BENGALURU: Ever wondered what happens to garlands and bouquets given to politicians and eminent personalities? Well, they all go to the garbage bin. But in this case, they served a purpose.
Padmashree Balram, president of Koramangala 1st Block Residents’ Welfare Association, who visited newly-elected Congress MLA Ramalinga Reddy on Wednesday, saw a room full of garlands and bouquets. After learning that the garlands and bouquets were of little use to them, she handed them over to the Green Skill Training Centre at Nimhans.
The centre collects used flowers, bouquets and garlands and sends them to Nimhans. Mentally unstable patients at Nimhans make organic holi and rangoli colour powder out of them. Padmashree said, “I was aware of the centre and its work. I thought it was the best way to help patients and ensure that the garlands made of flowers are not wasted.”
NB Maithreyi, instructor, at Green Skill Training Centre, said that the centre usually gets around 10-15 kg of used flowers from temples and other places a day. Psychiatric patients residing on Nimhan's campus and those who come for treatment during the day are asked to separate the flowers. The segregated flowers are then dried and powdered to make organic colour for Holi and to draw rangolis. The flowers are also used to make art kits for children.
Maithreyi said it is a therapeutic treatment and helps patients learn skills, become sharper and think. It also helps in confidence-building and becoming independent. The centre came into being seven years ago.