Ghentu- A roadside bloom braids botany, cinema and resistance

While my work in nature conservation continued, I came across this common yet not very common flower– found in the edges of dry, deciduous forests, a bushy plant thatblooms usually with a white flower. Came to know that it is Clerodendrum sppand became all the more excited when we started to work on ‘Bon jui’ in Sundarban, another Clerodendrum spp. Very recently in April 2026, while doing some surveys in the red lateritic zone of Paschim Bardhhaman, suddenly found one plant again, but this time with a red flower – a red ‘Ghentu phool’? On the edges of a Sal forest, after a 30 m width of mango orchard, it was there unnoticed along with the bushes alongside a narrow pucca road. The flowers were velvety red, and the green leaves when touched also felt velvety.

Again, searching began in Prain’s Bengal Plants; following discussion with my colleague Saikat, who is a botanist, realized that it is scientifically known as Clerodendruminfortunatum. Linneaus named the genus in 1753, from India. It happens to be a plant with lot of medicinal properties and commonly used in Ayurveda and Unani to cure colic pains, skin diseases, intestinal worms and even snake/scorpion bites. Whereas scientists and taxonomists continue to debate on its nomenclature from Clerodendron to Clerodendrum, then back to former and now Volkameria etc etc , the flower has been etched in the Bengali mindscape as the ever famous ‘Ghentu phool’; nature is truly the life in entirety, she is weaved and braided in our culture, our dreams and our identity.