Stories
Udupi Sugandha: Temple floral waste transformed into eco-friendly incense sticks!
- •The Udupi district administration, in collaboration with the Muzrai Department and V Care Society, has launched the Udupi Sugandha project.
- •Flowers offered at temples are collected, dried, and processed into high-quality incense sticks and dhoop sticks without chemical additives.
- •A dedicated production unit has been established at Arehole Cross in Kirimanjeshwar village of Byndoor taluk.
- •Rural women from local self-help groups have been provided specialized training through the RUDSET Institute to manufacture products and earn an income.
- •The fragrant products will be marketed under the brand name Udupi Sugandha, promoting environmental conservation and women empowerment.
Key Questions Answered
The 'Udupi Sugandha' initiative is a district administration project in Udupi that recycles ritual waste flowers from major temples into fragrant products like incense sticks and dhoop sticks. It aims to blend religious sentiments, promote environmental conservation, and support rural women's self-reliance.
In the current phase of the initiative, arrangements have been made to collect ritual waste flowers from 78 major religious sites across Udupi. Udupi features over 800 Muzrai and non-Muzrai temples that generate massive amounts of daily floral waste.
A production unit has been established at Arehole Cross in Kirimanjeshwar village, Byndoor taluk. The project employs 27 rural women from the Sanjeevini Federation self-help group who received specialized training through the RUDSET Institute in Brahmavar.
