The Jasmine--Malati, Malli, Mallika--Motiya- ,

The Jasmine in India- in Pooja and Culture.  

• The Jasmime is perhaps most used in South India esp. in our prayers and pushapanjali offerings. 
• This flower is known by several names –at pooja time, the priests says Malati  or Mallika  in pushpa archana--Sanskrit.
• Malli as it is called in South is a flower to offer and win a heart of all from the Gods to Mother to Wife or to sister or friend.Even in interior floral decorations esp at Weddings.
• Then  "Malli poo" the traditional  heart winning, loving present for many of us in South, esp.-when going home from office is used the Malli Poo & Jangri-packed in a small banana leaf ..a frequent order to the flower seller  “2 Molams of  strung (woven) Malli”  with Jangri (like Jelabi) or later replaced with a Cadbury Bar !! The Jasmine in bud  blooms and and gives its delightful fragrance in the evenings –
• But, remember: never store Malli flowers  in a fridge ..(even in a tin or packet) or delay use as they fade away and in a closed space the fragrance impacts everything else).
• Malli-Jaadi and various kinds of same is a common call for all occasions in South India especially.
• In Tamilnad the Jadi & Mullai jasmine flower dominate in demand for pooja or women’s wear -
• Many varieties exist’ some have fragrance  like the creeper type– Nithya malli ;
• Some are so pretty to look at eg.Gundu Malli – but without fragrance.
• But all have such beauty and the pristine white colour is absolutely Divine –thus in North  India it is referred to as Motiya pearls. 
• The Bhatkal Mogra jasmine used to taken from Bhatkal to far off places –such is it’s popularity and greatness and  pride of place in Karnataka. I was reading that Mogra transcends all faiths in Karnataka as the Muslims grow them, Christians sell them as wholesalers,  Hindus as Retailers and Users  (source :in Mangalorean .com) a few years back.
• Chameli or Motiya in hindi – compared to a Pearl
• Chameli, Juhi, Motiya, and sees many varieties—Mahli, Juie.
 

Flowers at Auspicious times- Vasant Pamchami, Mahashivratri, Vat savitri,  Gowri &Granesh pooja , SriKrishna Jayanti, Navaratri, Vaikunt Ekadashi,(from  Vasant-Spring time-- Magh Poornima to Sharad to even the Winter. ---TR