“Wild Floral Parks”, around the world, have the least attention of the “Flora Fauna Ethusiasts” for the the Amateur Radio activity. In India, we have hardly a few Wild Floral Parks, in the valleys between mountains of the Himalayan chain, apart from the most famous Valley of Flowers. The word “Wild” here is used in the context that there is NO human intervention in the maintenance, upkeep . But, there are many seasonal floral parks built and maintained by man, in other parts of India.
1. “The Valley of Flowers” of the Garhwal Himalayas, is listed in VUFF, WWFF directories., as VUFF-0093. (no activation so far)
It has its territory extending to the Nanda Devi National Park/ Biosphere Reserve VUFF-0061 ( no activation so far). In 1931, Frank S. Smythe, Eric Shipton and R.L. Holdsworth, all British mountaineers, lost their way while returning from a successful expedition to Mt.Kamet and happened upon the valley, which was full of flowers. They were attracted to the beauty of the area and named it the "Valley of Flowers." Frank Smythe later authored a book of the same name. In 1939, Joan Margaret Legge,(21 February 1885 – 4 July 1939) a botanist deputed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, arrived at the valley to study flowers and while traversing some rocky slopes to collect flowers, she slipped off and lost her life. Her sister later visited the valley and erected a memorial near the spot. The valley was declared a national park in 1982 and now it is a World Heritage Site.
It is located in the northern part of Chamoli District of Uttarakhand, the heights varying from 3300 to 3660 m., full of alpine flowers in their best blooming period, from mid July to mid August,though the season starts in end of May to mid October. From about October to June, the area is snow bound, with no access. . Apart from flowers, there are black and brown bear, snow leopard, musk deer, red fox and blue sheep. Among the birds, the Himalayan monal pheasant and others which thrive in high altitudes. The area encompassed is about 87.5 sq.km. You have to trek from Govind Ghat and stay just short of the valley, at Bhuyinder. You have accommodation booked in advance, at Ghangaria or Bhuyinder. Contacting and planning with the Government travel organisation called GMVN, can do all the arrangements.
2. The Yumthang Valley or Sikkim Valley of Flowers Sanctuary, is a nature sanctuary with river, hot springs, yaks and grazing pasture on rolling meadows surrounded by the Himalayan mountains in the North Sikkim district of Sikkim state in India. It is at an elevation of 3,564 metres (11,693 ft) above msl at a distance of 150 kilometres (93 mi) from the state capital Gangtok. It is also known as 'Valley of Flowers' and it covers the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary,
The Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary, has over twenty-four species of the rhododendron, the state flower. The flowering season is from late February and to mid June, when countless flowers bloom . A tributary of the river Teesta flows past the valley and the town of Lachung, the nearest inhabited centre. Yumthang is closed between December and March due to heavy snowfall. There is also a hot spring in the valley.
A forest rest house is the only permanent residence in the valley. During the spring, the area blooms with rhododendrons, primulas, poppies, iris and other flora. During the summer months, villagers take their cattle to these heights to graze. In view of increasing number of tourists, there is possibility of environmental degradation in near future. Skiing is conducted in the valley. Tourists may travel from Gangtok to Lachung ( village where accommodation is available) by booking a full vehicle or shared one and stay over night. A direct journey to Yumthang is not feasible as roads are commonly foggy and it becomes dark very early around 5:30 pm. A trip to the Valley takes around two hours from Lachung, which is about 125 km from Gangtok.
3. Kaas Plateau aka "Kaas Pathar" , is a plateau situated 25 kilometres west from Satara city in Maharashtra, India. It falls under the Sahyadri Sub Cluster of the Western Ghats, and it became a part of a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 2012. It has Herbaceous marshy flora.. During monsoon season, especially in the month of August, the plateau comes to life, with picturesque view of various types flowers that carpet the floor of the plateau. Forest Department’s Board at Kas Plateau, puts, there are more than 150 types of flowers, shrubs and grasses found here.!
