Poo-Mallஐ

Poo-Mallஐ is extremely delighted to announce its partnership with myTVS and bring the efforts to uplift the Madurai malligai ecosystem to greater heights. What makes this collaboration special and valuable is the opportunity it paves to redefine the worth of malli, beyond its state of freshness. Malligai, the undisputable queen of flowers, unfurls its versatility even after drying up by spreading its scintillating fragrance that is sublime and soothing. We aspire to transform an everyday, ordinary traveling experience into a memorable one.

Our dear local flower vendors and street hawkers are going through so much right now, in Chennai. Cyclone Michaung has caused havoc in common man's lives and has brought a sudden hault to small businesses and their livelihoods, which depend completely on the earnings made on that day. We hope everyone has shelter and food during these challenging times.

"We rise by lifting others" - Robert Ingersoll

Team Poo-Mallஐ wishes everyone a prosperous and happy Diwali. We thank each one of you for choosing to buy flowers from your local street vendors. This Deepavali, we shall light lamps and lives of our hardworking Malligai community.

Independence Day has always filled us with a sense of pride and honor for our forefathers who, through their blood and sweat stood strong against the oppressors and won the freedom that we deserve.
As much as our history leaves us with a sense of awe, it is also truly inspiring. Poo-Mallஐ also believes that every person involved in the Malli ecosystem deserves respect and the freedom and power to make more decisions, to ensure fair trading. Every voice must be heard, and Poo-Mallஐ strives to empower each and everyone, so they can express and make an impact and carve an identity for themselves. May the fragrance of malli fill all of us with the spirit of strength, right to freedom to pursue our dreams and most importantly, the feeling of goodness and love.

“Smell is the primordial sense, more powerful, more primitive, more intimately tied to our memories and emotions than any other. A scent can trigger spiritual, emotional or physical peace and stimulate healing and wellness.” – Donna Karan

Madurai malligai's fragrance is magical, evocative and therapeutic and is certainly a fond floral scent to many. Perfect companion for any home, indeed!

“After my husband’s death, I began selling flowers for a living. I got both my daughters married with the money I made from selling flowers. My daily income is between ₹500–₹850.”
Kanaga sprinkles water on the jasmine buds, arranges roses in a bucket, and caters to her customers with a smile on her face. She started this business by walking around the streets with jasmine in a basket. She has been a roadside flower-seller for 40 years now.

The day starts with a loan of ₹1000 in the morning that has to be paid off at the end of the day with ₹1200 to the money-lender. She buys the flowers from the poo market at dawn, after knowing the day's price. Usually, she buys 3 kgs of jasmine, 100 roses, some picchi and kanagaambaram. She has to take additional care in summers when flowers can easily wilt in the heat.

Kanaga pulls out long hours, beginning at 7.00 a.m. and continues till 11.00 pm. She sells roses for ₹10 - ₹15 and Jasmine for ₹30- ₹50 per muzham. She says, “The price of jasmine garlands depends on how closely the flowers are strung together.” Kanaga not just makes regular flower strings, but also caters to special requirements. “Brides come with their saris to show its colour," and Kanaga customizes garlands for them. “It feels good to see the happiness on their faces on their big day, that makes my day.”

Kanaga has to sell on the very first day of receiving the jasmine, to retain its freshness. If there is any remaining, she gives them as an offering to the temples."This is not just a job. It is our life,” she says.

“I am uneducated and have no savings . Every time someone falls sick I have to borrow money. I loved to wear mallipoo on my hair, but had to stop when my husband passed away. It has been 40 years now. Now I am old but I hate sitting idle at home. I am happy that I do not have to depend on others for money. I have fulfilled my biggest dream. I bought a small house for my daughter near Maruthamalai,” she smiles.

Poo-Mallஐ salutes Kanaga and the many people working hard in this malli ecosystem. Our mission is to identify them and provide them maximum support, and revolutionize this market through fair trading.

Did you know that our Madurai Malligai is the first flower in Tamil Nadu, which has been given a Georgraphical Indication (GI) tag?

This tag has carved an identity for our entire malli ecosystem and has made a mark for Madurai Malli in the global market.

