124th annual flower show inaugurated in Ooty

Visitors were also treated to an arrangement of more than 4,500 plants arranged in the Glass House at the garden

A massive façade of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University’s (TNAU) main building, made of more than 1 lakh carnation flowers captivated visitors as the 124 th annual flower show was inaugurated in the Government Botanical Garden in Udhagamandalam on Friday.

The exhibit, said to be more than 80-feet long and 20-feet high was made of carnations procured from local farmers as well as from across South India, said horticulture department officials. The event was inaugurated by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who visited the garden and toured the premises on Friday. According to officials, the flower show featured more than 275 different varieties of flowering plants. Tulips from the Netherlands were also imported to add splendour to the summer festival’s marquee event, which is being held after a gap of two years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thousands of visitors, who streamed into the Government Botanical Garden were also treated to an arrangement of more than 4,500 plants arranged in the Glass House at the garden. Other notable exhibits included one commemorating the bicentenary of the colonial exploration of the Nilgiris, as well as an exhibit of yellow flowers designed in the shape of a manjappai or yellow bag to raise awareness among visitors to use cloth bags while shopping and to reduce the use of plastic.

Life-size figures of six of the Nilgiris’ indigenous peoples – the Todas, Kotas, Irulas, Kurumbas, Paniyas and Kattuanayakans -were also on display. The exhibits showcased the different traditional attires of the indigenous groups, all made of carnation flowers. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin visited different stalls which had been set up in the garden and interacted with members of the public. He also watched the cultural events organised in the garden on Friday.

Also present at the event was the minister for agriculture and farmers’ welfare, M.R.K. Paneerselvam, forest minister, K. Ramachandran, Nilgiris MP, A. Raja, Ooty MLA, R. Ganesh, district collector, S.P. Amrith and other officials from the district administration and the department of horticulture and plantation crops.