The Car Street was filled with flowers of various hues on the occasion of Deepavali in Udupi on Tuesday.
The 800-year-old Sri Krishna Math and the Ashta (eight) Maths are located on the Car Street.
A large number of people visited the Car Street to buy flowers for the festival. The flower sellers, who had come from the neighbouring districts of Hassan, Shimoga, and Chikmagalur, to sell flowers, sat in neat rows on either sides of the street. They were selling flowers, including ‘chraysanthemums’, ‘zinnias’, jasmine (kakada), marigolds, rose and crossandra (firecracker flower). These sellers usually hire a vehicle to bring their flowers. The flowers are packed in such a manner that they stay fresh. The sellers had reached Udupi at the crack of dawn on Monday. After reaching the Car Street here, they parked themselves in an orderly manner and sat beside one another and began selling their flowers. Demand determines the price of flowers. Santosh, who had come from Bairapura village in Chikmagalur district, said he had brought flowers worth Rs. 25,000. “My sales were better today (Tuesday) when compared to yesterday”. Parmeshi, another seller from Chikmagalur, said the flower sellers had pooled in Rs. 400 each for transportation. “My sales are satisfactory,” he said.
Raju, a flower seller from Holenarsipura in Hassan district, said the flower sellers came to Udupi during all important festivals to sell their flowers.
Neelamma, a flower seller from Konnur in Hassan district, said the customers were discerning. “They purchase only fresh and good-looking flowers,” she said.
Bhadre Gowda, from Ishwarahalli village from Chikmagalur district, said he cultivated marigold and chrysanthemum on half an acre of his field.
Prashanth from Hassan district also cultivated chrysanthemums, crossandra (firecracker flower) and jasmine on half an acre of land. Both had come here to sell their flowers themselves.
But Ramesh from Kadur in Chikmagalur district said he had purchased flowers from nearby villages.
“I bought flowers worth Rs. 20,000. If I sell them all, I can make a net profit of Rs. 5,000,” he said.
