Once-in-12-year Flowering Spectacle Neela Kurinji: Not only in Kerala but in Uttarakhand also

Once-in-12-year Flowering Spectacle Neela Kurinji: In Kerala & in Uttarakhand too 

In his address to the Nation on the occasion of Independence day in 2018, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has referred to Neela Kurinji flower. This flower blossoms once in 12 years.

Neela Kurinji has blossomed in 2007 after 1995 in Uttarakhand. Now in 2019, it has again turned the whole forest in blue. Tourists  are thronging in to the forest of Uttarkashi to see this spectacle of nature. Neela Kurinji blossoms in abundance in Uttarakhand also. Its beauty and fragrance  is no less than that of Kerala. But Government and Forest department is not aware about it. No proper attention is paid to its protection, and also for its publicity to attract tourists in large number.

Munnar of Kerala is better known in the world for the Neela Kurinji flower. Hills of Munnar are transformed into blue due to blossoming of Neela Kurinji every 12 years. That is why hills of this region are also called Neelgiri. In Kerala Neela Kurinji blossomed in 2018, and now expected in 2030.

There are 46 species  of Neela Kurinji flowers in India. Most of them are found in Munnar of Kerala.

Let us now visit to the land of Neela Kurinji, Eravikulum Park, Munnar Kerala.

Photo (c) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Photo (c) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Besides the Tahr, perhaps the crowning glory of the park area is the once-in-twelve-year flowering spectacle resulting from mass flowering of the shrub Neelakurunji (Strobilanthus Kunthianum). This phenomenon was last recorded in 2006 and now in 2018.   When it comes to faunal wealth in the park area, giving company to the Nilgiri Tahr are the rare Nilgiri marten, ruddy mongoose, small clawed otter and dusky striped squirrel. Elephants make seasonal visits to the park area.