People are impressed, excited and complimentary about the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s new app for Apple and Android cell phone and tablet systems called “Lifestyle Thailand.”   It is a FREE download, has wonderful, colorful graphics and gives the user a wonderful experience.  If you are taking a trip to Thailand, it is mandatory; for all others, it is just plain amazing.

The app is suitable for iPhones, iPads, iPod Touch and all Android systems 2.2 and up.  It is unique, interesting and provides information like reading an animated travel brochure.  Reviews are favorable with a 5 star rating.

One screen features eight lifestyles that can enjoy Thailand:

Chic.  For Glamorous, glitzy and fabulous experiences.

Romantic. Perfection for Honeymoons.

Breezy. Sun worshipers and beach bunnies and bums unite.

Thainess. Learn and admire the heritage trail and people.

Adventurous. Lots of action for those who want it.

Wellness. Cleanse, refresh and relax the inner person.

Easy N Slow. Explore the life and locale.

Family. Enjoy togetherness in Thailand.

Another screen shows four categories of information:

Accommodations, such a hotels, spas and resorts.

Restaurants, that serve the wonderful crispy, chewy, spicy and sweet and sour Thai food. Restaurants such as the Sala Rim Naan in the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok. A magical memory is created after one has crossed the River Menam Chao Phraya in an old fashioned teak ferry boat, and brought into the pavilion, had their shoes removed and escorted to a table. It can be a memorable experience to enjoy the great spicy food with a cool singha beer, sweet music and dancers of the old Siam court. 

Things to do, from visiting temples to enjoying cinemas, to shopping and just enjoying scenery and relaxing.

Attractions, such as the many in Bangkok. The sky train; Temple visiting; Jim Thompson House; Central World Plaza; and Era wan Museum.

The app also has network sharing ability, hot deals and images of Thailand in 360 degree images.

The lifestyle, with its tropical clime and laidback attitude is a big attraction, but Key West
also offers sophisticated dining, world class theater and cultural offerings; it’s a major
cultural center for artists and writers – well known for art galleries and literary seminars, as
well as a hot spot for just plain fun – fishing, sailing, kayaking, kite boarding or just relaxing
at the pool or the beach with a margarita. It’s live and let live and be sure to have a good time
doing it!

The residents of the city have made sure that any new buildings and property changes have
not affected the character of their beautiful town. The historic preservation district is overseen
by a town citizen’s board that ensures the architectural integrity of Old Town is preserved.
Many of the Southernmost City’s homes were built in the mid and late 19th Century, lending
a great character and sense of place. The city’s early development, founded on the wrecking
industry of the early and mid 19th century lends an adventurous tone to the town – you almost
expect to see pirates walking the street – and during festivals, you often do!
The city has a lot to offer in the way of real estate, with historic houses, waterfront condos,
and townhouses up for sale … though current market conditions do show recovery and
stability and it does seem to be the time to buy, says local top producer, Rudy Molinet. Learn
more about the quaint architecture of the Southernmost City, its attractions and the vibrant
Key West real estate  market – after all, once you visit, if you’re like most people, you will want to live here,
too.

The bell and drum were originally used as musical instruments in China.  Afterward  they were used for telling time.  Telling the time by bell and drum played an important role in helping people live and work regularly when there was no other means to keep track of the time.  As a result, bell and drum towers became public architectures, and were widely constructed in almost every city throughout the country since the Han Dynasty. In the history of their construction, the bell and drum towers of Beijing are the largest and highest. Their layout is unique, in that they were placed fore-and-aft, not as the traditional sense of standing right-and-left horizontally.

Lying to the north of Beijing-south axis line in Dongcheng District, the bell and drum towers are visibly prominent constructions and represent the symbol of this old city. They were built in 1272, and rebuilt twice after two fires.

Bell Tower

This brick and stone towers have two floors: there is an arched door on all four sides of the tower on the first floor, and you can go up to the second floor through stone stairs. The same exists on the first floor. An arched door was also built on the four sides of the second floor.  Additionally, there is a stone window on each side of the four doors. Hanging on an eight-square wooden frame of the second floor, the bell in this tower is the largest and heaviest in China. It is 7.02 meters  high including the pendants, with a weight of 63 tons.  The bell was made of copper, and you can hear its round and clear sound from far away. The two 2-meter-long  wooden logs hanging sideward are used to ring the bell.

