Flowers from Hapur to decorate Ayodhya

Hapur (UP), Jan 21 (IANS) Teg Singh, a flower farmer from Hapur, has been commissioned by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to deliver 10 tonnes of assorted flowers to the temple for the ceremony.

The flowers will be used in the decoration of the temple and the city.

Singh is a flower farmer from Tigri village in Hapur’s Simbhaoli village.

“Our family has been into flower farming for 35 years, but we have never felt such happiness and pride before. Our dream is going to be fulfilled after 500 years, and Lord Ram will be seated in the temple,” he said.

Singh said that the consignment to Ayodhya comprises diverse blooms like guldavari, tuberose, gypsophila, marigold, orchid, bird-of-paradise, and an array of roses. He said at least one or two trucks full of different varieties of flowers are being sent to Ayodhya every day.

“Many of these flowers, including orchids, last for 20-22 days. We will continue to send flowers until they are demanded. We have sufficient production,” Singh added.

His brother Shradhanand said: “Of the 10 tonnes, there are 100 boxes of promethium, 50 to 60 boxes of orchids, bird-of-paradise, and 20 to 25 boxes of anthurium. Marigold from Calcutta is also part of the ensemble, used for strings and garlands.”

Hapur district in UP is known for producing a wide range of flowers.

“The initiative will also provide employment opportunities to women engaged with self-help groups. After the Pran Pratishtha, we are expecting at least nine tonnes of flower waste to be recycled daily from all the temples in Ayodhya, a significant increase from the current 2.3 tonnes,” said Vishal Singh, vice chairperson of Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA).

He said that under the new system, flowers will be collected from each temple and transformed into certified natural incense sticks. After the inauguration of the Ram Temple on January 22, around 22 lakh devotees are expected in Ayodhya daily, he added. Flowers from the district find their way to markets in Ghazipur, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Mizoram, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and even overseas.