Pangali: The Fragrant Sentinel of the Western Ghats
There are some plants that announce their arrival with bright colours. Others demand attention through sheer abundance. And then there are plants like Pangali (Pogostemon benghalensis), which quietly stand along the trails and plateaus of the Sahyadris, waiting to be noticed.
Winter transforms the Sahyadri landscape. The lush greens of the monsoon give way to golden grasslands, and many seasonal blooms fade from view. It is during this transition that Pangali (Pogostemon benghalensis) comes into its own. Rising above the dry grasses with its distinctive purple flower spikes, it brings colour, fragrance, and life to the winter landscape of the forts and plateaus.
At first glance, Pangali appears to be a shrub. Standing nearly one to two metres tall, with sturdy purplish stems and dense flower spikes, it has a commanding presence. But appearances can be deceptive. Pangali is actually a large herb belonging to the mint family.
The plant is impossible to ignore once you get close. Its stems are angular and robust, the leaves broad and sharply toothed, and the entire plant carries a strong, characteristic fragrance. Crush a leaf gently between your fingers and the scent lingers, reminding you that this is a member of a family that includes some of the world's most aromatic plants.
Winter is Pangali's season.
When much of the landscape is preparing for the dry months ahead, Pangali bursts into bloom. Its tiny purple flowers are packed into dense spikes that together form a striking pyramid-shaped inflorescence. From a distance, the flowering plants seem like purple beacons scattered across the grasslands and forest edges.
Beyond its beauty, Pangali has a long relationship with people. Across parts of South Asia, different parts of the plant have been used in traditional medicine in the form of decoctions, extracts, infusions, and poultices. Traditional practices have employed it for a variety of ailments ranging from infections and intermittent fevers to digestive disorders.
Its connection with local communities extends beyond medicine. In Bangladesh, Nepal, and parts of Northeast India, the aromatic leaves are also used in the kitchen. They find their way into fish curries, stir-fries, and pakoras, lending a distinctive flavour and fragrance to traditional dishes.
Yet for most trekkers and nature lovers, Pangali remains an overlooked companion.
We photograph the fort. We admire the views. We study the history. But the plants quietly growing around us often tell equally fascinating stories. They are witnesses to changing seasons, surviving on windswept plateaus and along forgotten pathways, year after year.
The next time you find yourself wandering through a Sahyadri fort in winter, take a moment to look beyond the stone walls and distant horizons. You may find Pangali standing nearby, its purple flowers swaying gently in the breeze, adding colour, fragrance, and life to the landscape.
Sometimes the story of a place is not written only in its history.
Sometimes it blooms beside the trail.