Drum Tower

Located 100 meters  south to the bell tower, the drum tower was placed on a 4-meter-high   stone and brick base.  It is 46.7 meters   high, a little bit lower than the bell tower that is 47.9 meters high . This tower is also a two-storey building; the first floor contains the China Committee for the Promotion of the Minority Art. The second floor contains the exhibition area.  Originally, there was one big drum and 24 smaller drums, but only the big drum remains. The method of beating the drum is to beat it quickly for 18 times and then slowly for 18 times. Altogether there are three rounds and 108 tollings. People knock the bell and the drum 108 times, because 108 times represent one year in ancient times.

The Big Bell Temple of Beijing

The Great Bell Temple is located on the northern western of Beijing city, No. 31 Western Section of the North 3rd Ring Road .  Built in 1733, the temple houses the largest bell in China. In addition, the temple also has a small ancient bell museum and some Chinese ancient bells displayed.

The biggest bell known as China’s “King of Bells”, which is 6.87 meters high, 3.3 meters in diameter, 0.22 meter thick and 46.5 tons in weight. It is hangings in the bell tower at the rear of the compound. The tower is 16.7 meters high with a square base, a circular upper structure and windows on four sides. It is said the bronze bell was cast during the Yongle period (1403-1424) of the Ming Dynasty, so the bell is called Yongle Big Bell.

According to the test by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Yongle Bell’s loud and clear sound reaches up to 120 decibels and can be heard 50 kilometers away in the depth of night. Music experts of the Chinese Acoustics Institute have found its tone pure, deep and melodious with a sprightly rhythm. Its frequency ranges from 22 to 800 hertz.

Forbidden City (Palace Museum)

The Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace or Palace Museum, is located in the center of Beijing. Built between 1406 and 1420, it was the imperial residence of 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing (1368-1911) dynasties. Today it has become one of the most important tourist attractions in Beijing.

The entire palace area, rectangular in shape and 720,000 square meters in size, takes up one-third of the 8 kilometer-long central axis of Beijing’s old city proper, from the city gate of Yongdingmen on the south to the Drum and Bell towers on the north. This harmonious assemblage of buildings displays the best characteristics of Chinese architecture — majestic style, flawless construction, and fine coordination of the whole and the parts.  The Forbidden City is also one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites.

Gong Wang Fu (Gong’s Mansion Garden)

Built in late 18th century and situated on the west street of front Shichahai, the Prince Gong’s Mansion Garden used to be the private residence of He Kun, a famous scholar in the reign of Emperor Qiang Long (1736-1796). It was changed into Palace of Prince Qing in the forth year of Jia Jing Region (1786-1821).

In the initial Xian Feng Period (1851-1862), it was changed into the Prince Gong’s Mansion Garden . It was controlled by three hosts during 70 years. During the reign of Emperors Xian Feng and Tong Zhi (1862-1875), the garden was repaired in accordance with the orders of Prince Yi Xin, with palaces built, pools dug, mounts piled up and threes planted behind the Garden.  As a result, the Cui Jin Garden — a beautiful garden with the same artistic conception as the Grand View garden described in the famous classical novel Dream of Red Mansions was constructed. It is as attracting as the Mansions of Prince Zheng and Prince Chun which were quite popular at that time. The Prince Gong’s Mansion Garden is the most intact ancient garden preserved. It was cited by government as the key unit of preservation of culture relics.

Covering a ground area of 38.6 mu (about 6.5 acres), the Cui Jin Garden is surrounded by earthen mounts. It is distinct by its three rows of buildings. Main buildings cover 20 different types including Bat Hall, Moon-inviting Platform, Goodwill Hall, Study Room, Theatrical House, Refreshing Pavilions, Gaily-painted Pleasure Boat, etc. The distinctive halls, platforms, houses and pavilions, together with waters and plants have created a delicate and elegant scenery. As a masterpiece of classical private gardens, the Prince Gong’s Mansion Garden is worth a good enjoying.

The Great Wall of China

For any average traveler who visits China for the first time, the Great Wall is always an indispensable fixture on the itinerary. Without it, a trip to China would be incomplete. The reason is simple: it is one of China’s most important cultural and historical symbols. It is also one of the best known ancient constructions in the world. The massive project stretches from Shanghaiguan in the east to Jiayuguan in the west, a distance of over 6,300 kilometers, covering eight provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions.

