2018-05-31 Thu

Kurinji is a gregarious shrub found in the Shola forests of the Western Ghats. Nilgiri Hills, which literally means the Blue Mountains, got their name from this purplish blue flowers of Neelakurinji that blossoms only once in 12 years.

The plant itself is an indicator of the health of the ecosystem. It is believed that this shrub has medicinal properties and is recognized in the Ayurveda system. The Paliyan tribal people living in Tamil Nadu used it as a reference to calculate their age.

Besides the Western Ghats, Kurinji is also found in the Shevroys in the Eastern Ghats, Annamalai hills Idukki district and Agali hills in Palakad in Kerala.

India Post has issued a commemorative postage stamp on this beautiful Kurinji in 2006.

Image Source: Mintage World