From a distance, the hills appear enveloped in purple hue. Don’t be mistaken: it is the Neelakurinji in bloom again.
However, it is not on the hills of Munnar but on the grasslands in the remote forests of Marayur and Kanthallur that the blooms are.
The delay in mass blossoming at the Eravikaulam National Park (ENP), the main destination of tourists to view Neelakurinji, is attributed to the recent heavy rainfall. However, there are isolated blooms at the park. In the interior forests of Marayur, the majority of the plants are in bloom, some in the budding stage.
The early flowering of Neelakurinji at Marayur, in the rain-shadow belt, has been attributed to the low rainfall in the area compared to Munnar. “Though Neelakurinji buds are ready for blossoming at the ENP and adjoining hills in Munnar, the rain has dampened the spirit. They will blossom within ten days,” said a forest official.
However, the main bottleneck is the Periyavarai bridge between Munnar and the ENP, which is being repaired following the flood devastation. It will take at least four days to make the bridge ready for traffic, the official said adding that tourists had started arriving and they crossed the river on foot. The massive flowering of Neelakurinji in the Marayur area is on the Anjunattampara hills close to a tribal settlement and on Vellimala near the Ollavayal tribal settlement at Kanthallur. This is in addition to the flowering, though partially, on the side of the Perumala road and at private holdings at Kanthallur.
Though Maryaur is considered the prime area for large-scale blossoming of the flower, a better view of the bloom can be had from Rajamala in the ENP and adjoining hills. Inaccessibility and curbs on entering the forest areas here make this visual feast inaccessible to ordinary visitors.
Though it was expected that the mass flowering will be visible at Munnar and Marayur by August-September, the monsoon divided the two region in its natural clock of flowering season.
“The buds seen nearly two months ago are now in full bloom at Marayur,” says Chandrasekhar, who resides at Marayur. He said the budding period of Neelakurinji was same at Munnar and Marayur, though the flowering was delayed in Munnar.