The Great Wall was first built as a defense line against nomadic incursions. Its military and strategic importance was unmatched by any other projects in ancient China. The construction of the wall began around the 7th-4th century BC during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476BC).  At that time, feudal states built walls for self-defense against the invasion of nomadic tribes. In 221 BC, after unifying China, Qinshihuang, the first emperor of China, had the walls linked up, reinforced and extended to form the Great Wall. During succeeding dynasties in later years, renovations were made in line with local geographic conditions, creating many enchanting sights. It was listed by UNESCO as its World Heritage in 1987.

Beijing’s Hutong

A hutong is an old city alley or lane, and the hutongs of Beijing are one of its most distinctive features. The capital city is home to thousands of hutongs, many of which were built in the area surrounding the Forbidden City during the Yuan (1279 – 1368), Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1644 – 1911) dynasties.

During China’s dynastic heyday, the emperors planned the city and arranged the residential areas according to the etiquette systems of the Zhou Dynasty (1027 – 256 BC). At the center of the metropolis was the Forbidden City, surrounded in concentric circles by the Inner City and Outer City. Citizens of higher social status were permitted to live closer to the center of the circles. The aristocratic hutongs of those days were located just to the east and west of the imperial palace. The lanes were orderly, lined by spacious homes and walled gardens.

Further from the palace and to its north and south were the commoners’ hutongs, where merchants, artisans and laborers lived and worked.

The residences lining the hutongs, whether grand or humble, were generally siheyuan, complexes formed by four buildings surrounding a courtyard. The large siheyuan of high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants often featured beautifully carved and painted roof beams and pillars and carefully landscaped gardens. Commoners’ siheyuan were far smaller in scale and simpler in design and decoration.

The hutongs are, in fact, passageways formed by many siheyuan of varying sizes, all arranged closely together. Nearly all siheyuan had their main buildings and gates facing south for better lighting; so that the majority of hutongs run from east to west. Between the main hutongs, many tiny lanes ran north and south for convenient passage.

Around the turn of the 20th century, the Qing court was disintegrating, foreign influences were having a huge impact on people’s lives and China’s dynastic era was coming to an end. The traditional arrangement of the hutongs was also affected. Many new hutongs, built haphazardly and with no apparent plan, began to appear on the outskirts of the old city; while the old ones lost their former neat appearance. The social stratification of the residents also began to evaporate, reflecting the collapse of the feudal system. During the period of the Republic of China (1911 – 1948), society was unstable, fraught with civil wars and repeated foreign invasions. The city of Beijing deteriorated, and the conditions of the hutongs worsened. Siheyuan previously owned and occupied by a single family were subdivided and shared by many households, with additions tacked on as needed, built with whatever materials were available.

The 978 hutongs listed in Qing Dynasty records had swelled to 1,330 by 1949, with nearly 5,000 tiny alleys threading their way between the legitimate hutongs.

In the decades since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, many of the old hutongs have disappeared, replaced by the high rises and wide boulevards of today’s Beijing. Many citizens have left the lanes where their families resided for generations, resettling in comfortable apartment buildings with modern amenities. In Xicheng District alone, nearly 200 hutongs out of the 820 it held in 1949 have disappeared. And the Beijing Municipal Construction Committee says that in 2004, some 250,000 square meters of old housing – 20,000 households – will be demolished in 2004, which means that many more will disappear.

However, many of Beijing’s ancient hutongs still stand, and a number of them have been designated protected areas. The old neighborhoods survive today, offering a glimpse of life in the capital city as it has been for generations.

Summer Palace, Beijing

The Summer Palace, or Yiheyuan, is one of the China’s largest and best-preserved imperial gardens. It is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design, integrating the natural landscape of hills and open water with man-made features into a harmonious and aesthetically exceptional whole. With a concentration of the best of ancient buildings as well as styles of gardening, it is a virtual museum of traditional Chinese gardening.

The Summer Palace was first named the Garden of Clear Ripples, which was burnt down by the allied forces of Great Britain and France in 1860. Reconstruction started 25 years later and was completed in 1895, and the name was changed to Yiheyuan (Garden of Good Health and Harmony). The design gives prominence to the Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake. Other prominent features include the “Long Corridor,” with brilliant decorative paintings on the ceiling, the Marble Boat, built by Empress Dowager Cixi with fund allotted for building the Chinese navy, and the Seventeen-Arch Bridge.

The Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven, or Tiantan, is China’s largest temple and altar complex. It was the place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties worshipped heaven and prayed for abundant harvests. As Chinese emperors called themselves Tianzi, or the son of heaven, they had to cede supremacy to the heaven in terms of abiding.

Apart from heaven, Chinese emperors also worshipped many other gods as well as their own ancestors. Therefore, god-worshipping was an important part of their busy schedules. Other than the Temple of Heaven, there are other temples of various kinds scattered in Beijing, including the Temple of Earth, the Temple of Sun and the Temple of the Moon. But the Temple of Heaven is the most important and the grandest of them all.

Situated 2km southeast of the Forbidden City, the Temple, plus subsidiary buildings and surrounding gardens, covers an area five times the size of the Forbidden City. With exquisite architectural workmanship, it is the largest existing ancient architectural group for worshipping in China

Goa, in India,  is world famous for its beaches. The Goan coast is lined with a number of beaches, each with a distinctive flavor, some have golden sand, some have white sand, some have fine sand grains, some with bigger sand particles, some full of shells, etc…But one thing common is the distinctive blue Arabian Sea and the swaying coconut palm trees. The Goan beaches are either a part of a continuous beach belt or are distinctive beach separated from other beach belts by a stretch of hills or rock formations that dot the Goan coastline. Some of the beaches are given here below:

Anjuna Beach

Goa Anjuna beach is one of the most popular beaches in Goa. The beauty of the white waves rushing to embrace the pale golden sand on the beach can be witnessed in full form at the Goa Anjuna beach. Goa Anjuna beach is a perfect haven for the hippies and you will come across some of them who have been staying on this beach for a couple of months. It is in the late 1950s to mid-1960s that Anjuna beach was “discovered” by the hippies. From then on began the trend of moonlit parties which is one occasion the hippies and now the tourists look forward to.

Goa Anjuna beach comes to life with the flea market and the full-moon beach parties at Goa Anjuna beach that continue through out the night. The flea market at Goa Anjuna beach offers a tourist just about anything he desires, right from swim suits to water-sports equipments to second hand bikes to cameras to various trinkets that can taken away as souvenirs to…just about anything. The Anjuna beach flea market is held on Wednesdays and if you are good at bargaining, then you can walk away with good stuff at throw away prices. You will also be able to find a mixture of good Gujarti, Kashmiri and Tibetan handicrafts. Apart from all this, you can also treat yourself to delicious Goan cuisine…right from mouth-watering prawns to heavenly pork vindaloo.

Agonda Beach

Goa Agonda beach is a long and lonely, fringed with palms and casuarinas and dominated by a large hill to the south. If a person is looking for for some quiet moments, Goa Agonda beach is the place to be.Goa Agonda beach is special because you will find absolutely no tourists, no souvenir stalls, no restaurants, nothing. Just the trees, the beach, the big beautiful ocean and you. It also makes for a great day trip from Colva and Cavelossim. For real adventure, hire a tent and camp for the night, listening to the crashing of the sea waves.

Candolim Beach

Goa Candolim beach comes as an ideal beach for those who are slowly getting tired of the crowded beaches of Calangute or Anjuna. Though tourists quite often frequent Candolim beach, you can still find some quiet places for yourself. If you want to try your hand at fishing, you are welcome to do so too. Some hotels at Candolim beaches offer yoga and meditation session which will give any tourist a sense of relief from all the stress and fatigue that he has been trying to run away from by being in Goa. Goa Candolim beach offers a variety of sports activites, right from parasailing to water-sking. There are special guides to help you through these daring water sports activites. Besides the main attraction at the Candolim beach in this Indian state of Goa is the special boating excursion especially during the evenings which offers you beautiful views of the sunset…you can really feel the sun touching its all-glory orange and then slowly sinking into the sea. This excursion is definitely worth a try.

Baga Beach

Goa Baga beach is an option for those who want to be away from the hustle-bustle found on the other beaches. Baga beach in Goa looks as if it has come alive out of a painting… majestic white waves rushing to wipe out the feet imprints left by you on the brown sand while the wind continues to flirt with the palm trees. Goa’s Baga beach is a small but perfect beach located between its two more famous cousins, Colva on one side and Calangute on the other. It is a good place to enjoy some quiet moments and dwell in peaceful contemplation with oneself.The Baga beach is more of a fishing beach with the tourists from across the world trying to get that big catch.

