Gavi was closed for tourists for quite a few days in the thick of monsoon season, but it has reopened now. What invites nature enthusiasts to this beautiful spot now is a carpet of thick bunches of vibrant balsam flowers.

Often referred to as the 'neelakurinji' of Gavi, the balsams are extremely soothing for the eyes and the heart.

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Meanwhile, the forest department says that the variety found in Gavi is a rare type of balsam, among its species in the Western Ghats.

You would begin spotting balsams after the Moozhiyar penstock crossing in the Gavi route.

Meanwhile, they are mostly seen near the Aranamudi ranges and on the route to the dense forest of Uran. The waysides get lined with colourful balsams during the monsoon unveiling a spectacular sight. Among them, the Impatiens Scapiflora which do not have stems is considered the most beautiful species.

Dr. Anoop P Balan, Assistant Professor of Botany at Thuruthikad BAM College says that balsams are tiny species of flora that paves a vibrant carpet of amazing hues on the Western Ghats during the rainy season.

He adds that more than one hundred varieties of balsams could be spotted in Kerala. The balsams that begin to bloom during the monsoon, withers aways by November – December after offering a scintillating season of natural beauty to the visitors to reach Gavi. 

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