TAMIL NADU NATIONAL LAW SCHOOL

( A State University Established by Act No.9 of 2012 )

Navalur Kuttapattu, Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli - 620 009. Tamil Nadu

Geographical Indication Tag for Madurai Malli

DATE OF SUBMISSION
09/04/2016

SUBMITTED BY
Karamchand Kandasamy
I, B.A., LL.B. ( Hons.)
Registration Number: BA0150020
E-mail: karamchandramalingam@gmail.com

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 Declaration

I, R. Karamchand Kandasamy, hereby declare that this project work undertaken

and submitted by me as a part of internal assessment for Sociology - II paper is

an original work by me and is not submitted to any other university for
assessment or examination.

Date: 09/04/2015 Student ID No: BA0150020

Place: Tiruchirappalli Student Signature: R. Karamchand Kandasamy

Submitted to Course Faculty: Ms. Hemalatha Bhatt

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 Table of Contents

Introduction ..... 4

Glimpses of the History of Madurai Malli ..... 4

Madurai Malli in the Temples ..... 5

Jasmine cultivation ..... 5

Ideal Topography of the region ..... 6

What makes Madurai Malli unique ..... 6

Harvest ..... 7

Price fluctuation ..... 7

Role of Commission Agents ..... 8

Flower Vendors and Weavers ..... 8

GI Tag ..... 9

Questionnaire ..... 11

Conclusion ..... 17

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 Geographical Indication Tag for Madurai Malli

Introduction

The present project titled '' Geographical Indication Tag for Madurai Malli " is a study of
the Methods of cultivation, Unique biological features and the Market value of Jasminum
sambac popularly known as the Madurai Malli and about the GI Tag given to this certain
breed of jasmine flowers. The jasmine flowers cultivated in and around the southern districts
of Tamil Nadu and in particular the district of Madurai from where these flowers get their
name ( Madurai Malli ) is the first flower breed in the state of Tamil Nadu to get the GI Tag (
Geographical Indication ) of the Indian Government. With its unique fragrance, size and
shape the Madurai Malli has a distinct reputation all over the globe.

Glimpses of Madurai Malli's History

Madurai's unique link with the jasmine flowers dates back to 300 BC. There are extensive
references about the flower in the Sangam literature ( the ancient Tamil poems sung during
the period of 300 BC to 300 AD ). One of the Sangam poems describes how Pari ( a famous
Tamil king ) could not bear to see a delicate jasmine creeper lying on the forest floor and he
gifted his royal chariot to the plant so that the jasmine creeper could twine itself around the
chariot. According to another mythological story, Parthan ( the king of Ayodhya ) was called
' Malleeswaran ' as he worshipped Lord Shiva in a forest filled with jasmine creepers. The
flower is also mentioned in the Vedas ( ancient Hindu scriptures ). It is also mentioned in one
of the two Indian Epics, the Mahabharata which was compiled around 500 BC. These
references reveal that from ancient times jasmine was considered a sacred flower and was
grown widely in gardens. Even today throughout India jasmine garlands and jasmine flowers
are believed to be an embodiment of purity and peace. Madurai has emerged as the major
market for the Madurai Malli grown in its neighbourhood and has evolved as the Jasmine
Capital of India.

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Madurai Malli in the Meenakshi Amman Temple

Madurai's legacy as the jasmine capital of India is closely related to the large number of
temples in the city, the most famous of these temples is the world famous Madurai
Meenakshi Amman Temple. Madurai Malligai has always starred prominently in various
ceremonies and rituals and festivals of the Madurai Meenakshi Temple. Elaborate pujas are
performed along with Abhishekam and Alankaram ( ritual bathing and decoration of the
deity ) 6 times a day in the temple and Madurai Malli is used extensively in all of these.

The White colour of the jasmine flowers denotes Saathvika Gunam ( peaceful mind ) and
the flower is said to bring Moksham ( liberation from the cycle of birth and death ) to those
who offer it in worship to Meenakshi Sokkanaadhar ( Lord Shiva ) and his consort
Meenakshi Amman. The flowers are traditionally strung with banana fibre.

