₹150 per muzham for Mullappoo - Did I get scammed
My daughters have a school function tomorrow, and she had been asking for mullappoo (jasmine string) since yesterday.
Stop 1 (Kumarapuram nearby shop): Out of stock. People were already crowding around asking for flowers
Stops 2 & 3 (Around Kochulloor): Visited two different spots. Both empty.
Stop 4 (Pazhavangadi, near the temple): Shopkeeper said the last batch literally just got sold out, but directed me towards SP Fort Hospital.
Stop 5 (Opposite SP Fort): Finally spotted flowers! There was a small queue. When the lady ahead asked the price, the seller quoted ₹150 per muzham (മുഴം).
At that point, after driving all over the city and running out of options for tomorrow's school event, I just handed over ₹500 and took whatever he gave. In the rush, I didn't even stop to measure if it was actually 3+ muzham.
On the ride back, my daughter casually drops: "Wait, didn't we buy this for ₹50 before?"
Now sitting at home wondering: Is ₹150/muzham normal during evening peak demand / school event seasons in TVM? Or did I just pay the ultimate "desperate dad at 9 PM" tax?
What’s the going rate for mullappoo in your area right now?