Neelakurinji season concludes in Chokramudi and Korandakkad

Another Neelakurinji blooming season is drawing to a close at Chokramudi and Korandakkad in the Munnar hills, even as an active bloom is set to unfold at Meesapulimala soon.

This year, Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) bloomed primarily across the Chokramudi hills, which is under Forest department, and Korandakkad under the Kanan Devan Hills Plantations (KDHP). Several smaller hills across Munnar also witnessed blooms this season.

As the season winds down, the encroachment-hit Chokramudi hills marked a remarkable revival for the flower. In August 2024, a section of Chokramudi hills in Bison Valley panchayat made headlines following illegal construction and large-scale encroachment on revenue land. Following reports of the violations, local residents in Bison Valley formed the Chokramudi Protection Council and launched widespread protests, prompting the government to take over the disputed land.

For the past two months, the once-threatened slopes across Chokramudi remained carpeted in blue.

Noted botanist and Neelakurinji expert Jomy Augustine described the bloom as a natural ecological revival. “Once the flowering season concludes, seeds will fall to the ground by January, and new seedlings will germinate by June. By 2038, these hills are expected to witness their next mass bloom,” Dr. Augustine said.

He added that the resurgence of the Kurinji highlights the urgent need to protect such sensitive ecosystems. Chokramudi was opened to tourists on August 24 and closed on October 10, while Korandakkad welcomed visitors between September 2 and closed on October 10. According to officials, thousands of tourists visited both destinations to catch a glimpse of the purplish-blue slopes.

Meanwhile, the bloom is shifting towards higher elevations at Meesapulimala, managed by the Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC). KFDC managing director Raju K. Francis stated that the hills are expected to open to visitors starting next week. “The KFDC is finalizing arrangements to welcome tourists,” he said.

Experts noted that the Meesapulimala bloom will peak during the last week of October and last through December, as Neelakurinji typically begins flowering at lower elevations before advancing to higher elevations.