This autumn, Northeast blushes in cosmos

Cosmos blossoms at the Ramva Village in Ukhrul, Manipur
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Sunsets are hazy and fog blankets the faraway woods, hills, and valleys. Autumn’s calling as we take a cab to Mylliem, a nondescript village about 17 kilometres from Meghalaya’s capital Shillong, which has the best expanse of pink blossom — cosmos.

With October, among all things autumnal, comes cosmos, the ephemeral blossom that shrouds different parts of the Northeast in mostly pink, but also yellow, orange and white. In any other season, Mylliem stands as a roadside stop en route more popular destinations of Meghalaya, but this time of the year one can spot the spreads of cosmos growing on hilltops, random roadside areas and in the villagers’ patios — making it a destination on its own.

Mylliem has several roadside restaurants, cafes and local Khasi eateries offering travellers a scope to cherish good food amidst stunning backdrops. The cosmos and the wild kans grass contrast the yellowing paddy by the hills. Our chase for the cosmos in Mylliem brought memories of our very first encounter with this flower, on a trip to Manipur in 2022 before turmoil hit the state. 

Manipur boasts several specific locations for cosmos sighting such as the Naamai Zho in Koide village of Senapati district and the Paorei village in Ukhrul. Locals in different parts also organise festivals to celebrate the bloom. Our sighting of its bounty, however, was at the Ramva village en route Ukhrul. The driver had halted the Sumo for a tea break, and we were left to exalt at the beautiful sighting of the cosmos. With a marketplace for local produce and food at the entrance, the Ramva Village looked yellow and orange in an abundance of cosmos. We ran to the neighbourhood courtyards and gardens to soak in the sighting in the brief window we had before we continued to Ukhrul. 

In Ukhrul, known for the Shirui Kashung Peak where the Shirui Lily blooms, cosmos comes as an added glory across the hills and valleys. We trekked the Shirui Kashung Peakwith a little glimmer for an off-season sighting of the Shirui lily. As luck would have it, a few lilies were scattered here and there, but the cosmos greeted us in more places than expected. Most homes on the way have a garden or at least a vase filled with cosmos. Even during this grave phase the State is going through, cosmos blooms with a glimmer of hope. 

Although October is the peak month for cosmos and with its fading, the blossoms also fade, November carries remnants of the flower in parts of the Northeast.

Our trip to Chug Valley in Arunachal Pradesh fell on such a November where we caught the cosmos before it bid adieu for next year. Located in the West Kameng district and the Dirang region, the serene Chug Valley is predominantly inhabited by the Monpa tribe, known for their rustic way of life. About 10 kilometres from the sub-divisional headquarters in Dirang lies this quaint little village, which paints the idyllic image of a slow life. We found the remnants of the cosmos flowers against the backdrop of hills on a barren land, with a stream flowing nearby. Our excitement, on spotting the pink blooms, amused our driver, who exclaimed that they had grown up calling the cosmos ‘I love you’ flowers. The cosmos usually has eight petals and each petal indicates the alphabets catalogued in forming the sentence ‘I love you,’ he added.

In the last two years, the valley has seen tremendous tourism boost for the holistic experience it offers and its cosmos fields, among other seasonal blooms. In the first week of October, the community hosted a Duhumbi Heritage Fair where attendees were taken for a heritage tour around the valley amidst the rally of the cosmos in full bloom. Although the cosmos blooms throughout the hills of the State, Ziro, Mechuka, and the Dirang regions are hotspots and see greater footfalls from tourists across the world. The popular Ziro Music Festival set in the valley sees the onset of cosmos in September. 

As most of the Northeast enjoys this seasonal blossom, the Kapamodzü Peak in the Pfutsero district of Nagaland, and Hnahsin Kut in Champhai, Mizoram, have emerged as some other hotspots for travellers and tourists. With tourism boost at the anvil, the cosmos is bringing communities together in showcasing their heritage and culture through autumnal festivals and a blooming state of mind.