During the Artha Jama pujai ( the last worship offered to the deity for that day ) is
performed in the Meenakshi Amman temple at 9 p.m. every day and the deity is adorned only
with jasmine flowers and jasmine garlands and flowers of any other colours are not
acceptable at that time of worship.

Jasmine Cultivation

The farmers from the Madurai, Dindigul, Theni, Sivagangai and Virudhunagar districts
cultivate these flowers in a very large scale. Certain areas in and around Madurai such as
Aruppukkottai, Natham, Melur, Thirumangalam, Perungudi, Uthappanaickanur,
Ammainaickanur and Nilakottai are well drained and have sandy loam soil ideal for the
cultivation of these flowers. The farmers plant the jasmine cuttings either during September
or October. Flowering starts within 6 months from the time of planting and the season
continues throughout the year, the peak being reached during the summer ( April to July ).
The plants are pruned regularly, manuring is a must for the jasmine plants and it is split into
two where one is done after the annual pruning and the second one during the months of June
to July. Each plant is manured with 10 kgs of farm yard manure, 60 grams of Nitrogen and
120 grams each of phosphorous and potassium. The manure is spread around the jasmine
plantings and then the pesticides are sprayed. Once in 6 years they are uprooted and for a
year, crops other than jasmine are planted to help the soil regenerate or else the yield tends to
decline.

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Ideal Topography of the Region

The topographical condition of Madurai ( that is spread across the other 4 districts too ) is
ideal for cultivation of Madurai Malli, but the shoots are always nurtured in and around
Rameswaram. Branches are cut from the jasmine plants here are taken to Rameswaram to be
nurtured. From there the farmers buy them again. For three months after buying the shoots,
they take care of the shoots like their children. During the three months, the shoots require a
balanced amount of rain and sunlight. After they are cultivated, they give the farmers yield
for 10 to 15 years. One acre of jasmine farm requires 2000 to 3000 shoots.

What Makes the Madurai Malli Unique

1. The Fragrance of Madurai Malli lasts for 36 hours. The laterite and red soils of
Madurai are rich in sulphur which is essential for the formation of the alkaloids such
as jamone and alphaterpineol and these alkaloids are the reason behind the heady
fragrance present in the jasmine flowers.

2. The Petals of Madurai Malli is thicker and these thick petals allow the flowers to
retain their moisture and delay the process of withering. They also give firmness to
the flowers and this makes it easier to weave them into various patterns and into
garlands.

3. The Stalk of the flower has a length that is almost equal to the length of its petals and
is also bulky. The length and width of the flowers' stalk makes it easy for the flower
weavers to tie the flowers closer, which is not possible with the jasmine flowers from
other places. Madurai Malli is woven in five different forms namely

Uruttu Kattu

Pattai Kattu

Kadhambam Kattu

Maalai Kattu

Thirumbipaar Kattu

4. The Colour of Madurai Malli is also a distinctive feature. It is greenish white when it
is picked up from the plant, after a few hours it turns milky white and in the evening it
turns creamy white with a tint of silver shine.

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 5. The Freshness of Madurai Malli is the major reason for its uniqueness. Normally
jasmine flowers cultivated in other parts of India blooms around 5 p.m. But the
jasmine flowers from Madurai blooms only after 6.30 or 7 p.m. And the flowers stay
fresh for a longer period of time than the other flowers.

Harvest

The flowers are cultivated across 900 acres of land in the district of Madurai alone. The
annual yield from Madurai is around an average of 489 tonnes. The yield of the flower is at
its peak between the Tamil months of Chithirai and Aadi ( the corresponding months between
April to July ). The yield is low between the Tamil months Aippasi and Thai ( the
corresponding months between October to January ). The quantity of Madurai Malli
arriving at the flower markets in Madurai has declined over the years due to various reasons
such as scarcity of rainfall and fertility of the soil. The scarcity of rainfall over the last six
years has drastically reduced the yield. 10 years ago an acre land used to yield 40 to 50 kilos
of Malli everyday and now the yield has reduced to 5 to 10 kilos per day. 6 years ago at least
15 tonnes of Madurai Malli arrived at the flower markets in the city every day between
February and November. It has declined by 30 per cent and now it is between 10 to 12 tonnes
a day. The Madurai Malli has thick petals and strong fragrance.

