Pookalam – Exquisite Onam Floral Carpet Designs

Pookalam, a colorful and intricate arrangement of flowers, petals and leaves laid on the floor, is followed as a ritual during the Onam celebrations in Kerala, India. The word Pookalam consist of two words ‘poov’ and ‘kalam’. Poov means flower and kalam means colors adumbrated on the floor. Flowers, dedication, creativity, team work and patience are the basic essential of an eye-catching pookalm. It is prepared without adding any artificial colors. Making of pookalam continues for ten days from ‘Atham’ to ‘Thiruvonam’ in the month of Chingam in Malayalam calender.

People believe that the King Mahabali visit kerala on ‘Thiruvonam. Earlier people, mainly children used to get up early morning for gathering flowers. The flowers like Thumba (Lucas Aspera), Mukkutti (little tree plant), Kakka Poovu, Chemparathy (hibiscus), Thechipoovu, Aripoo or onginipoo(Lantana), Hanuman Kireedom (Red pagoda plant) and Chethi (Ixora) are commonly used before. But now the trend has changed people prefer to buying flowers, as they get flowers in any shape and color of their choice. It is really interesting to watch people especially adolescent girls as they prepare pookalam with traditional  songs. See some beautiful pookalam designs.

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