Friday, March 5, 2021

POISON PLANTS

 While reading mystery and crime novels, we come across poisons like nightshades, hemlock, poison ivy, etc. What are these exactly? 

Yes, they are poisonous plants, but exactly which part? 

So, today as a tribute to World Wildlife Day ( 3rd March), let us talk about these lethal plants.

Because Wild is both Dangerous and Beautiful.



NIGHTSHADE

Tomatoes

I guess it is one of the most common vegetables, from chicken pakora to samosa, tomato sauce is a must.

But do you all know tomatoes are from the nightshade family?

Shocked!

Well, tomatoes are not the only ones' brinjal, potatoes, and capsicum are also from the same category.

So are they all poisonous, Well you wouldn't be reading this if it was?

The group of nightshades plants belongs to the Solanaceae family, a well-known family in the plant kingdom. The chemical that makes nightshades lethal is called SOLANINE, which is a glycoalkaloid. Solanine or nightshade poisoning directly affects the digestive and nervous system.

The first steps of Solanine poisoning start from nausea, vomiting, diphtheria, stomach cramps, etc. Severe symptoms can include hypothermia, cardiac dysrhythmia, headache, fever, jaundice, dizziness, hallucinations, paralysis, or even death.

This solanine is present in all of the plants of the Solanaceae family.

Have you felt a bitter taste in vegetables?, or maybe itchiness after having brinjal?, that is because of the presence of Solanine.

Now you must be wondering how are you alive right now?

Well then, let me tell you that the solanine quantity in ripe berries and fresh parts is far below toxic levels, so having them in your diet does not affect that much. Not to mention the high antioxidant and vitamins of the vegetables by far outweighs the amount of toxic substances entering your system.

But... but...but

Beware!

If you are having unripe berries or greenish potatoes. The level of solanine in these vegetables can be enough to cause illness. Yes, and don't try to taste the leaves or stems of these plants because I can't guarantee you will be alive to read our next article if you do so.

Now let us talk about the nightshade we all have heard of, the nightshade that can kill you in a matter of few seconds - THE DEADLY NIGHTSHADE.


Atropa belladonna, belladonna, which means a beautiful lady, in Italian is the deadly nightshade. According to Greek mythology, three fates are responsible for the spinning of human life, the third one who severs the thread is called Atropos (meaning inexorable or inflexible). As the name suggests, a tincture of the berries was used as beautifying by Venetian women to dilate their pupils and redden eyes.
.                                                          
                                                        The deadly nightshade

The perennial plant can easily deceive anyone with its innocent looks, the fruits look like ordinary ripe and juicy berries but that's where all the similarities end. Due to the presence of three very toxic chemicals, Atropine, Hyoscyamine, and Scopolamine, the plant becomes so deadly. Solanum niger ( black nightshade) and Solanum dulcamara ( woody nightshade) share the same fate as their sibling but they contain some different chemicals besides Solanine.

The plant that began its journey as a beautifying agent soon became a weapon for assassins. Each and every part of this plant is lethal. A few drops can paralyze a grown adult. According to myths, nightshade was one of the main components of witches' potion.  Belladonna has also killed two famous Roman emperors, Augustus, and Claudius. Quite interesting is the fact that it was their wives who murdered them.

 Atropa belladonna is so lethal that, by chance, if there is skin-to-skin contact, the plant can very well start acting, starting with itchiness and redness, and if the skin is wounded, then it can seep into your bloodstream and even cause death.

Even though the plant is lethal and dangerous, many medicinal values of the plant have been discovered. The plant is used in treating hay fever, whooping cough, etc. It is also used as a pain reliever, muscle relaxer, and anti-inflammatory drug.

HEMLOCK

Socrates was sentenced to death for corrupting the minds of Athenian youths, he wasn't hanged but handed a cup of poison, the poison is famously known by the name hemlock. Yet, the plant species that went by the common name of "hemlock" was not native to Europe.

