Neelakurunji...

Nature is magical and it is full of wonders. Neelkarunji is one of the many wonders of Mother Nature. When they grow in an area it seems as if the whole area has been bathed blue. It’s an awestruck, fantabulous, moment; there are no adjectives to define the moment.

If you are planning to go for a trip then it is the best “YEAR” because you can have look at this beautiful landscape in Munnar near Kerala. “Year” yes you read it right it’s the best year because these plants flower only once in 12 years. Last time they flowered in Munnar was in 2006 and they were supposed to flower next time in 2018 but due to climatic changes they are flowering in 2014. Gregarious flowering of neelakurinji takes place once in 12 years and between July and December. The peak season will be between August and September.

 

As there are different species of kurinjis with different flowering cycles, blooms are seen at varying intervals. P. K. Uthaman (then field publicity officer of Government of India) has reported seeing eight species of Neelkarunji bloom at Eravikulam National Park in 1988. However, the flowering cycle for a particular species remains the same, but there might be variations triggered possibly by local weather.

There is a group of plants in the locality whose flowering cycle is four years ahead of the rest of the community in the region. However, one could not be sure whether these plants would survive for the next season. Stray flowerings of kurinjis do occur annually towards the end of the 12-year flowering cycle. A few plants here and there may throw up an inflorescence while the other plants remain without flowers. What triggers the massive flowering every 12 years is not known.

 I am awestruck by this magical phenomenon of nature, a beautiful flower that grows every twelve years. Mother Nature is truly magical.

(Shreya Karunakaram)