There are the man-made wonders of the world, and then there are the natural ones. Like the Dove-Orchid (Peristeria elata).
vivapanama.org/NationalSymbols_files/DoveOrchid.jpg/
The Dove-orchid is the national flower of Panama and has been rarely spotted elsewhere, although it is an endangered species even in Panama now. Dove-Orchid, is also called the ‘Flower of the holy ghost.'
The original version in Malayalam is by ONV Kurup, the doyen of Malayalam poetry. My translation.
The Dove-orchid
A virgin flower
meditating on the Sun
became a mother to a
white dove-like infant.
She hid her little one
inside her petals,
and sat sleepless
contemplating, “What now?”
She didn’t put her child in a basket
and let it afloat on a river.
Instead hugging to her breast,
her folly - her dearest- she sat.
She pondered in the
silent depths of her sorrow -
her shame, her fear
her anxiety.
The moment of dawn arrives;
for its father’s eyes
she hoists
her infant on her petals
And unfurling them, she chants,
“O Surya! Take her in your arms.”
From somewhere in the empty sky
a voice beckons, “Come, my child.”
But it didn’t fly anywhere -
that little dove.
With a deep breath she sat firmly
on her virgin mother’s breast.
Original Mallu Version
kapOThapushpam - ONV Kurup
kanyaamoru pushpam
suryanEdhyaanicchappOL
antharvathniyaayi: oru
veNNpraavinroopam poonDa
kunhine nijadhala
pudangaLkkuLLIl maRa-
cchenthiniyennariyaathe
yirunaaLUrangaathe.
peTTIyaladacchiaatti
lozhukkeelathine, than
thettine, thaannOdaNa
cchirunnoo thadhvaathsalyam.
lajjaye, yavamaana
BayasambhramagaLe
majjanam cheythaaLugra
maunatthin kayangaLil.
udhayamuhoorthhamaay:
avaLA SiSuvine
savithAvinu nErE
yuyartthi, dhalapudam
vidarthhi manthrikkayaay:
“he, soorya! kaikkondaalum!”
viyadhrathyilaarO
viLicchu, “kunje, varu!”
paRannu pOyillengu
maa kaapOthika: gADam
amarninrunnu kanyaa
maathavin mArilthannE!
thats a beauuuuuutiful flower... no wonder its the national flower of a beautiful place Panama..
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