Price Fluctuation

The yield of the flower is at its peak between the Tamil months of Chithirai and Aadi (the
corresponding months between April to July), but when the yield is at its peak the price drops
to Rs.10 per kilogram. The yield is low between the Tamil months Aippasi and Thai (the
corresponding months between October to January). The price of Madurai Malli goes up to
Rs.1000 sometimes even Rs.2000 per kilogram during these months as the yield is very low.
Price fluctuation causes heavy losses to the small scale farmers supplying flowers to perfume
manufacturing companies. The farmers cultivating these flowers feel that the price should be
stabilised to protect their interests.

The Role of Commission Agents

After the harvest the loads of Madurai Malli are taken from the fields to the flower market.
There, the flower loads are handed over to the commission agents. The prices are then fixed
by the agents. Mostly the flowers are sold to the customers only through the commission
agents. The commission agents employ accountants to maintain the accounts. The

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accountants usually determines what is the due to each farmer and hand over the money to
them. The commission agents also give loans to the farmers ( who have very little liquid cash
and they find it difficult to meet their expenses ) and thus maintain a hold over them.

Flower Vendors and Weavers

A large number of people in Madurai have the cultivation and trade of Jasmine as their
livelihood. These flower vendors and weavers are to be seen everywhere in the city. Outside
the temple walls, along the pavements, the flower vendors settle for the day. The temples and
devotees support the jasmine flower industry in a big way. Women carrying flower-laden
baskets selling the flowers along busy roads and Men peddling their bicycles with flower
baskets and selling the flowers is a common sight. Eventually they make their way to their
little nooks in the markets, in bus stands and in other crowded places to await more
customers.

Karthiga

She is 16 years old. Her father remarried after her mother's death. She has her school
bag tucked near her basket of flowers. ' I go to school in the morning and sell
flowers every evening' she says.

Subbulakshmi

Seated at the entrance of the famous Meenakshi Amman Temple, Subbulakshmi had
been selling jasmine flowers for the past 40 years. All her family members are into
this business and she says that they are happy doing that. 'The prices go up and come
down, but whatever happens, happens' she says calmly as she weaves the jasmine
flowers.

The vendors measure and sell strands of flowers by their arm's length. It is called as Muzham,
It is the length calculated from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow. The price of a
muzham of jasmine varies depending on the intricacy of the design and on how close the
flowers are tied and also on the freshness and fragrance of the jasmine flowers.

The jasmine flowers are also sold as loose flowers. The customers can buy these flowers and
string the jasmine themselves. The loose jasmine flowers are called as Udhiri Malli Poo.

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Geographical Tag for Madurai Malli

The application for the GI tag was jointly filed by the Madurai Malli Farmers' Association,
Kurinji Vattara Kalanjiam and the DHAN Foundation, Madurai. The application for GI tag
was made in June 2000 and after a gap of 12 years the Mandatory 4 month Notification for
GI tags was published on 11th of September 2012 in the GI Registry Journal. 4 months after
the publication of the notification, Madurai Malli was given the GI Tag on 16th of January
2013. This is the second GI tag for Madurai after the GI tag for "Madurai Sungudi Sarees"
and the second for Jasmine flowers after the GI tag for the "Mysore Malli".

The GI tag will reinforce Madurai Mallis identity in the global market. The tag puts the
flower in a Premium category and will to help preserve the biodiversity of Madurai and
protect the legitimate rights of jasmine cultivators. Farmers also feel the GI tag would
improve the export orders and also eliminate adulteration when exported. At times jasmine
from other places were mixed with the Madurai Malli while being exported to countries such
as Singapore and the unique fragrance of the flower is lost. Now if someone does the
adulteration, the person might land in jail and in addition he should be paying a hefty fine.
The unauthorized use of Madurai Malli's brand name in the national and international
markets will attract imprisonment of 2 years and a fine of rupees 2 lakhs.

