The Kaas Plateau, located 25 km from Pune, is a unique ecosystem nestled in the Sahyadri Mountains. The metamorphosis that takes place here during the monsoon season is the most popular attraction of the place. Known as the ‘Plateau of a Million Flowers’, Kaas has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tourists visit the place to witness the blossoming of thousands of flowers during the monsoon season when the plateau becomes covered with sheets and drapes of tiny flowering plants, which takes place from July to September. Some of the unique species found here include the Ceropegia, whose lantern-like appearance gives it vernacular name of ‘Kandil Kharchudi’. Kaas also features Pleocaulus ritchei, known in vernacular terms as ‘Topli Karvi’, which flowers only once in its lifetime of eight years.
