CHENNAI: It is impossible to bring Ooty's climate to Chennai but the horticulture department has brought its marquee event of the annual summer festival- flower exhibition- to the city. This is the first time the city is hosting a flower exhibition and it will be held for three days till June 5.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Chepauk MLA Udhayanidhi Stalin in the presence of Minister for Agriculture MRK Panneerselvam and Health Minister Ma Subramanian. More than four lakh flowers of 27 varieties and 14 types of fillers have been used in the exhibition. The exhibits depict the acts of seven Tamil kings of the Sangam age, who were known for their charity, and achievements of the State government.
All major cut flowers from the State, including rose, ginger lily, chrysanthemum, celosia, carnation, alstroemeria, lilyums, orchids, gerbera, gladiolus, anthurium rank and bird of paradise, have been used. "Cut flowers are ideal for such shows as they store starch in their stems and have a longer life than loose flowers," said an official.
Among the exhibits, a huge peacock portrays king Pegan’s act of giving his blanket to a peacock that was shivering in the cold in the Palani Hills. A chariot shows Paari’s benevolence in leaving his chariot for a jasmine creeper to grow. King Adhiyaman is seen offering amla, which is said to give a long life, to poet Avvaiyar to ensure the growth of Tamil.
Two horses symbolise king Kaari and 'Yazh', a musical instrument, king Oori, who gave their kingdoms to tribals and artists of Kollimalai, respectively. Structures made of Nagalingam and Manoranjitham flowers showcase King Aai Kandiran giving the glowing clothing, he received from a good snake, to Lord Shiva. Another exhibit shows king Nalli’s forest landscape as he helped those who came to him without revealing his identity.
This apart, a TNSTC bus has been made into a selfie spot to publicise the government’s scheme of free bus travel for women and a student with various hats to create awareness about 'Nan Mudhalvan' scheme. A teddy bear and sofa at one of the entrances were also among the main attractions.
"We are happy that such a show has been organised here and we don't have to go to hill stations. Apart from the details of flowers, the department could have also kept boards explaining each structure," said S Santha, a visitor.
The exhibition also had stalls for dry flower arrangements, bonsai, cacti and succulents. Ornamental and potted plants and various vegetables and fruits were also showcased. An Uzhavan statue with two bulls made of 14 types of spices and Tiruvallurvar statue decorated with vegetables were seen.
The show will be open from 9 am to 8 pm. A fee of `50 is charged for the public, while it would be Rs 25 for students. While there was a good crowd on Friday, the officials expect the footfall to increase in the next two days.