page_title: Butea monosperma
section_title: Other names
hierarchical_section_title: Butea monosperma / Other names
caption_attribution_description: English: Palash blooms in early February at Ranchi, Jharkhand, India
context_page_description: Butea monosperma is a species of Butea native to tropical and sub-tropical parts of the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, ranging across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and western Indonesia. Common names include flame-of-the-forest and bastard teak.
context_section_description: Flame-of-the-forest is otherwise known as bastard teak, parrot tree (Eng.), chichra tesu, desuka jhad, dhaak, palaash, chalcha, kankrei, chheula (छेउला) (Hindi), palash (पळस) (Marathi), kesudo (કેસુુડો) (Gujarati), palashpapra (Urdu), Muthuga (ಮುತ್ತುಗ) (Kannada), kinshuk, polash (পলাশ) Bengali, pauk (Burmese), polāx (পলাশ) in Assamese, porasum, parasu (Tam.), muriku, shamata (Mal.), modugu (మోదుగ) (Telugu), khakda (Guj.), kela (Sinh.), ploso (Javanese), palash (Odia), semarkat api (Malay).
  In Sanskrit, the flower is extensively used as a symbol for the arrival of spring and the colour of love. Jayadeva in the Gita Govinda compares these blossoms to the red nails of Kamadeva or Cupid, with which the latter wounds the hearts of lovers. The imagery is all the more appropriate as the blossoms are compared to a net of kimsuka flowers (किंशुकजाले). In a completely leafless tree, the blossoms look like a net.
  The following stanza is translated here by Barbara Stoller Miller, for kimsuka blossoms, she uses the common name "flame tree petals":
  मृगमदसौरभरभसवशंवदनवदलमालतमाले।
  युवजनहृदयविदारणमनसिजनखरुचिकिंशुकजाले॥
  Tamala tree's fresh leaves absorb strong scent of deer musk.
  Flame tree petals, shining nails of love, tear at young hearts.
  Gita Govinda of Jayadeva, Love Song of the Dark Lord, Motilal Banarsidass
caption: Palash in full bloom at Ranchi in Jharkhand, India
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