Varanasi Women Turn Temple Flowers Into Income, Empowering 200 Families

Varanasi: Disposal of flowers offered at temples and other religious sites is a major challenge for various civic bodies. But a group of women in Varanasi are putting these flowers to use to improve a large number of lives. They are utilising these flowers to make incense sticks, dhoop, beauty products, basil powder and vermicompost.

These products provide substantial income for around 200 women of the Pindra block of the district who process these flowers for making a variety of products.

Varanasi Women Turn Temple Flowers Into Income, Empowering 200 Families (ETV Bharat)

Komal Singh of Banaras has played a significant role in empowering these women to become self-reliant. She runs a private organisation that not only provides a market for the products made by these women but also partners with temples to procure flowers from them.

The women engaged in making various products disclosed that the flowers are brought from the temple and then segregated. These flowers are dried in the sun and later ground into powder that is used as a base for making various items used for worship.

Varanasi Women Turn Temple Flowers Into Income, Empowering 200 Families (ETV Bharat)

Komal is a single mother who understands the difficulties of life. With a motive to help women, she has directly and indirectly involved 200 women in this work.

She explained that flowers are brought from 70 temples in Varanasi, including the Kaal Bhairav temple, Khatu Shyam temple and Durga temple. “Every day, 700 kg of flowers and garlands are ordered. The women clean these and segregate them. Those in slightly better condition are dried and used to make products like incense sticks, dhoop, beauty products and vermicompost.”

Varanasi Women Turn Temple Flowers Into Income, Empowering 200 Families (ETV Bharat)

Reshma, who is involved in this activity, said that poor rural women are involved in this work. She supports her children’s education and expenses through this activity. She started making products from these flowers in 2024, and now she earns more than Rs 200 every day.

She said, “Now I do not have to depend on anyone else for my needs.”

There are many others from her village who are also supporting their families by carrying out this work.

Komal explained, “I will take this to an even higher level, and we will produce various products on a large scale and provide them with a market.”

Varanasi Women Turn Temple Flowers Into Income, Empowering 200 Families (ETV Bharat)

She said the aim is to employ over 1,000 women by engaging them in this work.

“Online platforms are also being used to market these products, and this needs to be expanded further,” she added.

She further elaborated that these products are being supplied to various parts of the city. Customised flower products are also being created for individuals.

Incense sticks made by Banaras women (ETV Bharat)

“Each woman makes over 200 incense sticks daily. Our goal is to ensure that women earn a good income from this work,” she added.

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