Sudarsana Natchiappan, the then Central Minister of Commerce and Industry

meets the Jasmine Traders after the GI Tag was given to Madurai Malli

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The then Central Minister of Commerce and Industry E.M. Sudarsana
Natchiappan played a vital role in getting the GI Tag for Madurai Malli.

Questionnaire

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 Respondent No 1 : Natchimuthu Gender : Male Age : 39

BPL
Religion
SI NO Number of Members Education Occupation Monthly Caste or
H /M /C APL
in the Family Income

Hindu
1 Natchimuthu Illiterate Flower Vendor 7,000 MBC

2 Subbulakshmi Illiterate Flower Vendor 5,000 MBC Hindu APL

3 Divya School Nil Nil MBC Hindu

going

Occupation and Income profile of Respondent

1. Traditional occupation : Agriculture worker

2. Are you continuing your Traditional occupation : No

3. Own Land / Tenant : Tenant

4. If Yes / No what is the reason : It is not profitable

5. Present Occupation : Flower Vendor

6. Mode of income : Irregular

7. Any other source of Income : Rent / Property / Lease : No

8. When did you get into this occupation : 2008 Experience : 8 Years

9. From whom do you buy the flowers : Flower stalls in the Flower Market

10. To whom do you sell your flowers : Random Customers

11. Do you know about the GI Tag for jasmine flowers : No

12. Do you think it is useful Yes / No / No Idea : No idea

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 Respondent No 2 : Suresh Gender : Male Age : 28

BPL
Religion
SI NO Number of Members Education Occupation Monthly Caste or
H /M /C APL
in the Family Income

Hindu
1 Suresh 12th Std Stall Owner 35,000 BC

2 Manickam Illiterate Farmer 10,000 BC Hindu APL

3 Guruammal Illiterate Home Maker Nil BC Hindu

Occupation and Income profile of Respondent

1. Traditional occupation : Jasmine cultivation

2. Are you continuing your Traditional occupation : Yes

3. Own Land / Tenant : Own land

4. If Yes / No what is the reason : We sell jasmine flowers cultivated in our own fields

5. Present Occupation : Flower Stall owner

6. Mode of income : Regular

7. Any other source of Income : Rent / Property / Lease : No

8. When did you get into this occupation : 2011 Experience : 5 Years

9. From whom do you buy the flowers : Own cultivation

10. To whom do you sell your flowers : Flower weavers and customers

11. Do you know about the GI Tag for jasmine flowers : Yes

12. Do you think it is useful Yes / No / No Idea : Yes, it is useful

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 Respondent No 3 : Puzhalendhi Gender : Male Age : 29

BPL
Religion
SI NO Number of Members Education Occupation Monthly Caste or
H /M /C APL
in the Family Income

Hindu
1 Puzhalendhi 10th Std Stall Owner 40,000 BC
APL
2 Gomathy Graduate Home Maker Nil BC Hindu

Occupation and Income profile of Respondent

1. Traditional occupation : Jasmine Cultivation

2. Are you continuing your Traditional occupation : Yes

3. Own Land / Tenant : Own land

4. If Yes / No what is the reason : We sell jasmine flowers cultivated in our own fields

5. Present Occupation : Flower Stall owner

6. Mode of income : Regular

7. Any other source of Income : Rent / Property / Lease : No

8. When did you get into this occupation : 2012 Experience : 4 Years

9. From whom do you buy the flowers : Own cultivation

10. To whom do you sell your flowers : Flower weavers and customers

11. Do you know about the GI Tag for jasmine flowers : No

12. Do you think it is useful Yes / No / No Idea : No idea

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 Respondent No 4 : Azhagesan Gender : Male Age : 40

Religion BPL
SI NO Number of Members Education Occupation Monthly Caste
H /M /C or
in the Family Income
APL

