Squashes (gourds) and corn (maize) of a rich variety are a prominent
feature of American native food. Greens (leafy vegetables) are an
important part of African American and Caribbean "soul" food. Perhaps
PALANA can tell me whether it makes sense that vegetable groups such as
squash, corn and greens are typical of what might be termed a
rudimentary-level agricultural economy, often without the commercial
infrastructure to import more exotic ingredients such as spices.
Another thought: I am certain that the Paaranandi clan, among others,
is way ahead of me in their thinking on this, but research on
cultivating a "literary" vegetable and/or flower garden would be a
"neat" school project. At the Huntington library and botanical gardens
in Southern California, there is a section called the Shakespeare
Garden, containing a number of plants that find mention in
Shakespeare's works. A "Potana garden", containing, for starters all
those plants and trees listed in the initial part of Gajendra Moksham
would be quite interesting, and probably a good way to preserve and
transmit cultural heritage.
Sorry about the digression. Back to literature.
Bapa Rao