India, Oct. 3 -- What's in a name? Plenty, if you ask the Shiuli flower. Known as Shiuli phool in Bangla, Parijat in Hindi, and Xewali in Assamese, the night-blooming jasmine (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis) carries with it mythology, fragrance and even culinary surprises. Every autumn, as the air swells with festivity, read Durga Puja and chilly air, the ground beneath its trees turns into a soft carpet of white and orange blossoms.

In Hindu mythology, the Parijat tree was said to have emerged from the ocean during Samudra Manthan, before finding its way into Indra's heavenly abode. Some stories say Krishna was later gifted the flower by Indra, who then brought it to Earth for his wives. Or as narrated in the Vayu Purana, Parijataka, a mortal...