Durga Puja — The Morning After
Indian authorities and engineers deal with the floral remnants of a Hindu rite. The Durga Puja, 10 days of ceremonies and feasts honoring the supreme mother goddess of Hinduism, has just come to a close. As with any party, there’s major clean-up involved. But the…
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Elvis: Rose Tonic and Floral Guitars
Radiance brings out the flowers. And the King of Rock and Roll was never shy about accepting a bloom or two. Back in the crew-cut, button-down early ‘50s, Elvis Presley wore pink suits and slicked his hair back with rose oil tonic. Oh, to have…
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St. Lucia’s Rivals: Rose and Marguerite
For work, solidarity and pleasure, the people of St. Lucia island pledge their allegiance to one of two historic blooms. Floating in the Caribbean Sea between French Martinique and English-speaking St. Vincent, people of St. Lucia know something about cultural competition and the vagaries of…
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Flores De Mayo
When the rains come to the Philippine Islands, out come “las reynas,” beauty queens who balance red lipstick and piety. As May, the month of Mary in the Roman Catholic faith, nears a close, the Philippines celebrates its bounty—human, floral, cultural, religious. The rainy season…
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