The light, lazily emerging through the fog, reveals blue flower-covered slopes. All throughout the Western Ghats, from Kerala and Tamil Nadu to Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra, the shola grasslands are now in full bloom.
Even the arid hills of the ghats become verdant after the monsoon rains, and silvery waterfalls and rushing streams and rivulets dot the landscape. Soon after the end of the monsoons, the Western Ghats are covered in a blanket of mauve with deep blue neelakurinji (Strobilanthes callosa) flowers. Visitors from all over India go there to see the annual blooming of the flower, which occurs anywhere from the middle of September to the beginning of November (the dates vary every year depending on the climate).
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Over fifty Strobilanthes species have been discovered; all but one are unique to the Ghats and have distinct life cycles. The plant dies after flowering, and its seeds are left in the ground. Once every 12 years, the Strobilanthes kunthiana at Munnar will bloom. Some plants only bloom every eight years, while others bloom every four years, while yet others bloom every year. The flower's natural life cycle is a marvel of the natural world since it is followed year after year. These flowers may be found in a wide range of colors, from pure white to deep red.
Hues from Nature
Since 2012, the Sahyadri mountain range's Kaas plateau (also spelled Kaas pathar) has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its exceptional natural beauty. The plateau, located at an elevation of about 1,200 meters above sea level, is covered with a kaleidoscope of white, yellow, and pink flowers after the rains. The transformation of the formerly desolate plateau into a sea of tiny wildflowers is startling. This spectacular event only lasts a few days, but it is definitely worth seeing at least once in your lifetime. If you want to visit the 'valley of flowers,' you'll need to make a reservation in advance online.
This year saw the first flowering of Strobilanthes kunthiana in Kallipara, Idukki, Kerala. Visitors from all around flocked to view the unusual guest. The mauve patches that graced the hills in Kallipara were different from the mass blossoming observed before in Eravikulam.
Kallipara, which is under the Forest Department's watchful eye, has two entrances and costs 20 to enter. From the peak of the hill, you get a panoramic view over both the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Visitors flocking to observe the natural phenomena flocked to the Malaya side of the hill. However, beyond the hill, nature and peaceful paddy fields awaited.
Strobilanthes may be seen in both Kodaikanal and Ooty. The blooms may also be spotted in secluded gardens and plantations. However, many people are hesitant to spread the word for fear of an influx of visitors who have been known to rampage through the area, ripping flowers from their stems and uprooting plants.
The endangered Neelakurinji is only found in the Western Ghats. The villages of Kottakamboor and Vattavada in Idukki's Devikulam Taluk are home to the plant, as is the 32-hectare Kurinjimala Sanctuary, located about 45 kilometers from Munnar.
In the meanwhile, several species in Goa and parts of Karnataka bloomed after eight years. Goa Botanical Society member Miguel Braganza claims that the eight-year flowering time of the Strobilanthes callosa plant, native to both Goa and Karnataka, is accurate.
Amboli, Kalsa Bhandura, and Chorla Ghat in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, as well as Belgaum and Dharwad districts in Karnataka, all lie within the Sahyadri mountain range that separates Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Goa. It has recently been in full bloom at Ponda, Goa, a former part of the realm of the Sondekar Raja.
Eravikulam's Strobilanthes kunthiana and Chorla Ghat's Strobilanthes callosa will both bloom in the year 2030. At Nirankal in Ponda, you can see a few plants in bloom, and the communal flowering at Maharashtra's Amboli Ghat should continue till the end of the month.
Transforming portions of the Western Ghats, the spectacular blooming of the Kurinji is only one of several factors. Although summertime plateaus may seem desolate, a number of species, including Bladderwort and Droscera indica, bloom there. These elevated areas are increasingly being seen as promising places to put factories. These ecosystems are very delicate and need to be safeguarded.
(Edited by : Jerome Anthony)
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