With colour, fragrance and bounties galore in its kitty, Onam is the doorstep, and Malayalis are gearing up to welcome their most-cherished festival in full splendour. Flowers are at the centrestage for the Atham day today, which marks the auspicious beginning of the Onam festivities. But those looking to buy flowers to make the decorative ‘Athapookalam’, should not be surprised to find that the prices of the blossoms have soared to an all-time high.
Manoj Kumar, a flower shop owner at North Railway Station, told City Express that the prices of Onam flowers have spiraled tremendously. “For 1 Kg, the price of the Astra Violets (white,red and pink) has risen from Rs 150 to Rs 200. The Vada Mulla Flower (Bachelor’s Button Flower) has gone up Rs 250 from the usual Rs 190. Meanwhile, prices of the most-used Marigolds have shot up from Rs 40 to Rs 80, those of Nerium Oleander (known as Arali) have gone up from Rs 150 to Rs 300,” he said.
He added that the price of Jasmine blossoms is also quite unpredictable during the Onam season. “On Sunday, the price of the jasmine flowers was `1000 per kg. On Monday, the rate has gone down to `600. Since the Vinayakachathuruthi festival in Tamil Nadu is in full swing, the prices of flowers in Kerala can witness a further rise,” he added. “The varying rates in the Bangalore market are also contributing to the price rise this year,” he said.
Manikyan, another flower shop owner in the city, said besides these flowers, local flowers such as the Thumbapoo, Chethi and Thulasi are also selling quite well, despite the prices. “Takers for these varieties are many this season, as these flowers have become rare in the urban area,” he said.
So, has the dearth in rainfall affected the harvest of flowers this year? Not much, say flower shop owners. “Though there was a shortage of rainfall this year, the cultivation of the flowers has hardly been affected. Alternative water sources have been used to grow flowers in Bangalore, keeping in mind the demand during the festival season.
However, the soaring prices have not deterred the flower buyers in the city at all. “I have brought ‘Vada Mulla’ flowers and marigold, together costing `150. Since getting flowers from near our homes is not possible, we are willing to purchase the flowers from the market. The Athapookalam is an integral part of Onam festivities and we don’t want to compromise on that,” said Sobha, a resident of Palarivattom.
The major flower hubs in the city include the ‘Pookaramuku’ near High Court, Ernakulam Market, North Railway Station, Palarivattom, South Railway Station and Tripunithura.
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