For Keralites, there is no Onam without flowers and Pookalam (floral carpet). And this Onam, the Mararikulam police in Alappuzha are all set to join farmers and horticulturists in providing flowers for laying Pookkalam, a traditional ritual that begins on Atham day.
The Mararikulam police who nurture a garden with 500 marigold plants on the police station premises will donate the flowers to underprivileged children and orphanages in the region.
“Our garden is in full bloom. There are children who find it difficult to buy flowers for preparing Pookalam due to financial constraints and other reasons. We will start giving flowers to the children on Atham day (August 12). The flower distribution will continue for 10 days. It is a small Onam gift to children,” says Rajesh S., circle inspector, Mararikulam.
The flowers will be delivered to the doorstep by Student Police Cadets free of cost. The Mararikulam police joined hands with a group of farmers to set up the garden during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The marigolds have been planted in grow bags and they started flowering earlier this month. Along with the farmers, police personnel at the station have actively participated in nurturing the garden by watering plants and applying fertiliser.
“The idea of creating a garden on the station premises first came from the police personnel at the station. We joined them and provided the necessary expertise. The initiative has turned out to be a success and we are happy the flowers from the garden will be donated to children for laying Pookalams during Onam,” says Anil Lal K.R., one of the 12 farmers involved in the garden project.
Last year, the Mararikulam police distributed ‘Onakodi’ (gifting new clothes during Onam) to those who follow physical distancing. The initiative had seen clothes—sari for women and mundu for men—presented to more than 75 COVID-19 protocol-abiding citizens under the police station limit.
