My best New Year blossomed along with Neelakurinji
New Year brings new hopes and new promises. It gives one more year to live and fulfill our desires. If we have someone special to share everything, it’s of course the best happenings of life. That new year is very special too! It occurred a few years back, just a few days before my first wedding anniversary, when I and my husband decided to celebrate our first new year in some special place. Within seconds, the place was also decided. Munnar! A paradise on earth! A lovely place of Idikki district filled with snow and God’s blessings with greenery, hill stations are very rare in a state like Kerala.
Far away from that ‘Idiot box’
All the past new years, I have celebrated before the idiot box, we call ‘television’. It’s true, this entertainment machine has reduced a lot of get-togethers and our visits. Every reader will agree with me that they can’t keep themselves away from this stupid box during the New Year celebrations. When the count down begins, most of us are interested in changing channels using remote to select the ‘best’ channel. We often forget to wish our dear ones. I too can’t deny the fact that, I also spend my New Year in front of cable network. So, our trip to Munnar was something different from all the previous years and that’s the reason why I can’t forget it till now.
Neelakurinji made us choose Munnar
Neelakurinji – A flower with purplish blue colour which blossoms once in a Jupiter year. i.e. 12 years. When it flowers once in a Jupiter year, it forms a blue bed over the mountain ranges attracting tourists and botanists a lot. Kerala Tourism department also deploys the situation a lot to attract more people during this season. Any how, since it was possible only after 12 years, we decided to make use of the situation. Though Neelakurinji season was coming to an end, we decided to visit those valleys. That’s the main reason why we choose Munnar for New Year celebrations.
We reached Munnar on December 31st, 2006
It was Marxist party Harthal all over Kerala, protesting against America for hanging Sadham Hussain. At first we thought our whole plan will be ruined. Yet, we were able to travel through the roads to reach our destination. It’s really nice to go up each pin point to reach the hill top. Everywhere, posters of Neelakurinji were there. Also, messages to protect our forests.
When we were climbing up and up, we could feel the chillness of the place. Also, watching the valley from mountain tops was really amazing. Also, monkeys were seen here and there. A few waterfalls were there adding beauty to the hills. We could see crowds near such waterfalls. Our stay was arranged earlier itself.
Places that we traveled
It’s not possible to see whole Munnar in a single day. But we had only one Sunday in hand. So, we decided to view some important places like Nilgiri hills where Neelakurinji blossomed, tea plantations and a lake on the route. Nilgiri Tahr, an endangered species is also an attraction of this hill resort.
We could find that even at noon, climate is so pleasant - freshness of early mornings of our places. Though it was a hill station, there were a lot of shops too. Also, many buildings being constructed day by day -encroachment on government land! Let me add one more thing here. Most of those newly constructed buildings were crushed by Achuthanandan one year later, when he was sworn in as Chief Minister.
We traveled through the bushy forests, stopped at one or two places and traveled further. Then we spend a little time at one of its popular lakes – Kundala lake, which is famous for boating too. It’s a little crowded place too. We could see tribal people selling fresh carrots and corns. Again we travel forward to see many grass lands and a few tea plantations. We could see different groups of people gathering at places and a few were engaged in trekking as it’s a Christmas-New Year vacation in Kerala.
New Year celebrations everywhere
When sun set, real celebrations began. Every where, all resorts were in full enjoyment as it’s a new year at doorstep. Munnar is a favourite place for foreigners during Christmas-New year season and hence we could see a lot of foreigners here and there. There were many programs arranged in different hotels and hence we decided to spend our New Year is some hotel, celebrating with others, enjoying stage shows and buffet dinner.
What made that New Year so special
It’s a bit expensive to spend a New Year night in some three-star hotel during the festival season. Yet we decided to take part in fun. Stage shows like singing concert, magic etc were there. We know, celebrations will continue till late night and it’s just 8 o’ clock. We had our buffet dinner and were enjoying the every moment. More than 250-300 people were present in that hotel.
There was a lucky draw. Winners get a coupon to stay two days at a three star Hotel at Kochi. We were really surprised when we won it from a group of around 300 people. “Are we so much lucky?”, we couldn’t believe it first. We rechecked several times to confirm that we were the winners. Since we were newly wedded couples, we got a lot of attention also. All eyes were on us when we received the gift coupon. At that particular moment, we became the most special and lucky persons of that New Year Eve, that was really a cherishing moment for both of us. We were treated as VIPs later too!
Many interesting competitions were arranged later. Some items were really funny which made everyone laugh a lot. But we couldn’t get any prizes. Yet, we were satisfied with what we got – the lucky coupon! After 11 pm, everyone was on the dance floor dancing to hit Bollywood numbers. Foreigners were not far behind. It was really nice to see them dancing to Hindi songs. I was keeping myself away from dance floor as I am a girl of shy type and don’t have any dancing experiences. My hubby became a little bit angry too! Then he joined the group and I was sitting in a chair watching everyone.
At that special moment
When time approached 12 pm, people were dancing with full excitement as if they were waiting for that special moment. Just 2 minutes before 12pm, all lights were switched off and it was total darkness everywhere. It was silent everywhere. Everyone hold their dear own hands listening to the count down. When it reached zero, we heard a lot of crackers’ song and whole lights were switched on. We greeted each other who were present all around and it was for the first time, I was celebrating such an occasion in a colourful way among a group of people. Then, a colourful firework was displayed for the New Year eve and party ended.
While we were returning back, we could see hotels decorated with lights and stars welcoming the New Year eve. Still celebrations going on!
Something disturbed us
When we reached our room, we switched on TV to know about New Year celebrations all over the world. But, all channels were showing Saddam’s live video of death which was something unpleasant on such an occasion. I think it was captured by someone’s mobile video.
Neelakurunji magic – A dream came true
Early morning itself, we set off to opposite direction. That day’s mission was already fixed – to see purple mountains. I was a child when these mountain valleys blossomed before and I has been desiring from that time itself, to visit this place at least once when nature bless it with purple beauty. We knew well, season has almost come into an end. Yet we were to trace what exist that time. It was something like trekking or mountaineering to reach Nilgiri hills. Yet, we were able to get a glimpse of blue beauty! I collected a few flowers too! Guards asked us not to pluck flowers as only a few were remaining. I hid it in my bag - not so much, only a few! Just to remember about the blossoms of a Jupiter year. Though tribal people believe that blue blossoms bring a lot of curses, tourists eagerly wait for this wonderful occasion to come back soon. Just near to that valley is a special place from which we can see vast distant spread land full of green. It’s just a mountain top to view the valleys. Also, we can see Tamil Nadu Border from that hill. After spending some time there, we returned back.
We traveled through tea gardens
What attracts tourists to Munnar is its lovely climate, scenery, valleys, lakes, mountains and of course, tea plantations. There are acres of land under tea cultivation and those green layers one after one is a spectacular scene to watch! When we travel through tea plantations, we get attracted towards its deep valleys, greenery and tea plants uniformly cultivated. Also, there are a lot of rare trees available in the forests like sandal wood. It's very pleasing to see homes in the valleys surrounded by green gardens and trees. A few gardens are also there with rare flowers. An yellow bed of tiny flowers on either road sides is a spendid scene to watch.
Our minds were not filled
It’s true, nature’s beauty is something that attracts us a lot. Even if we prefer to live in big cities and towns, fresh air and chillness provided by such hill stations prompt us to stay there, a few more minutes. Yet, if time doesn’t permit, what to do? Instead of spending a whole New Year night in front of an idiot box, it’s better to be in nature’s lap and a lot of people all around. So, we left those tea gardens wishing in mind, we could return back to nature’s lap as early as possible.
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