Even more interesting is the fact, hemlock refers to 14 species of coniferous plants belonging to the genus Tsuga, native to central and eastern Asia and North America, which are not poisonous at all.

But we all know that hemlock was the sole weapon in a lot of murder cases. then how can it be not poisonous?

The poisonous hemlock, we all know about is actually called 'Poison Hemlock' ( Conium maculatum ), i.e. not at all related to the Hemlock family, in fact, it belongs to the carrot family ( Apiaceae), the name hemlock was given because they have a similar smell to the hemlock family.


Poison hemlock is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant native to Europe and North America, every part of this plant is deadly, not only that poison hemlocks can spread poisons to the other plants nearby, So it is advised to uproot these shrubs when they are spotted near crop fields, the toxic chemical coniine is the main culprit for the lethality of the plants.


The symptoms of hemlock poisoning, start with excitation of nerves, causing nervousness to tremors, salivation, etc, severe toxicity can cause a decrease in heart rate, breathing problems, leading to respiratory failure, and eventually death, the time of death can vary from few minutes to few hours, depending on the level of toxicity.

Water hemlock (Cicuta), is considered as one of the most toxic plants of North America, the Circutoxin found in the plant directly affects the central nervous system causing violent convulsions, severe toxicity can cause mal seizures that consecutively lead to death.


Interestingly, both plants have been used in medical science for a long time. Due to the narcotic property of poison hemlock, it was often used as a sedative and pain reliever. The plant is also used in treating epilepsy, rabies, whooping cough, etc. The antidote for Strychnine poisoning is also obtained from poison hemlock, it also plays a valuable role in the homeopathic treatment of cancer. 


POISON IVY

From the name, if you think it's poisonous and deadly, You are so wrong!

Poison Ivy is not deadly, the sap of the plant contains an irritant that causes allergic reactions. The sap is also called Toxicodendron, which contains oil urushiol, the irritant. Allergic reactions can start if you come in contact with the oil, via an agent, or directly through the plant. An agent can include any surface or equipment or even pets that came in contact with the oil. 


Skin contact can show redness, itching, swelling, and sometimes the formation of painful blisters, these allergic reactions are better known as contact dermatitis. The formation of rashes depends upon the severity of urushiol contact.

However, in severe cases, you need to head to the doctor, like when the rashes or swelling covers a large part of your body, or you are having difficulty in breathing, or maybe the formation of rashes on the face and genitals. Respiratory problems can occur if someone inhales the smoke of burning poison ivy.


So, don't plan revenge on the plant by burning it.

Interestingly, Toxicodendron is very much used in homeopathy for treating cramps, sprains, flu, viral infection, etc. 

MISTLETOE


While kissing under mistletoe sounds romantic, ingesting it can be fatal. 

Mistletoe is a hemiparasitic plant of families Loranthaceace, Misodendraceae, and Santalaceae that mainly grows on apple, lime, and Hawthorn trees. The plant is native to Europe, and a very persistent parasite, it does not die until the host does. The toxic content is high in leaves and berries of the plant, though an adult can survive after ingesting two to three berries, children and pets are more susceptible to the poisoning. The type of toxic chemical varies from one species to another but all of them show the same symptoms. A tea made from mistletoe is considered to be deadlier than berries.


Like all the above poisonous plant's mistletoe also has certain therapeutic uses.  Since ancient times, the plant has been used in the treatment of arthritis, high blood pressure, epilepsy, infertility, etc.

Do you know? according to Mythology, the Celtic Druids of the 1st century began associating the plants with romance. Since mistletoe could even bloom in frozen winter, they saw it as a sacred symbol of vivacity and administered it for restoring fertility.

And surprising it worked!

Ancient greeks even went a step ahead and used it to cure almost everything, even menstruation cramps. But girls do not try this step, you don't want to end up with both diarrhea and cramps, Right!

There are many more stories related to mistletoe legends, let that be a topic for later. 

If you enjoyed today's article, don't forget to subscribe for more. 