1 Azhagesan Illiterate Commission 28,000 BC Hindu APL

Agent

Occupation and Income profile of Respondent

1. Traditional occupation : Fruits shop owner

2. Are you continuing your Traditional occupation : No

3. Own Land / Tenant : Tenant

4. If Yes / No what is the reason : It was not profitable

5. Present Occupation : Commission Agent

6. Mode of income : Irregular

7. Any other source of Income : Rent / Property / Lease : No

8. When did you get into this occupation : 2004 Experience : 12 Years

9. From whom do you buy the flowers : Small scale farmers

10. To whom do you sell your flowers : Stall Owners

11. Do you know about the GI Tag for jasmine flowers : Yes

12. Do you think it is useful Yes / No / No Idea : No idea

Respondent No 5 : Kandasamy Naicker Gender : Male Age : 61

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 BPL
Religion
SI NO Number of Members Education Occupation Monthly Caste or
H /M /C APL
in the Family Income

Hindu
1 Kandasamy Naicker Illiterate Jasmine Trade 2,00,000 BC

2 Manikavalli Illiterate Home Maker Nil BC Hindu

APL
3 Rajashekar Graduate Govt Servant 45,000 BC Hindu

4 Kumaresan Graduate Govt Servant 50,000 BC

Hindu

Occupation and Income profile of Respondent

1. Traditional occupation : Jasmine cultivation

2. Are you continuing your Traditional occupation : Yes

3. Own Land / Tenant : Own land

4. If Yes / No what is the reason : We sell our flowers to Exporters

5. Present Occupation : Jasmine cultivation

6. Mode of income : Regular

7. Any other source of Income : Rent / Property / Lease : Yes

8. When did you get into this occupation : 1980 Experience : 36 Years

9. From whom do you buy the flowers : Own cultivation

10. To whom do you sell your flowers : Jasmine flower Exporters

11. Do you know about the GI Tag for jasmine flowers : Yes

12. Do you think it is useful Yes / No / No Idea : Yes, it is useful

Respondent No 6 : Samy Doss Gender : Male Age : 45

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 BPL
Religion
SI NO Number of Member Education Occupation Monthly Caste or
H /M /C APL
in the Family Income

Christian
1 Samy Doss Graduate Jasmine Export 90,000 SC

2 Rose Emilda Graduate Textiles Sale 25,000 SC Christian APL

3 Sharon School Nil Nil SC Christian

going

Occupation and Income profile of Respondent

1. Traditional occupation : Agriculture

2. Are you continuing your Traditional occupation : No

3. Own Land / Tenant : Tenant

4. If Yes / No what is the reason : Lack of time and interest

5. Present Occupation : Jasmine Export

6. Mode of income : Regular

7. Any other source of Income : Rent / Property / Lease : No

8. When did you get into this occupation : 2000 Experience : 16 Years

9. From whom do you buy the flowers : Large scale farmers

10. To whom do you sell your flowers : Customers from other Districts and States

11. Do you know about the GI Tag for jasmine flowers : Yes

12. Do you think it is useful Yes / No / No Idea : Yes, it is useful

Conclusion :

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From the current project, we come to know about the Historical traces of Madurai Malli and
the long relation between the Jasmine flowers and the ancient city Madurai. We also come to
know about the Jasmine cultivation, trade and export which has become a identity of the city.
It is clear that the growth rate of jasmine has gone down in the recent years and the yield is
becoming less. It speaks about the unique features of Madurai Malli that makes it famous
throughout the Globe. We also know about the topographical conditions aiding for the growth
of the flowers. The current project describes the price fluctuation and other such problems
faced by the jasmine farmers in detail. The day today life of Flower stall owners,
Commission agents and flower vendors and weavers. The GI Tag given to the flowers will
reinforce Madurai Mallis identity in the global market. The tag puts the flower in a Premium
category and will to help preserve the biodiversity of Madurai and protect the legitimate
rights of jasmine cultivators. Farmers also feel the GI tag would improve the export orders
and also eliminate adulteration when exported. At times jasmine from other places were
mixed with the Madurai Malli while being exported to countries such as Singapore and the
unique fragrance of the flower is lost. Now if someone does the adulteration, the person
might land in jail and in addition he should be paying a hefty fine. The unauthorized use of
Madurai Malli's brand name in the national and international markets will attract
imprisonment of 2 years and a fine of rupees 2 lakhs.

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