The Hindu : Kerala News : The wilting spectacle at Munnar

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Friday, Oct 20, 2006
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The wilting spectacle at Munnar

K.S. Sudhi

Unprecedented rain has played the spoil sport

BLUE NO MORE: The incessant rain that lashed the hills in the past several weeks has resulted in Neelakurinjis losing their colour.

Munnar: The purple blue spectacle— Neelakurinjis— is wilting. Sad are many nature lovers at the early departure of blue blooms.

None other than the Nature, which has presented this rare feast for eyes, is to be blamed for the wilting of flowers.

Unprecedented rain has played the spoil sport. The incessant rain that lashed the hills during the past several weeks has resulted in the flowers losing their colour.

Despair is writ large on the face of hundreds of visitors, who have been reaching Rajamala these days. Even after patiently waiting in the queue for up to five hours for watching the flowers, what they could witness was the patches of Neelakurinjis (Strobilanthes kunthiana) that have lost their colour and charm.

Though the visitors may not be able to see the Kurunjis in full bloom and glory from close quarters, Nature has tucked away its priceless flowers in the hill slopes that are inaccessible to the visitors.

From the last point of Rajamala, where the trekking path of visitors end, one could see the Nayakolli Mala draped in the purple blue floral carpet.

The slanting rays of the evening sun playing hide and seek with the rain clouds added a mystique touch to the splendour of the floral carpet over the faraway hills.

Large tracts of Kurunji flowers have bloomed at Samba Mala, Umaya Mala, Kari Kombu Mala and also the core areas of the where visitors are not allowed entry.

"What you could see from the last point is just one per cent of the Kurunjis that have bloomed. The unprecedented rain has robbed off the floral charms in the areas where one could see the flowers," says Roy P. Thomas, Wildlife Warden of Eravikulam National park.

By the present rate of decline, the flowers may last till mid November. Otherwise, it would have remained there in full bloom till December, says Mr. Thomas.

So far, 1.70 lakh visitors have reached the park and the maximum visitor turn out on a single day was 5,473.

It is mostly during the weekends and holidays that the visitors are reaching the park.

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