MUSLIM CULTIVATORS WHO SUPPLY LOTUS FLOWERS TO HINDU TEMPLES
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| 6 Muslim families at Edakulam, near Thirunavaya in Malappuram. |
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Chances are that the flowers used for poojas in the major temples of Kerala have been supplied by the 6 Muslim families at Edakulam, near Thirunavaya in Malappuram. For these families still maintain the quarter century long tradition of cultivating and delivering lotus flowers exclusively meant for poojas in large number of temples including Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu in Thrissur, Thali Siva temple at Kozhikode, Kadampuzha Bhagavathy temple etc.
While
the cost of flower in the open market is between Rs 3 and 4, they sell
them to the Guruvayoor temple at the rate of 50 paise per flower.
Edakulam is the only place in the State where lotus plants are
grown on a commercial scale and the temples have been using these flowers
famed for their quality.
Abdurahiman,
a devout Muslim , has painstakingly delivered thousands of lotus flowers
to the Guruvayoor Sri Krishna temple in the last one month, despite the rigors
in the fasting month of Ramadan.
“We
know the importance of pujas in Hindu religious customs and take care to
deliver the flowers without fail round the year,” says Abdurahiman.
“Sometimes we even purchase flowers from the Nagercoil in Tamil
Nadu at higher rates and deliver to the temples, when the flowers become
scarce in our fields during the monsoon season”.
Apart
from supplying flowers to temples, the lotus farmers also supply flowers
free of cost to devotees for offerings in the festival seasons at the
temples.
Abdurahiman plucking lotus from the lake
Courtesy: K.R.Rajeev (text), N.P.Jayan (photo), The New Indian Express, December 6, 2002
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