It was a beautiful sunny day, and the guests were thronging at the mandapam. It was Kalyani and Krishnan's wedding and all the relatives and guests were busy greeting each other. The ladies dressed in colorful silk sarees paired with traditional jewelry complimented each other and enquired where they had bought their sarees and jewelry from. The gentlemen sat with a tumbler of hot filter coffee and casually chatted about the upcoming elections in the neighboring state. Some vehemently suggested a change in government through the election, while the others expressed their overall disappointment with the current political scenario. The kids were chasing each other and some tripped over their own skirts and cried loudly, competing with the volume of the nadaswaram, an instrument played during auspicious occasions in south India. There were also some aunties introducing some parents to other parents in the hope of sowing the seed of a prospective marriage for their children.
Kalyani peeped out of the bride's room, to get a glimpse of what was happening outside. Her saree was a brilliant orange and she looked radiant in the attire and jewelry. However, her eyes looked a little worried. They were welling up with tears every now and then and she kept controlling the tears from ruining her makeup. She sat in front of the mirror, and her stylist had just finished braiding hair. Her mother entered the room and stood behind Kalyani's chair. She looked in awe at how quickly and beautifully Kalyani had grown into such a big girl, and embraced her warmly. Kalyani looked at her mother and held her hands tightly, and her mother at once, felt the nervousness she was experiencing. She garbbed a few muzhams of the fresh mallipoo from the dressing table and neatly decorated it on Kalyani's braid. Placing a hand on Kalyani's head, she said, "You are an incredibly smart and strong girl. You might feel nervous because of the drastic changes occuring in your life, but remember that a heart which is warm and a mind which knows endurance will help you bloom gracefully wherever you are planted." Her amma's words of wisdom and the fragrance coming from the malli in her hair soothed her. She brought a strand of the densely knit malli and admired its beauty, and how it also made her feel and look confident and magnificent. Kalyani's cousins and Krishnan's sisters accompanied her to the wedding stage as her bridesmaids, and she felt elated when Krishnan gestured to her that she looked stunning. Kalyani smiled wide and welcomed the newness of the many relationships she would establish through this marriage and told her heart that it would all be fantastic and a journey filled with love and togetherness.
Malli inspires us in unexpected, subtle yet significant ways. This blossom of delight has brought a smile on our faces, even without us realizing it. This is malli magic and strength shining through her simplicity.

A mother comforts, nurtures and loves, unconditionally. The relief felt when we simply run to our mother when we don't know something, the belief that she will make it all right, is what bonds each one of us deeply and emotionally to this magnanimous soul. The trust the child and mother share is the purest and is what holds them together.
Team Poo-Mallஐ salutes every mother, every nurturer, for their love and care is what sustains all of us. We salute every farmer working hard on our fields, to grow our precious malligai, which beautify our world.

So, what is your sweet gesture for your mother, this Mother's Day, who has done so much and keeps doing it all over each day, just for you? Maybe, a simple but charming muzham of mallipoo?

வணக்கம் மதுரை மக்களே

We are Poo-Mallஐ, a platform dedicated to the pride of Madurai, the humble Madurai Malli. We're creating an ecosystem to uplift the lives of all those involved with malligai, be it farmers, string and garland makers, traders, roadside hawkers, industries and also end users + household customers.

We would like to give you the opportunity to be a part of the Poo-Mallஐ zero waste "BuyReX3" subscribers program.

🌱 Buy: become a subscriber and buy fresh Madurai Malli through Poo-Mallஐ. Rest assured that we only deal with the best quality of Madurai Malli delivered from farm right to your door step for the most affordable price.

🌱 Recycle: once you have used your Madurai Malli, be it a string or loose buds, we will buy it back from you for a small amount.

🌱 Reuse: We are working with an array of industries who have valuable use of the recycled Madurai Malli in dehydrated form. The versatile Malli will be transformed into various products and circulated back into society, available for purchase.

🌱 Repeatu: repeat the above process in a routine basis and contribute to our mission of sustainability and zero waste Madurai Malli trading...of course make some savings while you're at it too!

Subscribe now !!