The Baga River flows down from one side offering a pleasant diversion for children and those who love the water but can’t risk the rip currents that swirl round the mouth. Where the river and the sea meet, and on the far right bank, tourists at Baga beach will see a group of black rocks against which the sea crashes.

Palolem Beach

If you drove in from the southern state of Karnataka and wanted to discover the nearest, reasonably well-known Goan beach, the chances are that you’d be directed to Palolem. It’s a beach of white sand facing a blue bay between two headlands. The little wooded islands on the northern headland look interesting but as we’ve never ventured onto any of them we don’t know what landing on them would be like. If you’re interested, try to persuade one of the fishermen – this is also a fishing beach – to ferry you across.

They do offer to take you out to spot dolphins. Tourists have discovered Palolem and so there are a few shacks selling seafood snacks, souvenirs and clothes of the shapeless, bright, informal kind. Panaji, the capital, is more than 70 km away.  GoaPalolem is just 3 km away from Canacona Railway Junction, now on the Konkan Railway. You can hire taxis and auto-rickshaws to reach Palolem beach from Margao, 40 km away. There are regular buses from Margao to Palolem that would drop you at Canacona village.

Colva and Benaulim

With 20 km of virgin white sands, palm fringed, and sun drenched beaches, Colva is the most loved beach of Goans. Colva, unlike Anjuna or Calangute, gained popularity only lately. It was little disturbed and life moved on quietly. But those are the things of the past. Over the years, many hotels and buildings have sprung from nowhere. It is developing at a good pace.

Vagator and Chapora

The soft white sands, the black lava rocks, the coconut palms, the lush green landscape, nature playing its own music, and the sea turning from aquamarine to emerald green-Vagator and Chapora, overlooked by the 500-year-old Portuguese fort, leaves each visitor awestruck. Yet to be disturbed by the hustle and bustle of tourists, life goes on peacefully, in the background, in Vagator and Chapora. The world-famous Anjuna Beach lies to the south of Vagator. Vagator and Chapora are rich with rural life.

Chapora is a fishing village. So a large number of fishermen in their traditional attire can be seen. Anyone patient enough to listen to the numerous stories of the sea, they have plenty of them. Colorful women can be seen haggling and hocking fish by the roadside.

Dona Paula Beach

The beach is named after Dona Paula de Menzes, daughter of a viceroy (in colonial India), who threw herself off the cliff, when refused permission to marry a local fisherman, Gaspar Dias. The myth says that Dona Paula is entombed in the Cabo Chapel of the Raj Bhawan and is supposed to be seen emerging from the moonlit waves wearing only a pearl necklace. With the romance and myth attached to it-haunted by Dona Paula de Menzes-tourists throng the Dona Paula Beach not only in search of the deceased beloved, but also to indulge in water sports on the clear waters.

The Dona Paula Beach offers an opportunity to the tourists to have a sunbath and buy cheap seaside goods from local vendors. This beach has also been the location for many Indian movies, the most famous being Ek Duje Ke Liye. Given this dual attraction, Dona Paula Beach has become a popular tourist spot.

Varca, Cavelossim, Mobor

Varca, Cavelossim, and Mobor are the most beautiful  beaches south of Benaulim. These beaches are much cleaner and quieter than most of the famous beaches of Goa. There are numerous beach shacks offering a variety of Goan dishes and seafood at reasonable prices. There are several food joints around Dona Sylvia where you can get entire package of good food, good drink, nice service, and a pleasant service in quite reasonable rates. There are facilities for Dolphin watching at Betty’s Place as well as boat trips for Dolphin watching up river Sal.

There are plenty of transportation facilities available to reach these beaches from Margao. From Cavelossim village, Margao is 18 km away and buses and autos are available easily. You can also hire taxis from Dabolim Airport (41 – 48 km) to reach the beach resorts here. To move locally, use cycles and scooters that are available on hire.

The entire state is almost mountainous, broken by stretches of valley and dotted with mountain lakes. The state is studded with a number of hill stations, which are refreshing cool in summer. They offer to the tourists a leisurely or adventurous holiday amidst breath-taking scenery.