                                                                                                  blue rose belles

                                                                                                                     ( Archie)

reference corner

https://www.ambius.com/blog/botany-gone-bad-the-history-of-the-deadly-nightshade-plant/

https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/ethnobotany/Mind_and_Spirit/belladonna.shtml

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/solanine_poisoning_how_does_it_happen

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/solanine

Britannica (hemlock)

Loranthaceae, Misodendraceae, and Santalaceae

mistletoe


Friday, February 26, 2021

THE BLUE ROSE

 A Blue Rose.

How many of us have actually seen a blue rose? How many of us were lucky enough to touch a blue rose? To smell a blue rose? I bet a thousand stars that none of us have actually done any of the above. The reason behind this is very simple. A blue rose doesn't exist. It never graced Earth with it's presence.

The pigment which causes the blue colour of a rose is absent in them naturally.

It is human nature to reach the unreachable, to gain the unattainable, to dream of the undreamed. So a "Blue Rose" became the symbol of mystery, unattainable, the dark side of life, the magic, the hope that allows to dream the undreamed. It stands for the deepest canyon of our imagination.

      a depiction of the blue rose. 

A blue rose, the desire to have it all.

This symbolism of the mystifying element of life has been mentioned in literature and folklore of various cultures.

One of the mentions can be found in an ancient Chinese folklore.

It is a story of a beautiful and strong headed princess who desired to find love. Her father, the king of his kingdom wanted his daughter to get married and forced her to get married. The princess had to succumb to her father's wishes since good princesses never refuse, but she was strong headed and was known for her knowledge and wisdom across the kingdom. She presented her father with a agreement, a deal. She said that she being the daughter of her father, the strong and majestic king, she deserved the best of best. So, she will only marry the one who can present her with a blue rose. The king agreed and word of this agreement flied across faraway lands. Suitors from all around the world wanted to marry the princess. One suitor, presented the princess with a white rose painted blue. The princess knew that he was deceiving her with a dyed white rose. Angrily, she refused him. The next suitor presented her with a blue rose sculpted by the bluest of sapphire ever to be seen. The princess refused him as well since it was the work of a human and not of of the almighty god above. Another suitor visited a witch who gave him a illusion spell of a blue rose. When the suitor presented the princess with the illusion spell she refused him since he was trying to deceive her. Suitors came and went since no one could give the princess what she desired. One night she was taking a walk in her garden when she heard someone singing in the garden. She followed the voice and found the gardener's son singing a song about love. The princess was dazed by his heavenly melody and sat there for hours listening to his songs about his love for the princess. The princess was really touched with his songs and she sang him a song telling him about the story of the blue rose while her heart fluttered in her heart. The next morning, the gardener's song entered the court with a white rose, freshly plucked from the garden. When the rose was presented to the princess she smiled and said "This is a blue rose" . The entire court screamed that it was a white rose but the princess was known for her knowledge and wisdom. So the king announced that the rose was indeed blue because his daughter said so. The princess got married to the gardener's son, her lover. 

The story ends there. The blue symbolized the rarest of rare, the unattainable in this story. 

Another mention was found in a story named "The thief of Baghdad" where it was mentioned if you ever smelled a blue rose, you will forget everything.

Another important cultural mention of The blue rose involves Christianity. 

The order of the blue rose. 

Legend says, that Mary Magdalene, also known as Miriam ( in armanian) formed this order right after the crucifixion of her beloved husband, Yahshua ( translated to Jesus in English). 

 

           Mary Magdalene (Miriam) 

Miriam and Yahshua were co-messiah. They were married legally in Cana. Miriam( Mary Magdalene) was the rightful successor to Yahshua( Jesus). In many ancient scriptures they were also adressed as Lord ans Lady Christ. They walked on earth more than 2,000 years ago. The night Miriam conceived Yashua's child, known as the "Holy grail child", Yashua gifted his beloved Miriam a Blue Rose. The blue rose, stood as a symbol for hope in Miriam's heart. She wore the blue rose in her hair when she conceived " The holy grail" Child. 

