Dateline Mussoorie: Mussoorie is set to celebrate Harela this year with a unique environmental initiative aimed at transforming the hill station into a vibrant landscape of flowering and ornamental trees. The annual festival, which marks the arrival of the Great Monsoon is traditionally celebrated by planting saplings, and this year around the hill station will witness the launch of the Mussoorie Bloom Initiative, a collaborative effort involving the local administration, educational institutions, government agencies, and hospitality stakeholders.
The brainchild of Mussoorie born and raised Sandeep Sahni elaborated on the pilot prohect stating, “The initiative draws inspiration from the celebrated flowering landscapes of Japan and the hill states of Northeast India, with the vision of introducing seasonal bursts of colour to Mussoorie’s predominantly evergreen forests of oak and deodar.”
As part of the preparations, ten schools in Mussoorie dug more than 3,000 planting pits across the town’s hillsides on World Environment Day. Plantation activities will begin on Harela. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) have also joined hands. Beyond planting, participating institutions have committed to nurture and conserve the saplings over the coming years to ensure their healthy growth.
The Forest Department actively supported the project by recommending tree species best suited to Mussoorie’s altitude and climatic conditions. Proposed species include Kachnaar, Tejpaat, Wild Padam, Jacaranda, Gulmohar, Bheemal, Tecoma, Amaltas, and Bottle Brush.
A series of meetings were held since third week of April under the local administration chaired by SDM Mussoorie Rahul Anand who stated, “The Mussoorie Bloom Initiative seeks not only to enhance the town’s natural beauty but also to promote long-term ecological stewardship through community participation, making Harela a celebration of both tradition and sustainable environmental conservation.”
As President of the Hotelier Association Uttarakhand Sandeep Sahni further added, “The idea is to ensure that this pilot project is eventually replicated across the hill state so that our hills of green-gold come alive with splashes of colour come spring or autumn.”
