During Onam, people in Kerala and Malayalis around the world celebrate with great joy, and vibrant colours. One of the main highlights of Onam is the pookalam, a floral carpet made with fresh flowers to decorate homes and open places. In pookalam competitions, groups come together as a team to create amazing designs that show both tradition and creativity. Competition prize winning pookalam designs are not just made for floral decorations but they take a lot of patience, planning, teamwork and a deep understanding of tradition. In this blog article, we’ll learn more about competition prize winning pookalam designs.
What is a pookalam?
The word pookalam comes from the Malayalam words, Poo which means flowers and Kalam which means art or design. A pookalam is essentially a floral arrangement made on the ground which is usually circular in shape. This symbolises harmony, prosperity and unity.
Traditionally, families used flowers from their gardens to make simple circular patterns during the ten days of Onam. Today pookalam can stretch across several feet, including dozens of flower varieties and depict everything from mythological gods to environmental messages.
What makes a competition prize winning pookalam design?
Not every pookalam wins a prize. The winning ones usually have a few things in common;
1. Creativity and Theme
The best pookalams tell a story. Some show King Mahabali being welcomed by his people, others highlight Lord Vishnu’s Vamana avatar, and many modern designs focus on themes like environmental protection or women empowerment.
2. Symmetry loves neatness
Judges often love neatness. A winning pookalam has a clean border, perfect symmetry and balanced detailing.
3. Beautiful colours
For pookalam, fresh flowers in bright shades like yellow marigold, red hibiscus, violet globe amaranth and white Jasmine are chosen.
4. Innovation
Creativity often wins hearts. Some teams add 3D effects by layering petals, while others use lamps or eco-friendly elements. A few even make pookalams that look like paintings when seen from above.
5. Team work and speed
As the time given for pookalam design is limited. So they worked together as a team that helps in working smartly and staying coordinated and usually finishing strong.
Popular themes that win competition
Over the years, some themes have become the most popular for pookalam designs, these are as:
1.Nature including birds and animals theme: This theme includes the design of birds, peacocks, elephants and forests.
2.Mythology theme: This includes the scenes of Mahabali, Krishna, or Kathakali faces.
3.Patriotism: This contains the Indian flag, freedom fighters, or national monuments.
4.Modern Messages: Including ideas like saving the environment, living together in peace, or global unity.
5.Abstract Art: Patterns and designs that simply focus on color and geometry.
Why are these pookalam competitions special?
Pookalam competitions are more than just festive fun. They keep traditions alive, encourage creativity and bring people closer.
- For children, it is a chance to learn cultural art.
- For students, it is a platform to showcase their talent.
- For communities, this competition is like an occasion to bond and celebrate together.
Prize winning pookalams often leave a lasting impression. They spread a message of unity, peace and responsibility all while being incredibly beautiful.
The Effort behind the competition prize winning pookalam designs
A winning pookalam design doesn’t just happen overnight. The preparation often begins days in advance;
- Sketching the idea – Teams sit together to decide on the theme and rough sketch.
- Sourcing Flowers – Thousands of flowers are bought or collected, sometimes at high prices during Onam.
- Preparing Petals – Cutting and sorting petals for shading is a tough task that requires patience.
- Execution – On the day of the competition, it’s all about teamwork, speed, and precision.
The effort behind each design is what makes the final result so meaningful.
Challenges Teams Face
Even the best pookalam artist deal with obstacles;
1.Flower shortage: The big problem is the shortage of flowers, as the demand for flowers during Onam is huge and price rises.
2. Weather: A small sudden rain can ruin hours of effort.
3. Time Pressure: Large and detailing designs require intense focus to complete in time.
4. Tough Judging: With so many talented teams, even excellent designs sometimes miss out on prizes.
Tips for creating a winning pookalam
If you are dreaming of winning pookalam, here are few simple but effective tricks;
- Choose a unique and meaningful theme.
- Play the design in advance on paper.
- Keep the borders neat and symmetrical.
- Use contrasting colours to highlight details.
- Divide work smartly among team members.
- Stay calm and focused even if you are under pressure.
Conclusion
Competition prize winning pookalam designs are not only the floral decorations, they are stories told with petals. Each design reflects tradition, creativity, and teamwork bringing communities together in celebration. Whether it is a simple circle design made by children or a masterpiece crafted by college students, the beauty of pookalam lies in the love and dedication behind it.
As Onam continues to be celebrated with joy, these competitions will remain a colourful reminder of Kerala’s rich culture and the timeless magic of flowers arranged with heart.