History

The state of Jammu and Kashmir which had earlier been under Hindu rulers and Muslim Sultans, became part of the Mughal Empire under Akbar. After a period of Afghan rule from 1756, it was annexed to the to the Sikh kingdom of the Punjab in 1819. Jammu and Kashmir came into being as a single political and geographical entity following theTreaty of Amristar between the British Government and Gulab singh signed on March 16, 1846. His feudal dispensation in the State was too harsh for the people to live under and under the inspiring leadership of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, rose against the autocracy. The autocratic rule came down heavily on the people’s freedom movement. The high point of the movement was July 13, 1931 when 22 protesters were martyred. The event strengthened the movement and contrary to the expectations of the then rulers, the peopled emerged more determined in their resolution to seek an end to autocratic rule.

Jammu & Kashmir in the year 1947 was an independent country for all practical purposes. The Maharaja who ruled the State had signed agreements with both Pakistan and India to remain neutral and not be part of either country. India honoured that agreement but Pakistan did not. Pakistani raiders and soldiers attacked the state in 1947 forcing the Maharaja to flee to India.  He  agreed to make Jammu &; Kashmir part of India. The Indian ruler at that time was Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He accepted Jammu &; Kashmir’s accession to India and agreed to rescue his people from the Pakistani attackers.

Indian troops were flown into the Kashmir Valley and they managed to drive away most of the Pakistani raiders from the state. But a large area of the state remained under the control of Pakistani soldiers.  Heavy fighting took place in 1947-48 between the Indian and Pakistani forces over Kashmir. On January 1, 1948 India took up the issue of Pak aggression in Jammu and Kashmir in UNO under Article 35 of its charter. After long debates, cease-fire came into operation on the midnight of January 1, 1949 which created the first Line-of-Control.

At this moment let’s leave all political complications and disputes about this state and think only of its beauty. In tourist point of view, Jammu Kashmir is regarded as the Paradise on Earth. I think a single passage will be too small  to go through at least the Top Tourist Points of this state. So let us now begin with Srinagar.

Srinagar

Srinagar is the summer capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India, and is situated in the valley of Kashmir. The city lies on both banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus River. The city is famous for its lakes and houseboats floating on them. It is also known for traditional Kashmiri handicrafts and dry fruits. Srinagar is 876 km north of Delhi.

Tourism is the most significant segment of the city’s economy. The city of Srinagar is a gateway to some of the most scenic and beautiful places of the Indian subcontinent. For decades, tourism has been contributing massively to the economy of the city for last several decades, but it has been adversely affected on account of insurgent activities by certain elements.

Srinagar is well known for its lakes. Dal Lake with its houseboats is famous all over the world. Srinagar is a small and beautiful city with a wonderful climate in the summer. Just outside the city are found the beautiful Shalimar Gardens created by Jehangir, the Mughal emperor, in 1619.

Houseboats were introduced accidentally to Kashmir: members of the Indian Civil Service serving in the plains who vacationed in Kashmir were not permitted to build permanent homes because of the then Maharaja’s suspicion of a British presence in Srinagar. They thus chose to live in houseboats. The first such, named Victory, was designed by Mr. M.T. Kenhard in 1888. There are now about five hundred on the Lake.

Srinagar has several gardens which are part of the several such gardens laid by the Mughal emperors across the Indian subcontinent, and which are known as Mughal gardens. The Mughal Gardens located in Srinagar and its close vicinity include Chasma Shahi (the royal fountains); Pari Mahal (the palace of the fairies); Nishat Bagh (the garden of spring); Shalimar Bagh; and the Nashim Bagh. The Tulip Gardens have been recently opened to public by Smt Sonia Gandhi. The gardens has rows of Tulips of different colurs and shades.

In God’s Own Country, a very special creation takes place once in twelve years. A mesmerizing natural wonder, that is witnessed through the mass flowering of a single plant species – Strobilanthes kunthianus, popularly known as Neelakurinji.

Neelakurinji is a shrub that used to grow abundantly in the shola grasslands  of Western Ghats in South India above 1800 metres. The Nilgiris, which literally means the blue mountains, got its name from the purplish blue flowers of Neelakurinji that blossoms gregariously only once in 12 years.

Neelakurinji is the best known of a genus that has flowering cycles ranging from one to 16 years. Plants that bloom at long intervals like kurinji are called plietesials. The genus has around 300 species, of which at least 46 occur in India. Besides the Western Ghats, Neelakurinji is seen in the Shevroys in the Eastern Ghats. It occurs at an altitude of 1300 to 2400 metres. The plant is usually 30 to 60 cm high on the hills. They can, however, grow well beyond 180 cm under congenial conditions.

