Mangaluru (TOI): In the early 1950s, the then parish priest of St John's Evangelist Church in Pangala, Father Basil Salvadore Peris, gave a bunch of jasmine creepers to 10 families, and predicted that they would transform their lives.
Today, the robust economy of Shankarapura village is testimony to Father Peris' prescient words. The jasmine plants the priest, who later went on to become the Bishop of Mangalore Diocese (1955-58), not only helped those families out of economic distress but have come to determine the very identity of the village. The flower, called Shankarapura Mallige, was accorded geographical indication (GI) status in 2008.
Although the jasmines grown in Shankarapura have their roots in plants grown in Bhatkal, they cost significantly more than those in their place of origin. The reason is the unique thread that binds the flowers together. While Bhatkal jasmines are bound together using ordinary thread, the ones in Shankarapura are tied with twine from dried plantain sheaths. While Bhatkal jasmines were sold at Rs 110 per atte (local measure) a week ago, the Shankarapura ones cost Rs 300. Nearly 70% of Shankarapura's population is involved in the cultivation of jasmine. Growing just 50 plants reportedly generates a revenue of nearly Rs 2 lakh per annum.
"My father told me Father Peris gave the plants to 10 families. We see the transformation now," said Elias Monis, 64, who's been growing jasmines since his childhood.
Nearly all 750 Christian families in the village are into jasmine cultivation. Monis is a contractor who plucks the flowers early in the morning. "As children, we would wake up at 5am to pluck the flowers and then head to school," he recalled.
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Although the Christian community pioneered the growing of jasmines in the village, it's Ramakrishna Sharma Bantakallu, president of the Udupi Mallige Belegarara Sangha, who owns the largest plantation. "My father, K Lakshminarayana Sharma, who taught Hindi at Bantakallu School along with principal Govinda Nayak, got a few plants from Bhatkal in the 1950s," he said.
Earlier, those wishing to sell jasmines had to cross the Udyavara river by boat and go to Krishna Mutt. "Now, agents come to us several times a day to collect flowers," he said.
Shankarapura jasmines are in high demand among coastal folk across India. The world over, people from these regions use them on auspicious occasions, and at times, Rs 25 lakh worth of jasmines are reportedly bought for marriage celebrations and decorations of pandals in Mumbai. "People paying such high prices for Shankarapura jasmine is a mystery. But we are not complaining," said Sharma.
The main markets are Mumbai, Mangaluru and Udupi, while the rest of the flowers are distributed in the local area. The price of the jasmines has plummeted this year. "Five years ago, I sold one atte for Rs 2,000. People were willing to pay any price. Now, they are selling for Rs 300, and only a fortnight ago, prices crashed to Rs 90," said Majid, a seller.
