Bommai makes a statement with unique Sirsi garlands

BENGALURU: It was a bow of honour to unique artisans of Sirsi when Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai presented sandalwood garlands handmade by them to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and senior BJP leaders during his visit to New Delhi last week.

These garlands, or Manipushpa Malas as they are called, are the costliest sandalwood garlands at Rs 2,145 per creation and have a signature red dot in each flower that resembles a ruby stud (mani pushpa). They are much sought after because of the intricate craftsmanship and floral patterns involved.

While BS Yediyurappa had carried sandalwood garlands and artifacts worth over Rs 10 lakh on his last visit as chief minister to New Delhi, Bommai chose to purchase 17 Manipushpa Malas at the State Government-run Cauvery Emporium in the national capital.

Officials from Cauvery Emporium and Karnataka Bhavan in Delhi told The New Indian Express that Bommai, who is from North Karnataka, chose these garlands to promote artisans from the region. “These are newly-designed garlands and each flower has a red stud pattern at the centre, resembling a mani, thus the name. It is a piece of wood around which the flower is woven and covered with a red cloth. We are proud that the talent of artists from Sirsi has been honoured,” said a senior official from the Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation Limited.

D Roopa, Managing Director, KSHDCL, said, “This is the first time that Manipushpa Malas were presented to national political leaders. The corporation is a medium for artists to showcase their unique works and get recognition.

“An artist said, “We thought our work is used for religious and political functions or to garland statues. It was a good gesture by the chief minister. We are working on creating more such unique designs. It takes time to make these garlands as they are handcrafted.”