The very next morning, Yashua was arrested and crucified. Since the weight of the church and followers fell on Miriam's shoulder, she became the next target for the male followers of Yashua. In the patriarcal society, the male followers refused to follow a woman, who carriers the heir of Yashua. To protect herself and her baby, she formed the order of the blue rose with her closest followers. She used the blue rose given to her by her beloved Yashua to initiate the order, hence the name. Among her followers were some who belonged to an ancient group of people, know as the Essence or esseners. The closest group of Miriam's followers followed her to France, where they formed a group know as the Order of Magdalene. In France was were she had her daughter and then the bloodline was lost in time. The rest of her followers fled to various continents across the globe. The blue rose given to Miriam was saved by her dried and preseved and was used in all the rituals of the Order of the blue rose. 

        Miriam and Yahshua (Mary Magdalene and Jesus) 

The Esseners. 

The ancient esseners are known to be the extraordinary people to grace Earth. They were based in ancient Israel and ancient Egypt. 

They were commonly known as healers. In Israel they were called "Assaya" . In Egypt they were known as " Therapeutae" From which the word "therapist" Was derived. They knew some magic, some mystical way of living which helped them to heal themselves and the others. They where known to live for more than a hundred years, while the others who were not essensners would only live upto the age of forty-two. The esseners migrated to various continents around the globe when due to some unknown reason they decided to went underground. 

      ancient esseners. 

In the very early 1970s, a teenager David "Day" Came across a very old man, a sage who recently migrated to America from Egypt. That sage was known  as "Malachi". Malachi took Day under his wing and taught him everything. Day got to know the secrets of the esseners and about the order of blue rose which was passed on into esseners as well. Soon, Malachi decided that Day was a worthy successor. 

Day later opened the mordern Essence church of Christ and the Order of the blue rose. 

There headquarters are based in a natural paradise compound in triangle Park in Oregon, USA. 

They believe that the fact that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute was a gross mistake made by the Catholic Church. They are the true followers of Mary Magdalene, the members of the Order Of the Blue Rose. 

They don't hold any services, like a normal church but they do give lessons about the esseners and the order of the blue rose in a program known as the Essence Order of the Blue Rose. 

     mordern esseners performing rituals. 

The blue rose. It holds the keys to many mystery which of unlocked will change our world. Even though we are not lucky as Lady Christ to see a blue rose, scientists in the year 2004 created a blue rose which contained a pigment known as delphinidin with the help of genetic engineering. 

   

     genetically engineered blue roses(they are very expensive) 

I am sure you must have noticed the name of this page by now. "The blue rose society" And as the name suggestes we want to stay true to the symbolism of the blue rose, to write about the mysteries that are forgotten, to write about the dark side of life, to write about the unattainable, the undreamed of. 

If you are interested in knowing about the mysteries and dark side of life, I highly suggest you to subscribe to this blog. I hope you enjoyed this blog and I will see you guys a next time. 

With love, Anisha ❤


Friday, February 19, 2021

Remains of Six millions?!! Catacombes de Paris





Paris... Sweet Sweet Paris. How many of us have wanted to go there forever? Personally, I have written "visiting Paris" In my bucket list. Can you imagine the sheer joy one would get while sipping on a glass of wine sitting in a small café overlooking the river? But did you know that the entire city of Paris stands on a kingdom of death? 

Oh yes, it does. Underneath the entire city of Paris runs a gigantic maze, a labyrinth.

 The Catacombes de Paris ( The Catacombs of Paris) is a labyrinth, a maze that is actually the world's largest ossuary. 
An ossuary is a site where the skeletal remains of people are stored, it serves as the final resting place for those whose remains are placed there. It is used in places where burial grounds are scarce. 
Initially, the Parisian catacombs were a limestone mine. 
So how did a harmless quarry change into a "kingdom of death"? 

