We give flowers a second life

Pakka Organics is a Hyderabad initiative that turns floral waste from religious ceremonies and Ganesh visarjan into products people can use in their own prayers.

A heap of discarded garlands and flowers mixed with litter at a collection point

Sacred flowers are becoming an environmental burden

Every day, tonnes of flowers offered in worship end their journey as waste. Left in lakes and dumps they rot, pollute the water and add to the load on the city's sanitation teams.

Temples, markets, events and parks all produce them. It is a steady stream of clean organic material that nobody was using.

1,16,100 tonnesof easily degradable green waste reported in Hyderabad in December 2024
0.84 tonnes a dayof floral waste recorded from just 20 sampled flower shops
Up to 225 kgof floral waste per event at sampled function halls
45 to 60 kg a dayper temple during major festivals

Sources: Soundarya et al. (2021); GHMC-reported data, 2024.

Offeredin worshipCollectedat kiosksSorted andsun-driedPowderedand rolledLit againat homeNothingwasted

A circular model, from floral waste to livelihoods

Floral waste is collected from municipal collection points, markets and temples. It is cleaned, segregated, dried and ground into a fine powder, which becomes chemical-free incense, dhoop and natural colours.

The flowers go back into worship, and the work of making them stays with local women.

Devotional. Sustainable. Livelihood.

See the five steps

Our journey since September 2025

  1. September 2025

    We start collecting

    Pakka Organics begins collecting discarded flowers in Hyderabad and drying them to make incense.

    Marigold, rose and other petals drying on nets under a covered yard
    Petals drying by type at our yard.
  2. Ganesh Chaturthi 2025

    First immersion-lake collection

    Floral waste is collected and recovered from the immersion lakes at Bachupally, Pragathinagar and IDL Lake.

  3. Ganesh visarjan 2026

    Collection kiosks with the municipal corporations

    We run flower-collection kiosks at IDL Lake in Kukatpally, Saroornagar and Malkajgiri. Devotees hand over garlands before the idol goes for immersion.

    The Pakka Organics collection kiosk at IDL Lake, Kukatpally, with the banner "We give flowers a second life"
    Our kiosk at IDL Lake, Kukatpally, an initiative supported by Cyberabad Municipal Corporation.
  4. Today

    19.8 tonnes of flowers recycled

    And a growing range of incense, dhoop, bath care and puja products made in Hyderabad.

19.8tonnes of flowers recycled

Our impact so far

Every kilo is a flower that was collected, sorted and dried instead of being thrown away.

  • September 2025when we started collecting
  • 6 to 8 womenemployed and trained
A woman sorting marigold flowers by hand at an immersion site

Livelihoods for women

Local women and self-help groups are at the centre of this work. They are trained in collecting, segregating and processing floral waste, and in making the finished products.

Turning flowers into something of value gives them skills, income and a say in keeping their own neighbourhoods clean. Six to eight women work with us today.

Floral waste collection banner and team at Malkajgiri

Working with the city

The collection drives are run alongside Hyderabad's municipal corporations. The IDL Lake kiosk was supported by Cyberabad Municipal Corporation, and in Malkajgiri the floral waste collection was carried out with Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation.

For the 2026 immersion season, devotees across the city were asked to separate floral offerings before idol immersion, with dedicated collection points for flowers.

See the press coverage
Pakka Organics incense, dhoop and natural colours on display

What the flowers become

Recycled flowers are the raw material for our incense sticks, dhoop and natural colours.

Our incense is flower-based and charcoal-free. It is rolled by hand and made to be lit once and burn fully.

Shop products Natural colours

Have flowers to give?

If your temple, function hall or event has flowers after a ceremony, message us and we will tell you how to hand them over.

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