Goa, India

Goa, India, originally uploaded by Matt Laddin.

Paradise in India

Neelakurinji flowering – September 2006

Neelakurinji flowering – September 2006, originally uploaded by medhekar2000.

Neelakurinji flowering – September 2006. Rajamalai Hills about an hour’s drive from Munnar in Idukki district, Kerala, India. This region also forms part of the Eravikulam National Park that is home to the Nilgiri Tahr (Ibex – mountain goat) , a protected species. When the Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) flowers (it flowers only once in 12 years) it carpets the slopes of these hills turning them a violet-blue as far as the eye can see. Ten months later the seeds of the plant mature and the plant dies and vanishes – only to arise, phoenix-like, twelve years later! (view large)

Mogra buds

Mogra buds, originally uploaded by tomato umlaut.

It’s not easy to decide whether this plant should be in the living room, where one can document every stage of its opening, or in the balcony where it will get the continuous rain. This is a compromise: in for the photos, at the “watering hole” the rest of the time.

The mogra (jasmine) is a traditional Indian garden plant, and like all such, produces a lovely smell.

Munnar- A paradise

Munnar- A paradise, originally uploaded by Arun Kumar Sinha.

Munnar (Malayalam: മൂന്നാര്‍ , Tamil: மூணார்) is a town located in Kerala state in South India. The name is often used to refer to the whole tourist area of Idukki District of which the town forms a part. Munnar panchayat of Devikulam block is the largest in the district with an area of 557 km². The etymology of Munnar is believed to be derived from the Malayalam words Muunu (three) and aaru (river), referring to the town’s strategic location at the confluence of the Muthirappuzha, Chanduvarai and Kundali rivers.[citation needed] Located in the southern Western Ghats the area is surrounded by vast jungles and remains wet and cold during most of the year. Nearby is the Mattupetty Dam.

The people of Munnar share in the culture and traditions of Kerala. Tamil immigrants from the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu also figure significantly in the population.

During the British rule of India, Munnar was developed to cultivate tea plants.[2] At that time, most of the people around the area were employed as laborers for plantations throughout the area. In the early stages of development, only Tamilians and a small number of Malayalis inhabited Munnar. From the late 1890’s till 1921, tea was transported down from Top Station by 24 inch railway and ropeway to Munnar for transhipment throughout the World.
The region in and around Munnar varies in height from 1,600 meters (5,249.3 ft) to 1,800 meters (5,905.5 ft) above mean sea level. Munnar enjoys a salubrious climate. The weather ranges between 0 °C (32 °F) and +10 °C (50 °F) in winter and +15 °C (59 °F) and +25 °C (77 °F) in summer. The tourist season is from August to May. However, even the monsoons are lovely with many streams and rivulets in the area

India – Shimla

India – Shimla b, originally uploaded by aupeter100.

Shimla, India

Munnar Lake, India

Munnar Lake, originally uploaded by Shared1125.

One of the most beautiful Hill stations in India, Munnar captured my heart. So I captured it on film.

Ooty Hill Station, Tamil Nadu, India.

Ooty Hill Station, Tamil Nadu, India., originally uploaded by lee_ackland.

The Heaven..

kodaikanal, India

kodaikanal, originally uploaded by csraj_9.

The Heaven..

Ooty Hill Station, Tamil Nadu, India.

Ooty Hill Station, Tamil Nadu, India., originally uploaded by lee_ackland.

Heaven In India..

kaziranga,assam,india

kaziranga,assam,india, originally uploaded by gozef.

Kaziranga National Park is situated on the south bank of the Brahmaputra river in Assam, India. It is famous as a refuge for the Indian or one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis). Stretching over an area of 430 km², Kaziranga is one of the last refuges of the Indian rhino. The national park is a vast stretch of coarse, tall elephant grass, marshland and dense tropical moist broadleaf forests.