The drive up to Kaas from Satara is gradual, hugging the hillside with a fascinating view of the townscape below.
Splashes of yellow and purple hedges along the dwellings seen along the drive finally throw away their pretences, as endless fields of flowers open up.
Nature's carpet, the colours of the rainbow and many others in between, spread ever so gently and take one's breath away.
The colours of Kaas Valley in the Western Ghats are only accentuated with a spurt of rain and mild dew.
Tiny flowers blossom in myriad shapes, sizes and shades. For nature lovers, this small plot of land is often referred to as the mini Valley of Flowers.
Blooming period commences as the monsoon season ends, and that too, for a period of two to three weeks, usually until the end of August. UNESCO is planning to give it a World Heritage status.
Nearby are picturesque places like Kaas Lake, Bamnoli and Tapola. From Bamnoli to Tapola, a short boat ride takes you through the Shivsagar Lake formed due to the Koyna dam. Vasota Fort lies near Tapola.
The purple hue of the sky-blue karvy and lavender jambhali manjiri (Pogostemon) contrasts with the yellow carpet of smithias (locally known as kavla) perfectly.
White tuberous pipewort grows amidst siteche aasave, a purple orchid-like plant. A sunflower species — sontikli — is such a bright shade of yellow that when mixed with the yellow of linums, the combination exudes an amazing effect under the sunshine and gentle windswept plateau.
An interesting chat with the owner of Nivant Hill Resort on Kaas Road reveals that the Kaas flower carpet changes its colours every 10-15 days, depending upon the dominant flowers during that particular time. Pink lawns of impatiens and white carpets of eriocaulons are most dominant, he says.
Some dominant flowering plants we saw were utricularia, eriocaulons and impatiens. Utricularia is another interesting flower seen here; these plants are insectivorous, as they feed on small insects. There is another insect-eating plant named drosera in Kaas, although small in number.
Boards spell out explicit rules to one and all, asking them to accept the moral responsibility to protect the environment at Kaas Plateau. Many announcements proclaim Kaas as a reserved forest: enjoy the beauty of nature without harming it; do not pluck flowers, do not uproot the flora as it will affect biodiversity.
There is a poignant Japanese haiku that goes thus: "Even though it is written on the sign, do not pluck the flowers, it is useless against the wind that cannot read." The winds along the Kaas Plateau, however, are far kinder to these exquisite flowers, perhaps knowing fully well that this seasonal spread of colours is ephemeral. So evanescent.