fragrance for few hours.

We are supposed to get rich!!

We are supposed to have a shower of blessings!!

To find out all the myths and lores I went to surf the net and found that it is not Brahmakamal but Queen of the Night – cactus – Night Blooming Cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum). In Maharashtra at least there is misconception about this plant being Brahmakamal.

But it is not that rare plant and flowers once a year(?) unlike Brahmakamal which is said to flower once in 14 years!

Looks are indeed deceptive here!

Does this flower belongs to waterlily family? No, not.

The inmates inside the flower’s own design cave kingdom!

The small plant in a pot

Now after busting the myth of Brahmakamal the million dollor question is: Am I still going to be rich?

But I did feel blessed by its serene white beauty!

(If you want to know more about flowers of India I strongly recommend this site.)



68 thoughts on “Myth of Brahmakamal”

  1. The myth that this flower blooms only once a year is incorrect. Couple of months ago, a number of them bloomed and I thought it was all over for the year. But not so. About 10 days ago, a single one bloomed. Now we have over ten of them raring to bloom in a few days time. So all the people who have these flowering plants, please keep watch, record and share the information. Thank you.

  2. It is annual blooming, Queen of the night- orchid cactus; not the real Bramhakamal.
    only that it is called Bramhakamal in certain parts of India.

  3. I am not still very clear about this flower as there 2 versions similarly explained but not clearly defined. Is it an annual blooming flower or the once in 14 years? It it the bhramakamal or the Queen of the night thing?

  4. Yesterday bramha kamal bloomed at my home at 12:00 PM it was really beautiful and i confident that it will bring happiness to our home

  5. I got one night blooming brahma kamal this ashadhi ekadashi….i planted this tree 2 yrs ago……….it feels really nice to see this flower blooming at night 12.00 o’clock……..

  6. i got a plant of bramakamal from past 9 years… N it gets flowers each year atlist 20 times..
    On a singet tile it gets 15 to 25 flowers..
    each year..

  7. Be4 2 years I had plant a Brahmakamal and last year it was more than 5 flowers and now this year also it’s start blooming from Ashadhi Ekadashi!!!!

  8. Last year we had one flower and today on Aashadi ekadashi there are 11 flower to the same plant.

  9. my best friend given me a 1 leaf before 5 years and it bloomed last year at janmashatmi. (2011), and this year it blooming the day of aashadhi ekadashi with 2 flowers. me and my family feel very lucky and we all love bramhakamal.

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