Mallika

Mallika is the Sanskrit word for a jasmine flower, the small white blossom that is strung into temple garlands and tucked into hair at weddings across India. By extension it also means queen, a metaphorical leap from the most prized flower to the most prized figure. Rendered मल्लिका, the name sits in three light syllables, MAL-lee-ka, the double consonant giving the opening its snap. Steady across Indian usage for generations and carried into film memory by Mallika Sarabhai and others. A name made of perfume and protocol at once, modest in sound and ample in association.