I met Thiru Mariappa outside the Nellaippar temple in Tirunelveli and he was deftly stringing these Gundu Malli flowers also known as Madurai Malli. It is also known as Sambac Jasmine or Arabian Jasmin. Madurai Malli growers say that it has a deep fragrance, thick petals, lengthiest petioles and delayed opening of buds, delayed petal discoloration, and long shelf life! I bought these flowers in the evening, wore it and kept it aside in the night while spraying some water and could reuse it again the next day.

The flower proudly bears the distinction of being the first in Tamil Nadu to receive a Geographical Indications (GI) mark in 2013. Growers are legally protected by the GI Tag and this registration, and only those engaged in cultivation are permitted to use the term “Madurai Malli.