narikela
नारिकेल nārikelaThe coconut, and the coconut palm; a Sanskrit word most likely borrowed from the Dravidian languages of the south, reflecting the fruit's coastal, post-Vedic entry into North Indian ritual.
Where this term appears
- Why is a coconut broken in Hindu ceremonies? Journal
The fruit that is not in the Vedas Start with the thing itself, because its history undercuts every tidy origin story told about it. The coconut is narikela in Sanskrit, and the word is a clue.