Summary:
Udhagamandalam: In a first, the Nilgiris district administration has celebrated kurinji blooms by conducting a ‘Kurinji Festival’ on Kalhatti slopes near Ooty on Monday.Kalhatti slopes witnessed blooming of the flower, known as Strobilanthes kunthianus, in abundance after a gap of 12 years.Inaugurating the festival, district collector J Innocent Divya said, “Blooming of kurinji after 12 years is an added attraction to the district. The inauguration function was attended by Rajya Sabha member K R Arjunan, Coonoor MLA Shanthi A Ramu and other officials.Visitors were attracted to the mass flowering of kurinji on Kalhatty slopes. Except north eastern slope, other major flowering areas reported a few blooms.The full bloom of kurinji is very short. This is the first time a festival for kurinji blooms is conducted in the district.”The government is considering operating special buses to Kilkotagiri and Kalhatty to see the flowers, she said. The festival is to create awareness among the people and tourists about the importance of the bloom..