Mumbaikars cannot think of special occasions like Ganesha Chaturthi without Sonchampa / Sonchafa. The golden-yellow flower with small petals, it is a star at weddings and religious celebrations. Today, e-commerce sites like Amazon and Flipkart also sell Sonachampa. The demand is high. Vendors selling Sonchampa garlands are a regular sight on the streets of Mumbai.
Robert D’Britto, a 64-year-old farmer who saw entrepreneurial potential in this flower, is now earning lakhs. Earlier, in Mumbai, Mogra flowers, which is also known as Arabian jasmine, were used for pooja purposes. But, today Sonchampa that has 11 petals has taken that space. The Sonachampa plant usually grows from 8 to10 feet. The flowers would be green initially. Gradually, it will change to golden-yellow with a unique aroma. Sonchampa would not wither for days. And, they blossom throughout the year. One can harvest 150 to 200 flowers from a plant from March to October. Flowering slows down only in the winter. Though available in saffron, pure white and pale-yellow colours, the most popular is the golden-yellow Sonchampa. Grafted seedlings will start flowering within two years, and will continue for 35 to 40 years. However, it takes up to 12 years for the seedlings that sprout from the seed. The plant grows in any type of soil. But, it doesn’t flourish much in soil with so much moisture. Kudal, a town in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, is famous for grafted Sonchampa seedlings. Today Sonchampa is cultivated in about 25 villages in Maharashtra. The flowers that make Mumbai aromatic are a source of income for many farmers. What makes Sonchampa farming profitable is that it requires only limited care but would live for a long period.
