Marigold flowers have a romantic story of the two lovers, Xóchitl and Huitzilin, attached to them.

The two lovers, Xóchitl and Huitzilin, would often walk up to the top of the mountain. Once, they reached the top, they would leave flower offerings for the sun-god: “Tonatiuh”.

The flower offerings were made to show or to swear their love and commitment to one another.

Huitzilin gets killed in one of the battles. This makes Xóchitl sad. The disturbed and upset Xóchitl prays to the Sun god to reunite them on earth.

“Tonatiuh”, the sun-god, observed her offerings and prayers. He fulfilled her wish, by sending a ray of sun that transforms her into a flower.

The flower, or Xóchitl, is a marigold flower, which is as golden as the sun. The sun –god, reincarnates her lover, Huitzilin, as a hummingbird.

When Huitzilin, now, the hummingbird, goes to Xóchitl, now, the marigold flower, with his beak, her twenty petals bloom, filling the air with the marigold flower’s distinctive and powerful scent.

Ever since then, the marigold flower has become a part of the “Día de Muertos” celebrations.

The happy and bright colours of the marigold flowers are a way to celebrate life instead of being sad about death.

Marigold flowers, with their fragrance and bright colours, are believed to draw in the spirits.

Hence, these flowers are used to decorate altars, gravesites and shrines erected to honour and remember the dead.