For that, we have to go back in history. And by going back I mean going back a few centuries, Specifically to the 9th century. 
During the norman invasions,  " Saints Innocent" Became the principal burial ground since the earlier Church Notre-Dame-des-Bois was demolished by the Normans and was replaced by Saint-Opportune parish church. 
By the year 1130, it was official that "Saint innocent" Was the principal burial ground of Paris. 

By the end of the century, all the burial grounds were overflowing. Les Halles, a marketplace beside the burial ground was also overflowing. 
To accommodate more burials, the remains of the long-dead were exhumed and stored in buildings built in the cemetery itself. 

By the end of the 18th century, the cemetery could not even accommodate a single burial. The cemetery was quite literally overflowing. 
A lot of useless decrees were issues but in vain. 

Lastly, the government had no other choice but to dump all the remains somewhere else. 

At that time, the limestone quarries under the city came to the mind of the government. All the remains were dumped in that mine making it the largest ossuary in the world. It has the remains of more than six million Parisians. Can you believe, six million?!!! 

The catacombs de Paris is around 2,000 miles long with a depth equal to a five-storied building in some parts. The sheer number of tunnels and caves in the catacombs is unknown to this day. 
This catacomb because one of the largest tourist sites for everybody but it started with royalty. Napoleon the third is said to have visited the catacombs with his son. 
Later on, the government renovated the catacombs and decoratively placed the skeletal remains in the walls of the catacombs in such a way it feels like the entire wall is made up of skulls and bones. Although only two miles of the catacombs are open for visits, the rest of it is Off-limits. It is illegal to go further on the catacombs. It is for the safety of the people because if you get lost in the catacombs..... Oh well, let's say that will the last day you will ever see the sun. 


When we are talking about the catacombs, the cataphiles are to be mentioned. The cataphiles are the people who explore the catacombs for their own enjoyment. They are like a modern cult, an underground society. They know more about what is in the catacombs than anybody else. Tracking a cataphile is very difficult and even if a cataphile is tracked they are so tight-lipped that no information will ever leave them. Some photos surface here and there, some names surface here and there but mostly nobody knows who they are. They have special maps to lead them in and out of the catacombs. Since the catacombs have tones of entrances, they have their own share of entry and exit points. 
                                                              a group of cataphiles. 

The largest discovery of the cataphiles was when they found pools in the catacombs and some took a nice swim in them. So swimming in a pool while remains of dead people stare at you. Remarkable, isn't it? 
                                 cataphiles swimming in the pools inside the catacombs
                                    Alison Teal, the first person to swim in the catacombs. 

A place like this is bound to have stories, right? 

Let's start with a recent one. 
In the year 2004, a few police officers were assigned to investigate a part of the catacombs as a training exercise. They entered through an entrance not used by the public. After walking for a little while they came across a full-fledged amphitheater. An amphitheater inside the catacombs. It was fully equipped with everything required for screening. A 20 seater Hall, with a popcorn maker and a selection of noirs to choose from. 
The next Hall they found was a fully stocked bar and restaurant, complete with tables and chairs. There were three telephone lines down there too. Three days later, the officers returned with a larger force to see how they were sourcing electricity from but there was no one to be found. All the cables were cut and there was no mark of anybody ever being there, except a note. The note read "Ne Cherchez pas" Which translates as "don't search for us". So who were they? A lot of rumors say they are a part of an underground society but no one knows for sure. 

Another incident takes place in the 1990s when a group of cataphiles came across a video camera on the ground of a tunnel in the catacombs. There was some disturbing footage found on the camera. The footage was of a man going crazy inside the tunnel. The man was lost and had no idea where he was and he said that he is going to die there. The footage ends when the camera abruptly falls to the ground. To this day nobody knows who the man was or if he made it out safely. 

Another story takes place during the French Revolution. 
A man named Philibert Apsairt who worked as a doorman in Val-de-Grâce hospital, Paris entered the catacombs by mistake while trying to go to the cellar nearby. It is said that he only had a single candle with him which out moments after him entering the catacombs. What happened to him in the catacombs is not known to anybody. What we know is that his body was not found until 11 years later when a group of cataphiles came across the particular tunnel where he breathed his last. They identified the body by the ID card hanging from his belt. His body was buried in the exact spot where he died. 

