Rare Passion Flower captivates visitors
A spectacular display of Jhumko Lata, commonly known as the Passion Flower, has transformed parts of Rangauti Resort in Moulvibazar into a colorful attraction, drawing tourists and plant enthusiasts eager to witness one of nature’s most unusual blooms.
The flower, known locally as Jhumko Lata, Jhumko Jaba, or Baner Phul, has long held a special place in Bengali culture. It was immortalized in a popular children’s rhyme by renowned poet Farrukh Ahmed, which once appeared in primary school textbooks. The flower derives its popular name from its resemblance to a woman’s dangling ear ornament, or jhumka.
The plant is also known by several other names, including Krishna Kamal, Rakhi Flower, Panchapandava, Radhika Nachan, and Begum Bahar. Its English name is Passion Flower, while its scientific name is Passiflora incarnata. There are around 50 species of passion flowers found across the world.
Native to South America, the passion flower has gradually spread throughout tropical and subtropical regions. The flower is admired for its extraordinary beauty, featuring a striking combination of white, cream, blue and purple colors. In addition to its ornamental value, the vine produces edible fruits known as passion fruits, locally referred to by many as tang fruits because of their pleasantly sour taste and their use in juices and syrups.
Various myths and religious beliefs surround the flower. In parts of India, followers of the Sanatan faith associate its unique floral structure with Lord Krishna and the five Pandava brothers. Early Christian missionaries of the 15th and 16th centuries believed that elements of the flower symbolized the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
At present, the flowering vines are thriving at Rangauti Resort, located near Taltola Bazar on Kulaura Road in Moulvibazar Sadar Upazila. According to resort authorities, the plants were collected from a local nursery several years ago and planted at the eastern end of the resort. Every year during the Bengali months of Baishakh and Jyaishtha, the vines burst into bloom, creating a captivating sight for visitors.
One of the flower’s most distinctive features is its intricate central structure. The ovary is positioned at the center of the bloom, supported by five greenish-yellow stamens and surrounded by a crown of colorful filaments. Each flower emerges individually from the base of a leaf, adding to the plant’s ornamental appeal.
Following the flowering season, the vines bear passion fruits from Ashadh through Bhadra. The fruits gradually turn orange-red as they ripen and can be eaten fresh or used to prepare refreshing sherbets and juices.
Syed Belayet Kamal, Managing Director of Rangauti Resort, said the passion flower remains relatively uncommon in Bangladesh.
Whenever the vines bloom and produce fruits, they become a major attraction for tourists and local visitors alike. He noted that, besides passion flowers, the resort is home to numerous local and exotic species of flowering and fruit-bearing plants, making it resemble a living botanical garden.
The late botanist Dwijen Sharma described the passion flower as one of nature’s most fascinating creations. According to his writings, the flower’s central crown spans about five centimetres and consists of numerous slender filaments that are purple near the base, white in the middle and bluish at the tips.
Today, the plant is widely cultivated across Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, China and northern Australia. Beyond its beauty, Jhumko Lata is also valued for its traditional medicinal uses. Folk medicine practitioners use extracts from the vine and leaves to help treat coughs, asthma, allergies, digestive disorders and sleep-related problems. The plant is also believed to possess calming and therapeutic properties.
As the flowering season reaches its peak, the blooming Jhumko Lata at Rangauti Resort continues to captivate visitors, offering a rare opportunity to experience one of the world’s most extraordinary flowers up close.
