Mirsarai in Chattogram has put on a striking natural display. Water hyacinth flowers are now blooming in open water bodies across the upazila, set against green leaves and blue sky. The flowers can be seen in canals, beels and ponds at Nizampur, Bortakia, Hadifakirhat, Mithachhara and Aburhat, adding to the beauty of the water.

The flower floats on ponds, canals, beels and lakes in villages and towns. It is an aquatic flower admired for its colour, scent and softness. It is usually light purple or bluish-purple, sometimes with a spot of yellow in one corner of a petal. The flowers bloom in clusters, floating on the water like soft clouds. The leaves are round and green and the stalks hollow, so the plant floats easily.

It usually flowers from the monsoon through early autumn, when water bodies fill with purple flowers. Besides adorning nature, the flowers bring people a sense of calm. When the plant grows too much, however, it can sometimes block the flow of water.

Local farmer Mohiuddin Hossain said: "I used to be annoyed at the sight of water hyacinth. Now when it flowers it feels as if nature is smiling. In the morning I stop work to look at it; it is a feast for the eyes."

Schoolgirl Nafisa Nawal said: "I see these flowers every day on my way to school. My friends and I take photos. It feels like walking through a flower garden. The colours are lovely."

Nature lover Mehedi Hasan said: "Mirsarai's water bodies have become a great place for photography, especially the abandoned ditches beside the Dhaka-Chattogram highway, where the flowers enchant everyone."

Mirsarai upazila agriculture officer Protap Chandra Roy said: "Although water hyacinth somewhat obstructs the flow of water, its flowers are part of the natural balance of our environment. If it is kept in a controlled way, it will add to nature's beauty and also preserve shelter for aquatic creatures."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.