TULUNGAGUNG – Ramadan grave pilgrimage traditions in Tulungagung, East Java, are driving a seasonal surge in income for local flower sellers, as families visit cemeteries ahead of the Islamic holy month.

In the week leading up to Ramadan 1447 Hijri, cemetery areas across Tulungagung have grown crowded. Residents arrive with relatives carrying packets of mixed flowers to scatter on family graves, following the long-standing Javanese tradition known locally as Geren.

For small vendors, the ritual brings a sharp rise in sales.

Dini, 36, who has sold flower packets outside a neighborhood cemetery in Kepatihan for years, said her earnings typically double before Ramadan.

“Sales increase by up to 100 percent because of the Geren tradition,” she said.

She sells each packet for 5,000 rupiah (about $0.30). The mix includes ylang-ylang, rose, and boreh flowers, along with a small bottle of perfume oil used during the ritual scattering.

On peak days, she can earn up to 500,000 rupiah in net profit.

Another vendor, Nurokhim, 42, from Sanggrahan village in Boyolangu district, reported a similar trend. He said this year’s pre-Ramadan period has nearly doubled his usual revenue.

He noted that visitor traffic now remains high throughout the week, not only on weekends. Pilgrims arrive steadily from morning until late afternoon.

The Geren tradition holds deep cultural meaning in Tulungagung. Families visit graves before Ramadan to pray, remember ancestors, and reconnect with family roots ahead of the fasting month.

For vendors, the annual pilgrimage season provides vital income. Many rely on the short but intense surge in demand each year.

Flower sellers say they hope the tradition continues. Beyond its spiritual value, they say, it sustains small local livelihoods and seasonal micro-economies around cemeteries.