in the western group temples of khajuraho
in a corner of the grounds
sits the kandariya mahadeva temple

i came across the temple in a recent road trip across northern india
and was excited because i thought
it might hold scenes from the devi mahatmyam
my favorite part of all the puranas

this was a mysterious temple
menacing from afar but strangely attractive
inviting like a poison

outside
beneath the temple placard advertising its importance to the tourist
i saw the distinctive trumpet of a datura metel bush

http://www.galathaea.org/dhatura/kandariyaMahadeva-metel.JPG

i had been noticing daturas through the road trip
and earlier had shot a strand of datura stramonium outside in orchha

http://www.galathaea.org/dhatura/strandOfStramoniumOrchha.JPG

On Apr 15, 7:51 am, galathaea veawb.coop> wrote:

On Apr 15, 1:40 am, Romanise gmail.com> wrote:

all parts of the plant
contain significant levels of atropine and scopolamine
and the plant has been a major part of many culture's pharmacopoeia

the leaves and seed pods do have larger concentrations
compared to the rest of the plant
but all plant parts can potentially be lethal

both atropine and scopolamine are anticholinergic (muscarinic)
from the general action of the tropane alkaloids
and each have found use in western medicine

scopolamine is more narcotic
causing dissociation with mild euphoria
whereas atropine is more of a deliriant
with greater body discomfort / distress
(fever, dry mouth, blindness, itchiness, ...)

On Apr 14, 11:51 pm, galathaea veawb.coop> wrote: