COIMABTORE: A stunning fruit and vegetable sculpture of a woman fishing from a boat emerged as the key attraction at the second edition of Hill Crops Exhibition that commenced at Kattery Park in Coonoor on Friday.
Organised for the second consecutive year by the Horticulture Department, the three-day exhibition showcased the cultural identity of Tamil Nadu’s coastal communities. The fisher woman has been crafted using ten varieties of hill and plantation crops, including tea, coffee, betel leaves, cashew, coconut, palmyra, coco and arecanut.
Adding to the coastal ambience are giant installations of anchors, oars, conch shells, lighthouses and a map of Tamil Nadu’s coastline, all made using nearly nine tonnes of plantation crops and agricultural produce.
Meanwhile, the 49th Flower Show opened to enthusiastic crowds at Anna Park in Yercaud in Salem on Friday. Among the floral displays, a giant teddy bear made using 45,000 roses became a hit among children. Visitors were also awestruck at the rural scene of a farmer ploughing fields with bulls, along with artistic floral models of cows, calves, goats, rabbits, ducks, hens and a traditional farmhouse.
Adding to the spectacle were elaborate floral creations of Bharatanatyam dancers and cartoon-inspired characters. The flower show also features over 100 varieties of blooms arranged in more than 30,000 flower pots. Selfie zones featuring heart-shaped floral installations emerged as major crowd pullers.
The Yercaud Summer Festival and Flower Show will continue till May 28, with organisers planning cultural performances, folk arts, music events and entertainment programmes. However, the visitors urged authorities to reduce the ticket price, which was hiked from Rs 40 during last year's festival to 60 now for adults and Rs 20 to 40 for children.