மதுரை மக்களே! 🥁
Poo-Mallஐ is extremely eager to announce an idea💡, that we feel will be the seed for many more revolutions to arise in the world of mallipoo cultivation and her course of journey from the farm to us.
Stay tuned to know further about our small but exciting opportunity!
ஒன்றாக விதையை விதைப்போம்.

"All labor that uplifts humanity deserves dignity", says Luther King Jr. and PooMallஐ's purpose is to join hands with the local malligai farmers and vendors and flourish together as a community.
We are marching towards a society where each hawker is happy, respected and paid right, for all the hardwork they do.

This , we thank each one of our malligai farmers, stringers and vendors for delivering delight through these enchanting blossoms and it is our turn to put a smile on their faces.

Visit www.poomallai.com to know how our malli ecosystem operates and the services we provide.

The darkness had not faded yet and the air was slightly chill, when Muthu and Sita boarded their TVS 50 at dawn to visit their relative, who lived in the next village. It was the bike they fondly purchased a few years ago. Selvam, their bubbly younger son always looked in awe at dads picking up their sons from his school in their motorbikes. Noticing this, Muthu and Sita began saving up the maximum they could, so Selvam could be picked up too.

How small, but fruitful all their little efforts were- the parents decided to grow some vegetables on the remaining patch of land, beside the malli thottam (garden). Pumpkins, chillies, brinjals, okras, bitter guards varieties of spinaches and herbs grew very well, while Vetri, their older son and Selvam would go to the sandhai (local market) every Sunday to sell them. Muthu and Sita owned a piece of land, which had been passed down the generations. Malli was their primary produce, but they did not see it as a mere commodity. They were emotionally attached to this little, white flower, for Muthu always saved a few blossoms, strung them together and neatly tucked it into his wife’s long braid every day and admired the fruit of their labor. He would say, “I would grow malli all my life just to adorn your long braid with it di. How beautiful you look!”. Each time he said this, Sita would blush in love and rush inside, to bring the hot food she had just prepared.

They set out to the farm together before dawn, worked hard all day, and she would come back home half an hour earlier than him, so she could cook the rice for dinner. At nights, the four of them would sit in the front yard of their small house and talk. Vetri attended college, and after he came back, conducted tuitions for the kids in and around his house, free of cost. He aspired to become a horticulturist and take care of their farm, while all that Selvam wanted to do was just sit on the bike in front of his dad and pretend to drive it speedily, holding the handle.

Sita asked Muthu, “Mama, do you remember? We planted the new set of malli plants last Akshaya Tritiyai. This year, those babies have grown up so well and are giving us a handful of malli each. Thank god for such prosperity- two adorable children, a farm full of fragrant malli, a house abundant in happiness, what more could we ask for?” Muthu smiled as he drove his bike and said, “Yes di, we need to be grateful for these blessings. But who knows, another surprise could be on your way!” Sita said in response, “Ponga mama, I don’t want anything more.” When he didn’t take the usual left, she asked him where they were heading, to which, Muthu said, “Let’s go to the town today, we can visit them next week.” She smiled and adjusted the pallu of her saree. When they got down, he took her to the bazaar and asked her what she wanted. She pointed at a kadalai stall and they bought a packet and munched on them. Muthu then grabbed her hand and marched towards a jewelry store. Sita looked at him and asked, “What mama? Why are we going here?” He just smiled and took her inside. He headed to the golden bangles section and bought a beautiful pair of them, and gifted it to her. Muthu said, “The seeds we sowed last Aksyaya Tritiyai are reaping excellent results. We are working with PooMallஐ now and our Madurai malli's fragrance travels across the world. This calls for a little celebration! So here is a small appreciation for the hands that planted them”. She was all smiles, after all, she had wanted bangles for quite a while, but didn’t expect golden ones!

When they went home, Vetri and Selvam were overjoyed at the purchase and all of them set out to the malli thottam, for a while. Vetri said, as Sita plucked a few flowers, “malligai indeed is our ponnaana malar amma! Look at how beautiful our farm looks and how well it takes care of us.” Selvam enthusiastically clicked a photo of his mother plucking the malligai on their phone. Their hearts were full and grateful for all they had at that moment.

