Tertius News is an AI-native newsroom: an AI model reads the linked source articles below and extracts what each outlet reported, so you can compare their coverage side by side. How this works →

3,000 dhotis bloom into an Onam Pookkalam in Kochi

Ramraj Cotton created a 30-foot-diameter 'Mundukalam' at Forum Mall in Kochi, using nearly 3,000 dhotis to form a traditional Onam pookkalam. The installation earned a place in the Asia Book of Records as the largest pookkalam made using mundus.

By Tertius News AI Desk 2 outlets · 2 articles Version 1 Coverage Aug 22–23, 2026 Published 2d ago

A Fabric Floral Carpet for Onam

In Kerala, the humble white dhoti, known locally as the 'mundu', is usually worn, not arranged in a flower carpet. This Onam, however, nearly 3,000 of them have been made to bloom. At Kochi's Forum Mall, Ramraj Cotton has created a spectacular 30-foot-diameter 'Mundukalam', transforming the traditional Kerala garment into an enormous pookkalam, the floral carpet synonymous with Onam celebrations.

The unusual creation has earned a place in the Asia Book of Records as Asia's largest pookkalam made using mundus, as reported by Lokmat Times. Deccan Chronicle similarly reported that Ramraj Cotton entered the Asia Book of Records for creating 'Mundukalam', a 'largest pookalam display created using dhotis'.

The Installation and Its Recognition

According to Deccan Chronicle, the Mundukalam was created at Forum Mall, Kochi, on August 9, using around 3,000 dhotis and measuring 30 ft in diameter. The Asia Book of Records award was presented by Sanjay Bhola, adjudicator, Asia Book of Records, to K.R. Nagarajan, founder & chairman, Ramraj Cotton, and B.R. Arun Eshwar, managing director, Ramraj Cotton.

Lokmat Times described the installation as a striking visual spectacle that has drawn crowds of visitors to the mall. Mundus in a variety of colours have been meticulously arranged into an elaborate design, creating a giant canvas of colour and pattern.

Cultural Significance

The installation brings together two powerful symbols of Malayali culture: the traditional garment worn by generations of Keralites and the colourful floral carpets laid outside homes during Onam. Every year, as Onam approaches, homes across Kerala begin preparing pookkalams with flowers gathered from gardens, markets and surrounding countryside. The floral designs grow larger and more elaborate as the festival progresses, symbolising prosperity, togetherness and the joyous welcome extended to Mahabali, the legendary king whose annual return is celebrated during Onam.

The Mundukalam takes that familiar tradition and replaces petals with fabric, turning thousands of pieces of clothing into a giant canvas of colour and pattern. For Ramraj Cotton, the initiative is also a celebration of the dhoti itself, a garment that, despite the changing fashions of modern India, remains deeply woven into Kerala's cultural identity.

Brand's Perspective

K.R. Nagarajan said that this Onam, creating a Mundukalam with nearly 3,000 dhotis allowed them to bring together the spirit of Onam and the legacy of the dhoti in one celebration, as quoted by Deccan Chronicle. The initiative gives a contemporary twist to one of Kerala's oldest festive traditions, framing the record-setting display as both a cultural tribute and a celebration of the brand's signature garment.

How each outlet told it

Deccan Chronicle as of Aug 23, 2026, 1:45 AM UTC

Framing: Headline 'For a Change, Mundukalam for Onam' suggests a lighthearted or whimsical twist, but does not mention the record or the location. Headline is available and emphasizes novelty. — celebratory and promotional, e.g., 'spectacular Mundukalam' and 'bringing together Kerala’s festive tradition... in a new form.'

Facts Included:

Ramraj Cotton entered the Asia Book of Records for creating 'Mundukalam', a 'largest pookalam display created using dhotis'.
The Mundukalam was created at Forum Mall, Kochi, on August 9.
It used around 3,000 dhotis and was 30 ft in diameter.
The award was presented by Sanjay Bhola, adjudicator, Asia Book of Records.
The award was received by K.R. Nagarajan, founder & chairman, Ramraj Cotton, and B.R. Arun Eshwar, managing director.
Nagarajan said the initiative brings together the spirit of Onam and the legacy of the dhoti.

Read the source article →

Lokmat Times as of Aug 22, 2026, 9:16 PM UTC

Framing: Emphasizes the novelty and visual spectacle of the pookkalam made from dhotis, using the verb 'bloom' to personify the fabric. Leaves out the commercial/business angle of the brand's record-setting achievement. — celebratory and descriptive, e.g., 'a striking visual spectacle' and 'turning thousands of pieces of clothing into a giant canvas of colour and pattern.'

Facts Included:

Nearly 3,000 dhotis (mundus) used to create a 30-foot-diameter 'Mundukalam' at Kochi's Forum Mall.
The installation is a pookkalam, the traditional Onam floral carpet.
It earned a place in the Asia Book of Records as Asia's largest pookkalam made using mundus.
The mundu is described as a humble white dhoti, a traditional Kerala garment.
The installation draws crowds of visitors to the mall.
Background on Onam pookkalams: homes prepare them with flowers, symbolising prosperity, togetherness and welcome to Mahabali.
Ramraj Cotton's initiative is framed as a celebration of the dhoti itself, which remains part of Kerala's cultural identity.
The article is credited to IANS and auto-published from an agency feed without modifications.

Read the source article →

What was claimed, and who backed it

Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status counts the distinct outlets we found asserting it — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.

Claim	Confidence	Status
ClaimRamraj Cotton created a 'Mundukalam', a pookkalam (Onam floral carpet) made using dhotis, at Forum Mall in Kochi.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusMulti-source (2 outlets) via Deccan Chronicle as of Aug 23, 2026, 1:45 AM UTC, Lokmat Times as of Aug 22, 2026, 9:16 PM UTC
ClaimThe Mundukalam is about 30 feet in diameter.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Deccan Chronicle as of Aug 23, 2026, 1:45 AM UTC
ClaimThe Mundukalam was created on August 9.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Deccan Chronicle as of Aug 23, 2026, 1:45 AM UTC
ClaimThe Asia Book of Records award was presented by Sanjay Bhola, adjudicator.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Deccan Chronicle as of Aug 23, 2026, 1:45 AM UTC
ClaimThe award was received by K.R. Nagarajan, founder & chairman of Ramraj Cotton, and B.R. Arun Eshwar, managing director.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Deccan Chronicle as of Aug 23, 2026, 1:45 AM UTC
ClaimK.R. Nagarajan said that creating the Mundukalam brought together the spirit of Onam and the legacy of the dhoti.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Deccan Chronicle as of Aug 23, 2026, 1:45 AM UTC

Transparency & Audit Trail

2 outlets · 2 articles consulted: Deccan Chronicle, Lokmat Times 6 claims extracted Version 1 Written 2026-08-23