Capturing the magic of Neelakurinji

Maharaja's College hosts 65 photos of Strobilanthes plants from Western Ghats by Dr. Jomy Augustine, former Head of Botany at St. Thomas College. Supported by Kerala State Biodiversity Board, it was Dr. Augustine's 35th exhibition of Neelakurinji photos. He plans to hold 100 such exhibitions, capturing the magic of the protected species.

The autonomous Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, presented a unique event on Tuesday as it hosted memorable photographs of the Strobilanthes (Neelakurinji) plants along the Western Ghats captured by a senior researcher over the past three decades.

Nearly 65 photographs by Dr. Jomy Augustine, former Head of the Department of Botany at St. Thomas College, Pala, were on display at the venue. An expert in Neelakurinji, he had traversed the full length of the Western Ghats in search of the magic weaved by the protected species. “Each variety had its own special features and these photographs helped me in capturing the magic moments of the flower that blossoms only during certain years,” he said.

The photography exhibition, which was supported by the Kerala State Biodiversity Board, was organised by the Department of Botany at Maharaja’s College. Dr. Augustine said that he had travelled to the hill ranges on several occasions to document the various species. Each visit had gifted its own special moments to cherish forever, he said. It was his 35th exhibition of photographs on Neelakurinji at the Maharaja’s College. “I am planning to hold around 100 such exhibitions,” he said.