“The corporate world thrives on leadership skills, and you know, they drill us employees with courses on how to lead a team efficiently and democratically”, said my brother, who is hunting for a job and was on his laptop, looking for a course online on this hot skill, so he could highlight his interest and awareness on the same in his resume. “These career counselors right,” he continued, “...obsess over adding “inspiring” and “motivating leader” as high-impact terms in resumes. So, the desire to either lead or be led by a qualified leader is something that is highly sought-after.”

I listened to him as I blew into my tumbler of hot, aromatic chai and saw Rani opening the gate of our house. She delivers a few muzhams of mallipoo every Thursday evening, given that we perform a slightly more elaborate pooja on Fridays and also place some malli garlands on the photographs of our late grandparents in their fond memory. Rani is a fairly young girl in her twenties, who recently gave birth to her son and her husband works for the municipality. Amma and I always wait for her to come home, as she always narrates interesting things that happened to her that week. We are particularly fond of her gushing speech and admire her outlook in life, despite the fact that she cannot see the world as we can. She became visually impaired a couple of years ago in a terrible accident, while she was carrying a sack of mallipoo and tried to quickly cross the street before the signal turned red. It was very unfortunate that she got hit by a vehicle but still manages to see it as an episode that was meant to teach her the value of patience and carefulness in life.

The weather seemed like it would rain anytime, so Rani sat down on the verandah and handed over our malli. Amma went in to bring her a cup of chai and some pakodas she made and I sat down next to her and opened her big sack of mallipoo garlands and asked her, what this flower means to her. Rani was surprised by this question and said that though her entire livelihood revolves around this pretty flower, she has never spoken about what it means to her, to anyone. Amma joined us and as Rani sipped on her chai, she said she was enchanted by this flower when she was young, as her mother too, was a malli hawker. As a single parent, Rani’s mother had a lot of loans to repay and mallipoo was her only ray of hope, which earned them respect and their everyday food. It started to drizzle and as we dug into the pakodas, we listened to Rani narrate what her mother told her- “There are so many flowers, but there is something unique about malli. It is not just a flower that is appealing to the eyes, I also feel a strong connection with it. It is hard to explain, but I see malli as my guide in life.It feels like she holds my hand and leads me, even on days I feel exhausted. It has given me the motivation to survive every day by giving me an income and you would not believe this, I talk to the malli, while I wait for customers. Neither do I have any friends, nor do I have the luxury of time for all that. You do know how I run from pillar to post throughout the day, right? So I have befriended malli, and I tell her my dreams on days when I am happy and vent to her when times are tough. She is such a good listener! She has seen me evolve from a desperate 19-year-old widow to a 39-year-old contented woman, who knows she has raised her daughter with basic education and good manners. If at all I wish for something, it would not be that I would like to see you doing a “better” job, because I know how privileged it is to be associated with the malli rani. Valli, who sells fruits next to our stall aspires to see her daughter as an engineer but I would be filled with utmost pride to see you selling malli. If I have endured life’s hurdles, matured, and grown stronger over the years, it is because of the sweet fragrance through which malli has constantly spoken to me and told me that I too, can surge ahead in life. Likewise, if you are blessed, you too will learn from this malli rani, dearest Rani!”

Rani paused, smiled and listened to the drizzle weakening, and said, “...that was the day I knew it is an honor to be around this flower day in and out. The accident did upset me and made me think that life was unfair, but this little, fair flower helped me realize that my mother would not be proud of me to see me give up on life so easily when the two of us had faced tougher times. Malli, to me, is the ultimate rani- charismatic, empowering, and an inspiring leader”

The clouds had cleared by then and she got up to pick her sack up and leave for the next house. Amma walked in, collecting our tumblers and plates and I was sitting there, looking at my brother, who was listening to Rani all this while, trying to search for a good leadership course simultaneously. Both of us smiled at each other, realizing that there could never be a better course on leadership than what malli rani, the finest leader could do, to steer and uplift so many people’s lives. She acts as their Ted Talk and creates a livelihood for them so they can provide for their families. Having the power to empower, Malli rani is a true leader, who motivates people to take charge of their lives to gain a sense of purpose and identity of their own.