I am looking forward to catching the PBS special on April 7th - Prince Siddhartha of India. The documentary will look at the life of Prince Siddhartha, or more commonly known as the Buddha.

The bodhi tre and leaf is an important symbol in Buddhism.  As Buddha achieved enlightenment while sitting under a bodhi tree.  I took this photo many summers ago at a Buddhist temple in northern California.

The reclining statue of the Buddha in Uttar Pradesh. - Photo from PBS, The Story of India. There are also statues like this found in many Buddhist temples in Laos and Thailand.

Here is a little synopsis of Buddha’s life from the University of Minnesota, Mankato:

“The historical Buddha was born Prince Siddhatha Gotama in Kapilavatthu, near the present-day border of India and Nepal, on the May Full Moon day in 623 B.C. His parents, King Suddhodana and Queen Maya, had waited for a child for a long time. Everyone in the kingdom rejoiced at his birth.

At this time India already had a rich spiritual heritage. It had been prophesized there would soon be an ascetic who would realize the ultimate truth and become the greatest teacher. According the Hindu tradition, five days after his birth seven Brahmin priests came to the temple to name the baby using astrology and forecast his future by reading his body signs. Each of the Brahmins said this baby would become a universal monarch or leave his princely life to become a world spiritual leader. The youngest priest, Kondanna, was so confident that this was the future Buddha that he left the priesthood to wait in the forest for his future teacher.”

And here is the preview. Check your local listing here mark your calendar!

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My soap review of today is Auromere handcrafted soap from India. Auromere Ayurvedic Imports has many beauty products from India based on Ayurvedic concepts. You can find their products in many health food stores, but it’s also available online too.

This soap is for the “VATA-PITTA” Ayurveda type.  

“This formula combines 18 highly recommended Ayurvedic herbal extracts and oils used for centuries by Ayurvedic specialists in skin-care preparations. Neem, a natural emollient and antiseptic, has toning and soothing properties while Tulsi, known as the Holy Basil of India, purifies and protects the skin from environmental damage.” - Auromere

The reason I wanted to try this is because I’ve always wanted to try handmade soap with neem oil.  After hearing so much good uses of this oil, I had to see for myself.

When I found neem oil at an India grocery store and gave it a sniff - the smell was so strong! It reminded me of tea tree oil (originating from Australia). I can only deal with tea tree oil if it’s mix with a minty scent.

Pukka Herbs notes, “The roots, bark, leaves and seeds all have medicinal properties and are used for a multitude of purposes; in Sanskrit it is known as sarva roga nivarini, which means ‘the curer of all ailments.”

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Moringa (Moringa oleifera)  tree, also known as Horseradish-tree, Ben-oil tree, Drumstick-tree is native to northern India.  Today it is also known as “The Miracle Tree” since it has many beneficial uses.  Some of it’s benefits include fighting malnutrion to making biofuel.

The organization called Trees for Life International grows them to help fight hunger and malnutrition. They have been growing Moringa trees in India as well as Guatemala, Cambodia, Nepal, Costa Rica, Haiti, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, Ethiopia, Nicaragua and El Salvador.  Tree for Life sounds like a great organization. 

Moringa leaves can be eaten many ways. Photo from The Moringa Arava.

Here is what they listed under nutritional benefits:
• Vitamin A, which acts as a shield against eye disease, skin disease, heart ailments, diarrhea, and many other diseases.
• Vitamin C, fighting a host of illnesses including colds and flu.
• Calcium, which builds strong bones and teeth, and helps prevent osteoporosis.
• Potassium, essential for the functioning of the brain and nerves.
• Proteins, the basic building blocks of all our body cells.

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In the eastern Himalayas, between India and China, there is a place that hasn’t been explored very much. And now a  decade of research done by scientists have discovered 353 new plant and animal species.  From a flying frog to the world’s second smallest deer.

In 2005 they discovered this bird. It was located south of the Tibetan border in Burma’s Kachin State. They call it the “Naung Mung scimitar-babbler” (Jabouilleia naungmungensis). The midsize forest bird uses its big bill to scratch the ground in search of food. It’s like a cross between a small bird and the New Zealand Kiwi.

This little frog has a giant pair of mesmerizing golden eyes, it was discovered in 1999.  It is 1 of 5 new frog discoveries in the Indian state of Assam. It measures just a few centimeters.  Reminds me of the tree frog, but not so green.

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