|
|
|
Spreading the fragrance
While passing through the Teen Hatti bridge one is greeted with the soothing, intoxicating, refreshing fragrance of roses, which gives respite from the polluted and chaotic atmosphere of the place suggesting the presence of many florists in the vicinity.
The area is certainly quite well marked for having a host of flower shops. Here, one can see a multitude of, small and big, flower stalls displaying heavy garlands made of motia and gulab, busy merchants transporting heaped flower baskets. The sight and smell are gripping and make one wonder about this business which is all about one of nature’s most beautiful thing — flowers and just flowers, the most pleasant way to express your sentiments. But it is not confined to one area alone. We find florist shops in almost all localities of the city.
Javed, who is into this fragrant business for the last 12 years old and runs his shop on Shaheed-i-Millat Road near Bhadurabad, says that red rose, which is universally praised for its rich fragrance and enchanting beauty remains the first choice of the people and is available at a varying price ranging from Rs10 to Rs80 a kg depending upon the season. And among roses there is a desi variety used mostly for garlands and gajaras prepared for the wedding occasions and English roses which come in different shades of pink, yellow and orange preferred for making bouquets and flower baskets as they have a long stalk and stay fresh for a longer period. The other types of flowers used are tuberoses, Jasmine, glades, motia and Merry golds. It is from Lahore and Hyderabad where there are farms that flowers are brought to Karachi in bulk and then distributed to local shopkeepers. Motia, cherished for its delicate scent is rated as the most expensive flower as there are occasions when it is sold for 800 rupees a Kg and marigolds commonly called as gainda is probably the cheapest variety as it can be easily cultivated everywhere.
If we think why we have so many flower shops at almost every nook and corner of the city, then certainly one cannot fail to trace the reasons. Certainly weddings remain the primary consumers of flowers, specially those available in the form of garlands. Just think how unattractive weddings would look if there would be no fresh flowers as we have a custom of taking along hars and gajaras for the bride and bridegroom and it surely enhances the charm of all the wedding occasions. Talking of garlands, it is learned that one can get a simple one for just ten rupees while the expensive one costs around 1,000. Javed seems much organized in this trade as he displays photos of different kind of garlands, which can be ordered. He further informs that decorating dhoola ki garhi and dulhan ka kamra is also a job for which he earns quite a handsome amount.
If you notice you will not find garlands hanging at these shops during the daytime when the sun is shining brightly and instead you will see some unattractive ones made of paper flowers. It was learnt that shopkeepers wait for the evening to display the real nice ones as in daytime flowers get wilted quickly. And truly flower shops wear an attractive look only at night when they switch on bright lights and have all types of bouquets and garlands for display. If you have been to Gulberg at night you can clearly picture the description as this area too has countless shops on both sides of the roads. One thing more, you will always find a deep freezer next to the shop as it is where they keep the left over ones to keep them fresh for a couple of days. But after this period they lose their freshness and fragrance and are sold at a throw away price.
Another florist, Umer, who has his shop outside Tariq Road’s graveyard says that their business shoots up on Eid and the wedding season and this is the time to make a profit. His father who is in the business since Pakistan was established and is also the grave-digger (goorkhan) at the graveyard says that flower baskets and bouquets are relatively a new addition as for generations they have sold conventional hars and gajaras. “As this is the Christmas and wedding season, more and more people, mostly women, come to buy flowers,” he says adding that this is also the season when the price of roses comes down like Rs15 a kg.
A florist might succeed in keeping the flowers fresh for a day or two but what happens when they become too drooped to be sold at even half the price? “We collect the left over garlands and lose flowers and put them on graves. This is also one more reason for the mass consumption of flowers besides weddings” he says with a rueful smile on his face.
|
|
|
|
