ತುಮಕೂರು ಪ್ರವಾಸಿ ಮಂದಿರದಲ್ಲಿ ನಾಗಲಿಂಗ ಪುಷ್ಪದ ಮರ
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Couroupita guianensis
The trees are grown extensively in Shiva temples in India. I have seen such huge trees in Mallikarjuna Temple of SreeSalia. In Hindi it is called Shiv Kamal and also known as "Kailaspati". It is called the Nagalingam tree in Tamil. The flowers are called Shivalinga flowers in Hindi; Nagalinga Pushpa ( ನಾಗಲಿಂಗ ಪುಷ್ಪ) in Kannada; Nagamalli flowers or Mallikarjuna flowers in Telugu. Hindus revere it as a sacred tree because the petals of the flower resemble the hood of the Naga, a sacred snake, protecting a Shiva Lingam, the stigma.
