From a distance, the field at Korandivila looks almost painted over, with dappled sunlight playing across rows of marigolds in vivid orange and yellow.
The sea of blooms has turned the field into a seasonal attraction, drawing visitors from Thiruvananthapuram and neighbouring districts for a glimpse of the spectacle, photographs and, for some, flowers to take home for their Pookkalam.
The Korandivila field, spread across 6.5 acres in Ward 16, is the largest marigold plot cultivated in Pallichal grama panchayat this year. In all, around 35 acres across 12 wards have been brought under cultivation ahead of Onam.
The effort is part of the ‘Ente Naadu, Ente Onam’ project launched in the area four years ago. What began as a small experiment has now spread across the panchayat.
“We started with around one acre here in 2022. Today, Korandivila alone has 6.5 acres, and the total cultivation across the panchayat has reached about 35 acres,” says V Bindu, president of Pallichal panchayat.
At Korandivila, the panchayat has leased a privately-owned plot for around three months for the seasonal cultivation.
Kudumbashree units, self-help groups and Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) workers are involved in tending the crop, with the agriculture department extending support.
“We have been doing this continuously for five years, and more people have become part of it over time,” says Vishwamithra Vijayan, coordinator of the initiative at Korandivila.
The growing interest is not limited to those who come to see the fields. Buyers also arrive directly at Korandivila, including traders from Chalai market in Thiruvananthapuram, who purchase marigolds in bulk.
“We are selling them at around `90 a kg now, while the price in many other places is around `130. As Onam gets closer and demand goes up, the price may increase. Even then, we will try to keep it as affordable as possible,” Vishwamithra says.
For years, Kerala’s Onam flower market has depended heavily on supplies arriving from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Pallichal’s five-year-old cultivation effort is part of a growing attempt to create a local alternative, allowing at least a share of the festive demand to be met closer home.
This year, growers say, unfavourable seasonal conditions in some of the usual source regions have affected production, tightening supply and pushing up prices.
“Here, all the flowers are cultivated without pesticides and under the guidance of the agriculture officer. The Krishi Bhavan supports us throughout the process — they select good-quality saplings for us and advise us on the right cultivation methods,” Vishwamithra says.
Besides creating a local source of flowers for pookkalams, the initiative provides seasonal employment and additional income to the groups involved in cultivation.
“It began with just one acre, but today it has spread across the panchayat. More than the scale, what makes it special is that the entire community has a role in it. This is what can happen when a village comes together,” Bindu smiles.