Datura in Saiva iconography

[Madhav Deshpande]

At least going by the Marathi usage, Datura, which is probably the same 
as Marathi Dhotraa, Skt. Dhattuura, is quite different from Mogara.  
Dhotraa is a very large flower, each petal the length of a human finger.  
Secondly, it has no fragrance.  Mogara is obviously fragrant.  The 
Mogara, at least in its fragrance and shape is similar to another flower 
called Jaai (Skt. Jaati) as well as a flower called Jui (Skt. Dyuti?).  
It is interesting to note that the word Jaati (Marathi: Jaai) appears in 
the lists of flowers and leaves to be offered at the special worship of 
Ganesha and Gauri.  These lists, which I have at home, but not with me at 
the moment, also include Dhattuura, but I don't remember anything 
sounding like Mogara, unless it appears there under an unrelated Sanskrit 
name.
	Madhav Deshpande

On Fri, 29 Sep 1995, Michael Rabe wrote:

> The recent thread about jasmine/mallikkaa prompts me to inquire whether
> there are textual references that can confirm the claim that the datura
> flower sometimes appears in the hair of Cola period nataraja bronzes.  The
> query is further prompted by doubts that the identity of the flower that
> Siva extends towards his consort in an Orissan "Umaa-Mahesvara" panel in
> the British Museum.  It's published in Zimmer's Myths and Symbols of Indian
> Art and Civilization, fig. 34, and more recently in Blurton's Hindu
> Art--the former calling it a linga(!, p. 138) and the latter a lotus.
> Neither identification seems to conform to the petal-crowned stalk-like
> object's actual appearance--hence the curiosity about whether it too might
> be the datura.  But if so, why is it being proffered--
> "mazaa keliye bus?"
> 
> 
>  
>