Onam Pookalam Flowers

Onappookkalam_Nithyananda_Ashram_Kanhangad_2019

For Onam Pookalam flowers used are tulsi, hibiscus, marigolds, and more. Designs are creative, with no strict rules or size.

Onam is one of Kerala’s most loved festivals. It spans 10 days and marks the season of a bountiful harvest. People also believe that benevolent King Mahabali returns from the netherworld for one day to meet his subjects. They decorate pookkalams with fresh flowers and petals to welcome King Mahabali.

What is a Pookalam?

The word pookalam comes from the amalgamation of two Malayalam words:. ‘poo’, meaning flower, and kalam’, meaning a design or arrangement. People make colourful floral patterns at the entrance of homes, temples, and other spaces during Onam, called Pookkalam.

Did you know? Traditionally, the design will start small – with just 2-3 concentric layers. A fresh layer of flowers/petals adds to the design every day. The pattern becomes more elaborate as the festival progresses. They are beautiful, and making a pookalam is about togetherness, prosperity, and celebrating the spirit of Onam.

Onam Pookkalam Atham
Simple Onam Pookkalam_By Ranjithsiji – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

What flowers are used in Pookalam?

Different types of flowers (and sometimes, leaves) make up a pookalam. These come in different sizes, shapes, and colors. People pick flowers from their garden or source them locally for the design. The choice of flowers depends on tradition, availability, and region. People mostly pick wildflowers growing in the region for this purpose.

1. Holy Basil

Usually, the first plant added to the design is Holy Basil (Tulsi). Apart from being auspicious, this brings a touch of much-needed green to the design.

2. Ceylon Slitwort (aka thumbapoovu)

These little white flowers hold sacred significance during the festival. They come next in the pookkalam after Holy Basil.

3. Little tree plant

The Malayalam name for the Little Tree plant is Mukkutti. This plant responds to touch and produces tiny yellow flowers, which people use whole in pookkalams.

4. Golden Trumpet

In Kerala, the Golden Trumpet is known as ‘Kolambi’. This beautiful plant produces yellow, bell-shaped flowers and makes a lovely addition to pookkalams.

5. Hibiscus

Separated petals of Chembarathi, or hibiscus, are added to the design. A whole flower may also be used sometimes.

6. Peacock Flower

The Peacock flower, or Rajamalli, adds vibrancy to the pookkalam with its bright orange hues and elegant long stamen.

7. Butterfly Pea

Along with the Gomphrena, Butterfly Pea, or Shankupushpam, breaks the monotony of the usual reds and yellows with its bright purple shade and lovely shape.

8. White Orchid-Tree

Commonly known as Mandaram in Kerala, these beautiful orchid-like blooms bring a touch of elegance to the pookkalam. This flower can be used as a whole, or just its petals are plucked.

9. Marigold

The petals of Marigold, or Jamanthi, are usually plucked and used. Traditional pookkalams excluded this flower, but modern designs use it for a fuller look. Sometimes, the whole flower forms the border.

10. Globe Amaranth

Also known as Vadamalli in Malayalam, this plant adds a vivid burst of purple color to the pookkalam. Some cultivars also come in shades of pink and white.

11. Lantana

People sometimes use Aripoo, or Lantana, in pookkalams. This invasive species grows in most places, and people can break the flower clusters into individual flowers to add to the pookkalam.

12. Pagoda Flower

For the final day’s pookkalam, people mostly keep Pagoda Flower, or Hanuman Kireedam. They keep the entire cluster upright in the center and decorate the pookkalam around it.

How long does Pookalam last?

A pookkalam may last a couple of days, sometimes fresh for only a few hours. But the entire process of picking the flowers, preparing the floor, and laying out the design, with your family, is an experience to be cherished.

Onam vadu
Photo by Bina R – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

They may be simple designs or elaborate ones (like those at temples), but the celebration of flowers is the same. The eagerness and anticipation to welcome their King Mahabali, in the most beautiful way, shines through. This Onam, take a closer look at the blooms around you. Maybe pick a few and prepare your own pookkalam at home.

More questions people ask about Onam Pookalam -

To make the pookalam, is there any specific design to follow?

No. There is no specific way to design the pookalam. You can add any flowers and petals as you wish.

What can I do with the flowers and petals after the pookkalam is removed?

Flowers and petals are organic material. You can sprinkle it on your backyard soil. If you have a composting bin/container, you can add it to the bin and prepare compost for your garden.

Where is the pookalam prepared?

Pookalam is usually prepared at the entrance of your homes. Volunteers and devotees also participate in preparing massive pookalams outside temple.
Nowadays, some also host pookalam competitions and give away prizes.

Read more