The entry Fee charge is Rs. 100/- No entry fees Children below age 12yr. No entry fees for Senior citizen ( age above 65 yrs ) please carry your age proof ID. Note:Only 3000 visitors per day will be allowed to visit. Parking Free. ST Bus Service available from Parking place to Kas plateau and from plateau to Parking place @ Rs.10/- per person from parking & Rs.10/- per person from plateau. Guide Charges Rs 100/-. Free Entry for working soldiers and Ex-soldiers with spouse. Booking a private vehicle from Satara to Kas is ideal because the stretch is incredibly beautiful and you will definitely want to stop on the way, multiple number of times.
(https://www.kas.ind.in/) Contact: Kas Pathar Office - 9405830941 , 7350038252
Read
more at:
https://www.nativeplanet.com/travel-guide/5-enchanting-flower-valleys-india/articlecontent-pf13048-001728.html
4. Dzukou
Valley in Manipur-Nagaland border, is famous for the rare variety of flower called
Dzukou Lily (Lilium mackliniae ) , found only in this valley, discovered in 1991 by Hijam Bikramjit of the Life Sciences Department, Manipur University. The valley is at about 2500m MSL.. Best period to visit Dzukou
Valley during the months of June to September, it is the time when
the numerous, colourful wildflowers are dotting the already
incredible landscape of the Dzukou Valley.
Read more at:
https://www.nativeplanet.com/travel-guide/5-enchanting-flower-valleys-india/articlecontent-pf13048-001728.html
5. Kurinjimala Sanctuary: “Neelakurinji's mass blooming is a kind of reproductive mega big bang,” says Jomy Augustine, head of the botany department at St. Thomas College in Palai, Kerala. “It spends all its energy for the success of flowering and fruiting. If anything happens to the ecology of the Western Ghats, it affects reproduction and thereby the future of Strobilanthes diversity.” Strobilanthes kunthianus creates a purple sheen over a hillside. In addition to Kurinji, 20 other species are blooming this year, presenting flowers in shades from white to a lavender blue to a deep brown.
Most of the Strobilanthus species have an unusual flowering behaviour varying from an annual to 16- year blooming cycles. Characteristics include gregarious flowering, mass seeding and synchronised monocarpy (the characteristic character of certain plants which flower once in their lifetime and die after fruiting). Some Kurinji plants bloom once in every seven years and then die. Their seeds sprout subsequently and continue the cycle of life before they die eventually. Strobilanthus kunthianus and other species, that are long interval bloomers, are known as “Plietesials” . Strobilanthus kunthianus blossoms only once in 12 years. The blooming of this plant has been documented in 1838, 1850, 1862, 1874, 1886, 1898, 1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 and 2018.
Honey bees act as pollinators of Neelakurinji. The nectar collected by honey bees from these flowers is found to be very tasty, nutritious and has medicinal values.
There is a sanctuary in Kottakamboor and Vattavada villages of Idukki district specially meant for conserving Kurinji called “Kurinjimala Sanctuary”.
Kurinji has long featured in the culture of South India, especially the modern-day states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In the ancient Sangam literature of Tamilakam or Tamil Country, land was classified into five types. They are Kurinji (mountainous), Mullai (forested), Marutham (agricultural), Neithal (coastal) and Paalai (desert). Tamil scholars opine that this classification was based on the most characteristic plants of these ecosystems: Strobilanthus kunthianus (Kurinji), Jasminum auriculatum (Mullai), Nymphaea nouchali (Neithal) and Wrightia tinctoria (Paalai). The mountainous landscape, referred to as Kurinji, abounded with Kurinji flowers.
Kurinji used to grow abundantly in the Nilgiri Hills (part of the Western Ghats) in Tamil Nadu. The brilliant blue colour of Kurinji has given the hills the name “Nilgiri”, literally meaning “Blue Mountains”. But presently, plantations and buildings have occupied the hills. In Kerala, the Anamalai Hills of Idukki district, the Agali Hills of Palakkad district and the Eravikulam National Park (VUFF-0019) ( no activation so far) of Munnar (all in the Western Ghats) also have this plant. Kurinji is also found in the Yercaud- Shevaroy Hills of the Eastern Ghats in Tamil Nadu and in the Bellary district of Karnataka.
As Neelakurinji or Strobilanthus kunthianus occurs in grassland and shola forests, at an altitude of 1,300 to 2,400 metres, it is very essential to maintain and improve the ecosystem without any further degradation and depletion.
