Himachal Pradesh flower growers do brisk business during Navratras

As the nine-day Shardiya Navratri was celebrated with fervour across India involving fasting and rituals, Himachal Pradesh’s flower fields were alive with the vibrant colours of marigolds, dahlias and calendulas, each bloom seemingly infused with a touch of the divine.

India’s most prominent shrines, from the holiest three-peak cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi in Trikuta hills of Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district to Himachal’s Mata Chintpurni to the hilltop Naina Devi and Brajeshwari Devi temples order local blossoms in abundance every day, giving a boost to the region’s floriculture sector. Temples adorned their altars and pathways with grand floral decorations during the festival that culminated today.

“Our carnations are always in high demand during Navratras. This time, we got bulk orders to decorate Shri Mata Vaishno Devi’s altars and pathways,” says Naresh Thakur, a grower in the Churah valley of Chamba district. He adds, “We feel blessed as flowers raised by our hands are used in the most revered shrine.”

Trade insiders say that the demand for flowers was very high for the decoration of the holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, which is considered the holiest of all shaktipeeth, attracted nearly 30,000 devotees every day during the Navratras.

Likewise, the popular shrines of Himachal like the hilltop Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur district, Chintpurni in Una district and Jwalaji and Brajeshwari Devi temples in Kangra district, too, were tastefully decorated with flowers.

Flower growers in Sirmaur, Solan, Kullu, Chamba, Shimla, Mandi and Kangra districts get to work early in the morning and move through mist-laden fields, picking flowers while the dew still clings to the petals.

Aditya Kant, an ornamental floriculturist from Solan, says, “The Navratras bring us a season of colour and good fortune. Orders surge and we harvest blooms as soon as they open, making sure they reach temples fresh and full of life.” He adds, “By mid-day, crates filled with saffron-hued marigolds and crimson dahlias are on their way, bringing the beauty of the hills to temple spaces across Punjab, Haryana, Jammu, Delhi and beyond.”

For Himachal’s floriculturists, these flowers are more than just business; they’re offerings, binding the highlands to the spiritual heart of the festival. As each petal finds its place on a temple altar, the blossoms carry with them the essence of the hills, blooming as symbols of faith for worshippers near and far.

A priest in the Brajeshwari Devi temple says marigolds and crimson dahlias procured locally were used for floral decorations during the Navratras. “Fragrant flowers of rose and lavender fill the air with a sweet perfume. Temples adorn their altars with beautiful floral arrangements to honour the Goddess,” he adds.

Around 374 hectares are under flower crops and over 4,000 farmers are involved in their cultivation, with the maximum area in Sirmaur district. The Churah valley in Chamba district has made a name in the cultivation of carnations of various colours.