Known as Circassian seeds otherwise, are produced by a tropical Asian tree called the red sandalwood (Adenanthera pavonina), a beautiful tree of the Legume Family (Fabaceae) with pinnately compound leaves and dense racemes of fragrant, creamy-yellow blossoms. It is also called the "bead tree," "necklace tree," and "peacock flower-fence.
The generic name Adenanthera comes from the Greek aden (a gland) and anthera (anther), referring to minute glands on the anthers. The slender, flattened pods become contorted and twisted as they split open at maturity, and each pod releases up to a dozen brilliant red, lens-shaped, extremely hard seeds. The hard, reddish wood of this tree is used for cabinet-making. It is often used in place of true sandalwood (Santalum album, Santalaceae), except it gradually becomes purplish-red due to light exposure. For this reason, in many areas of tropical Asia it is known as "red sandalwood." The trees are also used extensively as shade trees ("nurse trees") in coffee, clove and rubber plantations of Kerala.
In China, it is known as 'love beads' grown from 'bead tree'...
In the Caribbean islands, it is known as 'jumbie beads' grown from 'gulgangi tree'...
In other places, it is known by various names like wishing bean, sea heart, coral wood, crab's eyes, deer's eye... etc.
There is mythical story on this manjadikkuru from ancient China about a young wife. She missed her husband who went out for battles. She often cried under the tree in front of her gate; her tears dried up, and blood came out of her eyes. The blood dyed the roots of the tree into red; afterwards, small and red beans began to grow on the tree, and the beans were bead tree.
The original kum-kum or sindoor which Indian women wear in their forehead is made from this bead.
What has inspired me in doing a research on manjadikkuru is for a beautiful film by the same name directed by Anjali Menon (Kerala Cafe fame).
One of her interview was really inspiring & nostalgic. I have not seen both her films (Manjadikkuru & Kerala Cafe) yet, but would definetly like to watch soon.
Checkout these websites for details: http://www.manjadikuru.com/
http://anjalimenon.wordpress.com/
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