Decorating for a griha pravesam
The entrance, the pooja room and the kitchen: where décor matters most for a housewarming.
How fresh flower décor stays fresh in Chennai heat
Buying at dawn, misting and shade: how we keep thoranams bright from morning muhurtham to evening reception.
Flowers wilt fastest in heat and dry wind, and Chennai has plenty of both. Our day starts at Koyambedu market before 4 am, when growers arrive with the night’s harvest. Marigold, jasmine and roses are chosen by hand and loaded into a covered van.
At the warehouse, flowers are kept in shade and misted with cool water while the team strings them. Jasmine is strung last, because it opens quickly and loses its scent by evening if strung too early.
On site, we hang thoranams away from direct sun where possible and mist them every two hours for daytime events. For long weddings, we bring a second batch of jasmine for the evening.
Marigold is the most forgiving flower in our climate. It holds its colour for a full day, does not drop petals easily and tolerates heat, which is why it has been used for festival décor in South India for so long.
