Flowers please the mind and grant prosperity. Hence, men with righteous deeds bestowed the name Sumana on them
The Mahabharata book 13, Anusasana Parva Chapter 101, verses 19-21
Situated under the famous Howrah Bridge in Kolkata, the flower market is a riot of colour, hard working characters and testament to the role of flowers within the Hindu world. One of the largest markets in India, its products are at the heart of the majority of ritual and worship in the West Bengal area.
As noted in the above quote from the Mahabharata, flowers play an important role in the worship of deities. Any religious ceremony is considered incomplete without the presence of flowers.
Those people depicted here in the flower market of Kolkata are going about their daily work just a stones throw from the river Hooghly, a tributary of the Ganges. Entering this world is like walking into one of those old kaleidscopes I used to play with as a child; as you twist the barrel so colours, shapes and realities change, many more fantastic than before.
‘Mallick Ghat is one of the biggest flower markets in the whole of Asia, so this is definitely something you should prepare for.
In its humble beginnings, the market was located around the small ghat by the Hooghly River.
Now, it sees way over 2,000 flower sellers every day and they can be found underneath the Howrah Bridge, by the railway tracks, around the Mallick Ghat and all over the area in the mornings’
‘A lot of the flowers eventually wilt and the floor will be covered in castaways, stalks and leftovers rather than the nice stuff.
Regulars that want to buy will know the exact time the market sellers arrive and are quick to purchase as soon as the flowers are out on the street. Once the sellers have sold their stock, they’re off!
On special religious holidays, extra flowers are brought over for the occasion.’
‘Many sellers live here in makeshift houses on the ghat as the market is their livelihood. It’s almost like a big family.
Here is where you’ll find the majority of stalls and flowers. It’s mucky, loud, noisy, smelly and chaotic – but it’s where the fun is!’
‘If you are wondering why there is such a big flower market in Kolkata, it’s because this is where temples and local businesses will buy their flowers for the day.
The orange flowers, marigolds, are often used as offerings to the Hindu gods like Laxmi.
The saffron orange colour of marigold is sacred in Hindu culture, hence why you’ll see so many being offered in Hindu temples.’
‘So at the market, temples will buy flowers to sell to pilgrims and pilgrims will buy flowers to offer to temples.
Street sellers buy flowers to sell to taxi and lorry drivers on the road for safe travels and businesses like hotels will buy flowers to put on display.
Many will buy flowers in wholesale to sell again separately to other businesses. It’s a huge industry that provides for so many in the city’
‘So at the market, temples will buy flowers to sell to pilgrims and pilgrims will buy flowers to offer to temples.
Street sellers buy flowers to sell to taxi and lorry drivers on the road for safe travels and businesses like hotels will buy flowers to put on display.
Many will buy flowers in wholesale to sell again separately to other businesses. It’s a huge industry that provides for so many in the city’
Although it is acceptable to offer any flower to any deity, some Gods and Goddesses have their own associated flowers. These include :
Datura flowers, commonly known as jimson weed, devil’s trumpet, devil’s weed, thorn apple, are used to adorn Shivling in many Shiva temples. Dhatura garlands are offered to Shiva and are available outside many Shiva temples. Legend has it that the Dhatura flower appeared from the chest of Shiva. This is mentioned in the Vamana Purana.
Sadhus who are worshippers of Shiva smoke the leaves and seeds of Datura plant. This is a poisonous plant and is not used by common people.
The hibiscus belongs to Kali, a manifestation of primordial energy. She represents empowerment, and with that, admittedly, comes destruction, making her a fierce goddess. The red hibiscus is representative of Kali’s tongue. But it should not be mistaken for her shame. The hibiscus is symbolic of the blood lust that possesses her. As she represents a form of energy, this blood symbolism becomes life-affirming because it ties her to the life forces that pulse in all of us.
According to mythology, Pārijāta is a heavenly tree brought to earth by lord Krishna. A quarrel over it ensued between Satyabhama and Rukmini, Krishna’s wives. But Krishna planted the tree in Satyabhama’s courtyard in a way that when the tree flowered, the flowers fell in Rukmini’s courtyard. Lord Vishnu’s heavenly throne is placed under a flowering Parijata tree, and Hanuman lives under its shade
Other flower associations can be found here.
The above quotations have been taken from here.