Mango Leaves

For Protection

Everyone loves mangoes – have it fresh, in pickles, chutneys, salads, shakes, juices, puddings… Even designers love them. The mango motif lends itself to endless adaptations, and can be embellished on almost everything. But the leaves of this tree often do not get the same sort of limelight.

Mango leaves are considered sacred, and are hung at the doorstep of houses on auspicious occasions. Some of the reasons, that I have heard, are warding off negative energy, keeping insects away, and for prosperity.

This past week, India celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi. Our humble mango leaves made their appearance for the pooja. Here’s my attempt to photograph them. It was my first attempt at shooting in the full manual mode, and what better subject to start with 🙂

For Protection

For Prosperity

For Warding Off Negative Energy

Tags customs, festival, gallery, ganesh chaturthi, India, mango leaves, photographs, tradition

By Kasturika

I tell stories - of people, places, and ideas - through words and visuals.
Designer by profession, Writer by passion, and Storyteller by accident (or is that a cosmic conspiracy?)
Digital Nomad, Slightly Eccentric

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7 replies on “Mango Leaves”

Ganpati Bappa Morya! 🙂

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🙂 Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar yaa

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Lovely!
Lovely and auspicious!
Were you aware that people brushed their teeth with mango leaves in the villages? You fold it over lengthwise, pull off the central vein, then roll up tightly. Chew off one end to get a ragged edge that is then dipped in tooth powder or even charcoal to brush teeth!! Have tried, it…quite effective too, but tastes yuck 😀

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Interesting 🙂 I didn’t know that… We have a mango plant. I think I’ll have to try it out someday 🙂 Thank you 🙂

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;lol:

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i have tasted Guava leaves they taste good, used to enjoy chewing them in childhood as much as eating Guava that too while sitting on its branch 🙂 … ok i think i even chewed fresh mango leaves (as i vaguely remember)

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