Ketaki price skyrockets on Maha Shivratri

Berhampur: Prices of ketaki (screwpine) flower skyrocketed on Mahashivratri on Saturday, when it is offered to the deity. Ketaki, which blooms only during this time of the year, was being sold in Silk City and nearby areas between Rs 300 and Rs 800 per piece depending upon its quality. “While kewra grows abundantly in at least six coastal blocks of Ganjam district, ketaki is very rarely seen,” said Sushant Kumar Nayak, a kewra grower in Golantara area. Demand for ketaki is high on Mahashivratri as devotees offer the flower to Lord Shiva, he added.Devotees believe that their wishes would be fulfilled by offering ketaki flower to the deity.“Mahashivratri is the only day ketaki flowers are used,” said Ashok Kumar Padhy, a priest.“I paid Rs 500 to buy one flower while the price was Rs 300 last year,” said Sudesh Patra of Braja Nagar area.The demand for the flower was low in the last two years because of restrictions on celebrations due to the Covid pandemic.
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