India, October 17, 2026: On the fragrant kumkum and its legacy. The Hindu reported the development.

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While kumkum is an ubiquitous part of most Indian homes and festivals, its presence is magnified during Navaratri throughout India for pujas, to adorn deities and, for kumkumaarchana offerings.

Usually created by mixing dried turmeric powder with slaked lime to turn the yellow spice into a deep red, in South India, a flower is added to make it a more auspicious offering.

The fragrant screw pine flower ( thaale hoovu in Kannada, thazhampoo in Tamil and ketaki pushp in Sanskrit) grows wild in coastal and humid regions across South India and is used to make fragrant kumkum.

S crew pine (Pandanus Odorifer or Pandanus Fascicularis) thrives along sandy beaches and ocean edges, river beds, backwaters and marshy water bodies where the soil is moist and tropical.

The story is filed under Lifestyle. Rajasthani News is carrying the opening of that report and will revise this copy only when a later account confirms something new.