‘Viha Lagondi’

‘viha’ = poison or poisionous, ‘lagondi’ = Adam’s apple. My understanding as to why the flower is named so is that it becomes poisonous at a certain time of the day. But there is also the association of beauty and poison.This notion is echoed in some Maldivian proverbs as well. It is also echoed in other cultures, for instance, ‘do not judge a book by its cover’ in culutres where English is the main language. Eagan has also painted the flower in a much earlier painting. It could be that he is exploring its metaphorical associations, i.e. that side by side with beauty might also exist poison (and death and decay, etc.), or that beauty may contain within it its own hidden elements of dangour and risk.

photos: mw 2005

1900 islands: vihalaondi ma is the local maldivian name fo is flower, commonly known as vipper lily, srilankan name is niygala, scienific name glosiosa superba,

via: a visual journal of maldives

dhivehi said: its called ‘viha lagondi’ because all parts of the plant contain colchicine and related alkaloids and are therefore dangerously toxic (viha) if ingested, especially the tubers (lagondi);