Visitors enjoy floral displays at Ooty’s annual Flower Festival (Photos: Utsav)
Thousands of visitors are thronging the Government Botanical Garden at Ooty, a popular hill station in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu, which is hosting the annual Flower Festival, featuring large-scale floral displays, heritage-themed installations, recreations of iconic Tamil landmarks using over 100,000 flowers, nearly one million flower saplings, cultural showcases inspired by the five ancient Tamil landscapes and elaborate botanical exhibits.
The festival, that will run until May 28, is one of the star attractions of the picturesque hill district which is witnessing a sharp rise in tourist arrivals as visitors flock to enjoy its lush forests, cool climate and scenic destinations during the summer season.
To promote tourism every May, the district traditionally hosts a summer festival, though due to this year’s election schedule only select events are being conducted, including the Rose Show and Flower Show in Ooty and the Fruit Show in Coonoor.
The Rose Show has been underway at the Government Rose Garden in Ooty since May 14, showcasing elaborate decorative arrangements created using nearly two lakh roses. Among the key highlights of the exhibition is a bird-shaped floral installation that has emerged as a major attraction among visitors.
Also Read: Blooming Festivities: Inside Delhi’s Ghazipur Flower Market During Diwali
Tamil Nadu’s Ooty flower festival is ongoing with grand floral displays
The historic 128th Flower Show at the Government Botanical Garden will continue until May 28 and features several new varieties of flowering plants and seeds sourced from different countries, including Geranium, Cyclopin, Balsam, ornamental Calyx, Oriental Lily, Pansy, Marigold, Zinnia and Telmunium, all cultivated specifically for the festival.
More than 50,000 flower pots featuring blooms in various colours have been arranged throughout the venue to create large-scale floral displays and decorative landscapes.
The organisers have recreated the entrance façade of Chennai Central Railway Station using more than 100,000 carnations and other flowers to celebrate Tamil Nadu’s architectural and cultural heritage. The exhibition also includes 26 floral installations depicting iconic landmarks and cultural symbols such as the Ooty Mountain Railway engine, Mamallapuram temple and the Thiruvarur temple chariot.
Decorative arrangements representing the five ancient Tamil landscapes have been created using more than 700,000 flowers, adding a strong cultural and heritage dimension to the exhibition through large-scale botanical artistry.
Authorities have declared a local holiday in Nilgiris district for the celebrations and deployed 200 police personnel to manage crowds, while special transport services have also been arranged to facilitate visitor movement and ensure the smooth conduct of the festival.