Kerala Tourism, Munnar get ready for rare flower show
Thiruvananthapuram, July 11: Kerala Tourism and the state's Munnar are all set for a rare spectacle - happening once every 12 years - when the hills at the hugely popular tourist resort will be carpeted with the blossoms of the 40-odd varieties of a tiny reddish blue flower.
The Strobilanthes kunthianus is locally called 'Neelakurinji', neela meaning blue and kurinji the local name for the flower.
The last time this marvellous spectacle occurred in 2006 and generally the time this phenomenal blooming begins towards mid July and ends in October.
Another attractive sight to the naked eye will be the majestic Nilgiri Tahr, the endangered mountain goat found in these area, ambling down the hills that are swathed in neelakurinji blossoms in all their grandeur.
The Kerala Tourism Department on Wednesday launched a microsite - www.keralatourism.org/neelakurinji - on blossoming of Neelakurinji, as there will not be an inch of space in Munnar with tourists coming in large numbers.
Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran launched the microsite which is rich in content and has detailed information regarding the tourist attractions on the way to Eravikulam National Park near Munnar, saying that it will help tourists explore more interesting facts about Neelakurinji and realise the real beauty of the place.
A 21-page e-brochure is also available on the site that enables tourists to get all the information about Neelakurinji. The e-brochure can be downloaded and be sent via WhatsApp.
Neelakurinji mainly blossoms abundantly at Rajamala, Eravikulam National Park, located along the Western Ghats.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
