Conversations with flowers
Chennai is home to one of the largest wholesale flower markets in the country, Koyambedu, where the day begins long before sunrise. As early as 3 am, vendors unpack sacks of jasmine, roses, marigold, and many others, readying them for retailers. For decades, it's been pookaara annas and akkas selling uthiripoo (flowers before they are stringed together) and katunapoo (stringed flowers) on foot or on cycles, in bustling streets or outside temples. They meet the everyday needs of the city households — flowers for puja rooms, festivals and fashion purposes.
But a quieter and more aesthetic revolution is blooming. Mobile flower carts, also called 'Flowers on Wheels', once limited to Pinterest and European flea markets, has found its way into the city. A new generation of entrepreneurs is reimagining how flowers are sold, seen, and shared.
For the love of flowers
It'd be hard to miss this bicycle stationed near Anna Nagar Tower metro in the evenings. Packed with fresh flowers inside a minimalist rear basket, this cycle is turning heads. 'I love flowers, and I want everyone who loves them to buy them without the hesitation of pricing,' says Sowjiknr, one of the co-founders of Poo Stories.
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