Neelakurinji

Why in news?

• The Neelakurinji flowers that blossom once in many years have turned the green patches of hill stations in Chikkamagaluru purple-blue.

About Neelakurinji:

• Neelakurinji is the famed shrub found in Western Ghats, covering the slopes of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
• Neelakurinji blooms once every 12 years.
• Besides the Western Ghats, Neelakurinji is also seen in the Shevroy in the Eastern Ghats, Sanduru hills of Bellary district in Karnataka.
• The flower has no smell or medicinal value.

Add ons:

• Nilgiri Hills, which literally means the Blue Mountains, got their name from the purplish blue flowers of Neelakurinji.
• Kurinjimala Sanctuary of Kerala protects the kurinji in Kottakamboor and Vattavada villages in Idukki district.
• The Paliyan tribal people living in Tamil Nadu used it as a reference to calculate their age.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Consider the following statements regarding ‘Neelakurinji’

1. It is found in both Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats

2. It blooms once in every 72 years

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer