Munnar: The rare Neelakurinji flowers have started blooming at three locations in Munnar. The blooms were spotted on Tuesday morning in Ikanagar, Grahams Land, and Mattupatty. Currently, only a few plants in the area have blossomed, but more are expected to flower in the coming days.

The Neelakurinji, scientifically known as Strobilanthus kunthiana, blooms once every 12 years and is a major attraction for tourists visiting Munnar. The plant is protected, and destroying or possessing it is illegal.

Typically, the flowers appear in isolated pockets across the region. While a full bloom was anticipated in 2018, the flowering was limited due to the floods.