In search of my Kurinji: The Tale of a Land across Time

Kurinji laden hills of Munnar 

It is difficult to describe a scene as breath taking as the kurinji laden hills of Munnar. As hill after hill sways in waves of violet aura, dancing to the tune of the mountain breeze, one sheds away everything mundane in this life, and garbs the mantle of a moon struck poet, or a mute philosopher, maybe just a loony lover wondering at the intangible splendor that nature unveils to a chosen few. Soon, on the slopes were seen the Nilgiri Tahr, sometimes entire groups of them, and I envied them for their beautiful abode. They pranced the heights and contemplated the plains below, and many were cud chewing placidly, looking at the human aliens with a rather bored wariness. We stopped at the disembarkment point and I got down along with others to walk up the hills. We were warned not to wander away from the path or disturb the quiet of the hills or the habitat of the Tahrs. I reached the top point and sat on rocky promontory with a spectacular view of the entire region. The splendor of the blue mountains, the swooning beauty of the sea of blue buds beneath and the airy blue above, I felt I was drowning in all the beautiful blues of the world, body and soul dyed in indigo blue, a blue speck in the sublime flow of  life. As a traveler who had travelled many an untrodden path, I could nevertheless say that the glory of that Neelakurinji morning was something I had never experienced anywhere else. The sounds of voices faded away and I lost track of time as I sat contemplating those dancing blue hills. This unique phenomenon happens only once in every twelve years and I ruminated on how many Kurinji blooms one could possibly see in one’s lifetime. Finally I gathered myself up reluctantly to walk down to the point from where I had to take the van back.  The Nilgiri Tahrs were promenading down the slopes, flaunting their amazing skills on the steep slopes. I got into the van and as it moved on I felt was leaving some part of me behind on these rolling hills of blue and violet. The Anamudi, the highest peak in South India, towered in the distance, but my heart was on the gentler slopes of azure beauty.
 

Focus of 2018 Kurinji

Responsible Kurinji tourism

How we are going to control this year’s kurinji is a major challenge for the entire people. . more

The Changeover is not positive

Balan Madhavan says he has travelled extensively between 1988 and 2018 in this region.more