Manjadi, is the malayalam colloquial name for coralwood. It has
hard, attractive beads of a deep scarlet red colour and is an
interesting shape that is not exactly smooth round but has surfaces
of no geometric patterns. In kerala, it used to be used for a game
very similar to tic tac toe and checkers and is also used in the
famous Guruvayur Temple, where it is stored in a large "uruli".
Devotees make their children scoop out handfuls of these seeds and
pour them back into the "uruli" in belief that doing so makes their
children more spunky and adorable like the popular diety, "Lord
Krishna" in his boyhood legends... It is a sign of their devotion
to the Lord who is an incarnation of Vishnu, the Protector. I hope
this answers your question adequately. Please google the word
coralwood seeds or Manjadi for pictures or detailed botanical
descriptions.