Terminology

It was the Geman botanist Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck (February 1776 – March 1856) who nomenclatured Neelakurinji as Strobilantehs Kunthiana. The standard botanical author abbreviation for him isNees. He classified Neelakurinji to be of : -

Kingdom : Plantae
Division   : Magnoliophyta
Class        : Magnoliopsida
Order      : Lamiales

Family     : Acanthaceae
Genus      : Strobilanthes
Species    : S. kunthiana

Binomial name
Strobilanthes kunthiana

On the hills, the plant usually grow 30 to 60 cm in height, but under more favorable conditions they can grow well beyond 180 cms. It can be found only in high altitudes between 1,600 metres and 2,600 m and what makes it so special, apart from its beauty, is that it blooms only once in 12 years. The mass flowering and subsequent death of the Kurinji is the subject of hill folklore.

Although Neelakurinji has flowering cycles ranging from one to 16 years, it has been flowering every 12 years since 1800. What triggers the massive flowering every 12 years is not known. Plants that bloom at long intervals like this is called plietesials. But stray flowerings do occur in between. The flowering season comes between August and November and peak in late September and October although some varieties exhibit little variation. It looks light blue in the early stage of blooming and has purplish blue colour when aged.

Neela means blue in Malayalam language and Kurinji is the local name of the flower. For those in Munnar, the blooming of Kurinji flower is a reminder that their lives have gone past another twelve years and for those from far off places it maybe once in a life time opportunity to witness the Kurinji flowers covering the hills of Munnar in a blanket of blue.

The Nilgiris, which means blue mountains, got its name from the blue flowers of Neelakurinji. Once they used to cover the entire Nilgiris like a carpet during its flowering season. However, now plantations and dwellings occupy much of their habitat. The departments of Tourism, Forests and Wildlife have initiated a campaign for the preservation of Neelakurinji and its natural habitat.

The Blooming of Neela Kurinji in 2006

In 2006, Kurinji (neelakurinji) bloomed gregariously at several places near Kodaikanal (India) and Munnar. The biggest flowering was at the Eravikulam National Park.

At the National park, carpets of flowers formed at the Turner’s Valley (about 16 km inside the park), Poovar and on the hills near the Lakkom Muthuvakudy besides the tourist zone at Rajamala..

It also bloomed gregariously on the hills between Klavarai in Tamil Nadu and Koviloor in Kerala, especially in the Kadavari area. These areas are now within the newly formed Kurinjimala Sanctuary.

Patches of kurinji occur in the remaining sholas near Koviloor. Koviloor is a few hours drive from Munnar in Kerala. A jeep road connects Koviloor to Klavarai and Kodaikanal (Tamil Nadu). Theroad need not be motorable all the time (especially during monsoon).

Trekkers could spot kurinji by the sides of the old Munnar Kodaikanal road. Trekking would require permission from the Forest Department. The plants can also be located at places such as Yellapetty and Kanthalloor outside the protected areas. At Yellappetty, you have to trek to the hills south of the Yellapetty estate.

Some areas of the Mukurthi National Park near Ootty also have the plant. Besides, blooms have been reported from Attappady and Mangaladevi. Flowerings occur at Shevroys in the Eastern Ghats also.  The next mass flowering is expected to take place in 2018.

Damage

The last few decades witnessed impairment to the habitat of Neelakurinji. Plantations of tea, cardamom and timber devastated stupendous range of pristine forests home to this rare bush. Vast stretches of virgin rain forests got drowned by some Hydro-electric projects. Tea plantations engorged the most of kurinji filled hills. Now the kurinji thrives in the valleys and gorges that remain undistorted.

Another anthropogenic threat witnessed this year is the indiscriminate collection and destruction of bushes and stocks of Neelakurinji by some unaware and unruly visitors. This is particularly noticeable in some of the Nilakurinji habitats around Ooty in the Nilgiris. In the last week of September many tourist were observed to make rampant inside Neelakurinji thickets at Kodanadu in Kotagiri. They were also found to collect bunches of these flowers.

In addition to habitant destruction, such impudent activities may well prove serious threats to this long term survival of this important member of the biodiversity of these mountains.