Some cataphiles say that sometimes they come across a few tunnels that pull them towards it. They heard voices or whispers coaxing them to go deeper, so deep that they might get lost. 


On that note, if any of you ever visit the catacombs, try not to venture off into the catacombs. It will be a shame to lose you. Haha. 

I hope you guys enjoyed this blog. If you are interested in topics like this I highly suggest you subscribe to this blog. 

Stay safe and I will see you guys the next time. 

Love, Anisha ❤


Friday, January 8, 2021

THE SHROUD OF TURIN: HOLY SHROUD OR A MASTERPIECE

 

If the Holy Grail is the secret everyone seeks to find, the Shroud of Turin is the mystery that still remains unsolved.

                          

The mystery of the Shroud



    
7 th April 30 CE, the innocent was crucified on the cross, his body covered with wounds, soul tortured to death. yet he sacrificed himself for us. He is regarded as the son of God, the creator of Christianity, Jesus Christ. It is said that when his body was brought down from the cross, it was covered by a piece of cloth to prevent anyone from seeing the gruesome sight.  
      The 15-foot linen cloth that was used to cover his body is the famous Shroud of Turin, which quite naturally bears his bloodstains.
But miracles always find a way to surprise us, in the year 1898 amateur photographer Secondo Pia after examining the reverse negative photographic plate of the shroud was shocked to find a detailed image of a bearded man with scars of torture distinct on his body.
Now the question, is it possible for blood stains, to make such a detailed imprint of the body on cloth?
Umm, not until someone forcefully presses the cloth on the body, and I don't think anyone would be willing to play with the dead.
Interestingly, in the year 1389, the bishop of Troyes claimed it to be a work of art. 
now you will be thinking " then it is fake! the mystery is solved".

No, it is not so simple 




In 1969, after years of playing with photographs, Scientists were at last allowed to perform different tests on pieces of the fabric directly. In 1978 STURP (Shroud of Turin Research Project) a research team from the U.S. concluded two main points from their experiments.
  • The image is not artificial but of a real crucified man.
  • the stains are of human blood with the presence of serum albumin, which confirms it to be a human male.
But they failed to explain the formation of the image in any scientific or logical way.

In 1988, the Radiocarbon results confirmed the shroud to be from the years 1260 to 1390, which is a millennium after Jesus died. The age is also too close to the time the shroud first emerged in 1354.
So, the body may not even belong to Jesus. Then whose body is it?  or it is the work of an artist?
Again, to Paolo Di Lazzaro, the most important question is not its age, but how the image was produced or rather created?
According to him the image hue on the fabric is quite unusual, the color penetration is immensely delicate almost 0.7 micrometers.
ina n experiment to produce a replica of the color hue Di Lazzaro and his came to a close approximate hue by using lasers but they failed in creating a human figure or attaining all the physical and chemical properties of the image.
Di Lazzaro states that the UV light required to create the exact hue exceeds the maximum power of any available source found nowadays.
So how could a medieval artist create such a masterpiece? 
not to mention blood coagulates and if an anti-coagulating agent is used then the penetration layer wouldn't be so shallow.
Many people suggest, "divine light" in the tomb of Jesus may have caused the image. But the light of that intensity in a tomb is kind of unbelievable.

So what is our conclusion?
Yes, the mystery still remains unsolved.

Holy light or the handiwork of some cunning artist, It deserves credit for portraying an image, so detailed in representing the suffering of an innocent man.
Even if it is not the real shroud, it is a true masterpiece and is entitled to sit on the pedestal it is sitting on. After roaming a lot, the Shroud presently lays peacefully under protection at the CATHEDRAL OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST 

                                                                                      blue rose belles

                                                                                            ( Archie)


REFERENCE CORNER

https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/portal/files/10489469/Dating_the_Death_of_Jesus_Memory_and_the_Religious_Imagination.pdf