Gudalur is shrouded in mist and kurinji. These clusters of bell-shaped flowers have burst over the hills, after eight years, painting them violet

“What is special is that it has bloomed at Tamil Nadu’s newly notified reserve forest in Gudalur, the Nilgiris,” says Supriya Sahu , Additional Chief Secretary, Departments of Environment, Climate Change and Forests. The kurinji is not just a rare flower, but also an indicator of climate change. The flowering offers an excellent barometer of the grasslands. Where there are healthy grasslands , there is mass flowering, while disturbances lead to patchy flowering. “When you provide protection and conserve the area, kurinji will certainly bloom and will bring along with it a lot of wildlife,” she adds.

Supriya Sahu says the Tamil Nadu Govern

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