KOCHI: “Malli poo, amma, malli poo,” shouts the old lady on the street with a basketfull of flowers in front of her. A young man goes up to her and buys two mozhams (measured with the hand). He reaches home, where his young wife is eagerly waiting for him.
“Did you get me anything?” she asks shyly.
We shall leave the young couple to themselves and instead get into the fragrant world of the flower that epitomises south Indian women, the flower which makes them complete — malli poo. Also called malliga, mogra, Arabian jasmine and kundumalligai, Indians often refer to the flower as the “Moonshine in the garden”.
In Indian culture, jasmines are the symbol of love. While in the west, men buy red roses for their lovers, it is the malli poo that our mustachioed South Indian men use to woo their better halves. It is this very same jasmine that is used in garlands that are exchanged at weddings.
Believed to have originated in the Himalayas in western China, the flower reached India through cultivation.
Jasmines find a prominent mention in Indian mythology as well. In Mylapore is the Malleeswarar (Shiva) temple that has an interesting history behind it. Parthan, the king of Ayodhya, meditated here to acquire the blessings of Lord Shiva. Pleased with his penance, Shiva appeared before him and blessed him. Parthan worshipped Shiva in this place which is full of jasmine plants and hence he is named as Malleeswaran.
Tamil Nadu even has its very own Jasmine city — Madurai. Madurai Malli is famous in India as well as abroad and is often exported to various parts of the world.