Explained: What is the relevance of ‘thumba’ flower during Onam?

Kozhikode: Today marks Atham, the first day of the Onam festival, and with it comes the search for the traditional ‘thumba poovu’ (leucas aspera), a symbol of the celebration. Despite its importance, finding this elusive flower is a challenge. The thumba, which is crucial for Onam floral arrangements, is scarce, and those who remember its abundance in the past find it increasingly rare.

Thumba flower’s role in Onam traditions

In the past, the search for thumba was almost a ritual in itself. However, today, it’s a struggle to find thumba plants even in areas that once flourished with it. 

Thumba, alongside a tulsi leaf, is traditionally placed at the centre of the pookalam. On the first day of Onam, Atham, the pookalam is adorned solely with thumba flowers. Thumba flower is also used to decorate the idol of Mahabali, known as Thrikkakarayappan. Beyond its decorative purposes, the thumba plant is valued for its medicinal properties and is commonly used as a remedy for snake bites and scorpion stings.

Search for the thumba flowers

There are still places where thumba can be found, such as some local temple premises in Kozhikode. There, some thumba flowers are blooming, though many are not. Most local temple premises also have an abundance of tulsi and other flowers.

Local social activist T. V. Praveen reminisces about a time when thumba was more plentiful. The temple family members Pushpa and Sumesh recall that during the Thira festival at the temple on the third Saturday of Makaram, deities such as Kariyathan, Bhagavathy, and Bhuvaneshwari were honoured, and the whole field would be ploughed as part of harvest celebration. However, this year, the harvest of thumba seeds were not saved like past years, leading to a noticeable decline in the number of thumba plants and flowers.

Despite the decline, local children like seventh-standard student Vaishnavi and her sister Vedika continue the tradition of picking thumba flowers early in the morning, even as fifth-grader Abhinam shows less enthusiasm.

Thumba, a symbol of nostalgia

These delicate white flowers, often found in Kerala’s backyards, evoke a sense of nostalgia among Malayalis, symbolising the essence of Onam. With the availability of more visually appealing flowers in the market, the use of thumba has declined, despite its historical and medicinal significance. The flowers used for Onam in Kerala now largely come from outside sources, with other white coloured flowers (jasmines, tube roses) grown elsewhere being colourful substitutes for the traditional thumba.

The effort of finding even a single thumba flower remains a cherished part of the Onam preparations for many in the community.