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Marigold
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Shlok and Aastha started their journey from Pune to Mumbai in a bus, but in the middle, they ended up in a truck brimming with yellow and orange Marigolds.
Marigold is associated with the Sun and symbolizes Passion, Vitality and Wisdom. It is also associated with the Lion, which is symbolic of Ferocity, Power and Courage. The Orange color in the Marigold represents Enthusiasm, Stimulation, Rejuvenation, Courage and Vitality. The Yellow color in the Marigold represents Creativity, Clarity, Confidence, Cheerfulness and Communication.
Marigold is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus. This flower is offered to Virgin Mary on the Feast of Annunciation (the day when the angel told Mary that Jesus will be born soon). So this is a symbol of Patience, Hope and Prosperity. I felt there was a reference to Jesus in the truck dream sequence, when Shlok stood with his arms spread outwards like Christ on the crucifix. Aastha kisses him twice and he comes to life.
Tagetes Erecta is the scientific name of the African/American marigolds we saw in the episode. This name is derived from the Etruscan God(ancient civilization in the region of present day Tuscanny, Italy), Tages, who emerged from a furrow becoming a child of Earth. He represents the youth, who has the wisdom of age. Erecta means straight, representing its erect stalk. In Sanskrit, marigold is called Sthulapushpa, which also refers to the sturdy stalk. This symbolizes Unwavering Trust and Will Power in overcoming obstacles.
Marigold has a special place in Dussehra and Deepavali festivities, celebrating the Victory of Good over Evil. The decorations in the back of the truck in their dream, with sparkly streamers, flowers, an ornate swing and Aastha and Shlok swinging on it together in peace, felt to me like the crowning of Rama and Sita when they returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana on the Diwali day. Hindus use these flowers for decorating purposes during festivals and weddings, not just because they stimulate the senses with their vibrant colors and strong smell, but also because they have many medicinal properties and are natural insect repellents. Companion planting marigolds along with the crops, helps with repelling a lot of pests naturally and enhances the growth of the crop. Hence marigolds are symbolic of Beauty, Stimulation, Healing, Overcoming Obstacles and Growth.
This flower is also called as Genda in some parts of India. This name probably originates from the "Kond" tribe of chhattisgarh. There is an interesting Kond tale related to this flower. The God of Konds abducted some other God's wife and brought her to his hill. The other God searched for his wife and finally found her on the hill. He came with his army and beheaded the God of Konds and dragged his wife away, as she was weeping. As she left the hill, she took out her hairpin and threw it on the hill in the memory of the God of Konds. This pin took root and turned to Marigold. In this story Marigold is a symbol of Jealousy, Cruelty, Sorrow, Despair and Passion.
The swing in their dream is symbolic of purity and innocence, as it reminds one of childhood. They both dream of a happy journey in each others arms, with just pure love and nothing else. But the flower lady throws marigolds on them and wakes them up from their dream world, just like life is throwing challenges in their path. There will probably be many obstacles, which will cause them a lot of sorrow at times(will there be another abduction?!🤔), but they will surely overcome them, by supporting each other and growing together.
Thanks for reading. Please share your thoughts.
Another set of pics that I'm not very satisfied with but posting anyway.
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