Archana – Page 56 – Spice of Life!

28/04/201521/07/2020

Y is for Yashwantrao Chavan Udyan

We are almost at the end of the April 2015 AtoZ blogging challenge and its been quite an eyeopener for me– I have realised that each of the public gardens in Pune has something unique and different to offer in terms of the special features like landscaping or games for kids or infotainment! The garden I am writing about today is often referred to as the 7 Wonders Park… As you can guess, the park has miniature statues of the seven wonders of the world. They may not be to the exact scale but they do give a good idea of these magnificent monuments and will surely inspire many to travel to see them. All of them have information boards that have site information in Marathi – a good move in my opinion as it ensures that everyone coming to the park can read about the Eiffel Tower or Pyramids or The Statue of Liberty or The Colosseum…

Information in Marathi

If this is not enough, the park also has a 4D show which runs at specific times in the evenings… The themes should be interesting for kids and it seemed quite popular with garden visitors.There are some statues of popular kids’ ‘stars’ like Superman, Tarzan etc.

4D show

Though the garden is not very big, it does have two huge Dillenia indica trees – their splendid green foliage is a sight for sore eyes… The trees were fruiting when I went there and I wish I had gone a bit earlier to see those lovely blossoms. The garden also has several Terminalia mantaly trees. The Saraca asoca and Petrea volubilis at the entrance of a mock cave add colour to the landscape .

Dillenia indica

A mock cave guarded by the Saraca asoca

All in all, an excellent infotainment destination for kids holidaying in Pune!

Info:
Entry: INR 20 (includes the show)
Parking: Available on the road outside
Drinking Water: Available
Rest Rooms: Available

27/04/201521/07/2020

X is for eXtreme, eXcellent, eXtraordinary

We are almost at the end of the April 2015 AtoZ Blogging Challenge and the letter X is almost always eXtra challenging!! I am writing about gardens in Pune and I think the tedkis (hills) of Pune some of which have reserve forests on the top are truly unique to this city.
These tekdis offer all of the adjectives in the title of this post:

eXtraordinary: Pune is blessed with two rivers and importantly also has many hills located right inside the city limits. They can justly be called as the lungs of the city! We have the Vetal Tekdi (which is the highest), Hanuman Tekdi (which has the Gokhale Smarak Stambh), Parvati temple which is atop the Parvati hill, the Parvati Pachgaon forest area, the Tukai Tekdi and Durga Tekdi. The changing landscape over the seasons is a visual treat!

Poster

eXcellent: the hills are excellent places to exercise – for a walk, jog or even train for long treks in the Himalayas. In fact, March and April are months when one commonly sees many walking up and down the hills with huge backpacks, as they gear up for their outings in June or July… The tekdis are also home to some indigenous tree species that are either uncommon or are simply not seen in the city. Some of the trees are Ganer (Cochlospermum religiosum ), Bartondi (Morinda pubescens), Salai (Boswellia serrata), many species of the Capparis Genus. Regular walkers very commonly sight Peacocks on their morning walks on the Vetal tekdi as also a variety of birds… What bliss…

Acacia sp

Alangium salvifolium

Gardenia turgida

Dichrostachys cinerea

Dolichondrone falcata

Evolvulus alsinoides

Flower of Watakaka volubilis

eXtreme: They are an example of extremes of human intervention. Some hillocks have been almost flattened as they have been razed to make way for buildings and concrete jungles all under the name of development. Simultaneously, other hills have been ‘saved’ by peoples movements and resistance to the same ‘development’. There are umpteen examples of organisations who have taken up ‘greening’ of the hills or who spend their Sunday mornings cleaning up the waste or folks who daily take up some water to water new plantations!

Morning walkers fill up such bottles and carry them up to water saplings to help them survive the harsh summer heat

The most surprising part of these tekdis is that despite their obvious presence, a large number of people are simply unaware of this wonderful natural beauty. I know of people who have lived over five decades in Pune and still have not gone to any of the our tekdis…

The tekdis should be a must-visit place in the itinerary of every nature lover visiting Pune.
Cheers!

PS: Location Map here.

27/04/201521/07/2020

W is for War Memorial

Surprisingly I had choices of two ‘W’ gardens in Pune in this April AtoZ blogging challenge but its no surprise that I have opted for the War Memorial. Located in the Pune Cantonment, The National War Memorial is a citizen-led initiative to honour and remember the contributions of men in uniform in times of war and national calamity. Their names are inscribed on marble panels installed on one side of the park.

This is not a touristy place but a sombre one that recognsies that someone is paying the price for our safety. In the park are installed a Mig 23 aircraft, a tank and a replica of an Indian Navy warship which signifies the tri-services contributions to the nation.

Here is a link that has more info about the displayed aircraft. And the location Map is here.

Jai Hind!

24/04/201521/07/2020

V is for Vartak Udyan

We are the end of another week and almost at the end of the April 2015 AtoZ blogging challenge. I am writing about gardens in my city and I have been pleasantly surprised. Each one has something unique and the gardens seemed quite popular with families and health enthusiasts. Just proves the point of open spaces in an urban environment.

The Late Dr VD Vartak Udyan in Shaniwar Peth, Pune is located on the banks of the River Mutha. Dr Vartak was an eminent botanist whose vast body of work in the field of plant taxonomy has inspired hundreds of students. Two plant species have been named after in him, an honour which ensures we always remember his contribution. A plaque at the park entrance lists Dr Vartak’s achievements in the botanical world!

Late Dr V D Vartak Udyan

The park itself has a surprising layout and just as one thinks it is a small patch of land, a track opens up and runs along the river for some distance. Its an interesting space to enjoy the evenings. The garden has a small open air amphi theatre with a small stage and seating that overlooks the river and the Sambhaji Park on the opposite bank. This would be wonderful sight for botanical discussions or a musical program… The duranta and money plant were used to create interesting shades of green.

Duranta and money plant carpet

The park has a small waterfall and like the Saras Baug, this garden too had piped music!

Piped music for the plants

I spotted a Neer Phanas, Bauhinia, Peepal (Ficus religiosa) and Silver Oak (Grevillea robusta) among others. Some exercise equipment has been installed here and some youth were making the most of this free opportunity to get a cardio workout!

An excellent space by the river!

Info:
Entry: Free
Timing: 6AM to 10AM and 4PM to 8PM
Drinking Water: Available
Location Map here.

23/04/201521/07/2020

U is for Udan

The Udan Biodiversity Park and Sensory Garden is a one of its kind garden in the city, one that I have already written about earlier. As the name suggests, Udan is both a sensory garden and focuses on biodiversity as well. Do read about its excellent sensory elements here.

The site of this park used to be an abandoned and overgrown plot with a nullah at one end. Naturally it became a dumping ground of sorts, an eyesore and generally a unhealthy place. As part of its CSR initiatives, the Zensar Foundation (Zensar is an IT company that is located close by) partnered the PMC to develop this plot into a biodiversity plot. They recruited experts who reused a lot of rocks and soil from the area to create something unique. Specially chosen plants helped attract butterflies – these provided them food and also a place to lay eggs.In fact the garden layout itself is in the shape of a butterfly!

The rocks have been artistically placed to create a wonderful fountain and a waterfall. Medicinal, aromatic and flowering and indigenous species have been planted and some are specifically to encourage kids to explore their sense of smell, touch, sight and taste.

The high point is the small but thriving shrub of Frerea indica – a species that has been brought back from brink of extinction.

A stark reminder of the damage to the environment is in the form of a ‘graveyard’ with placards for species that have become extinct.

In fact, there is a small nursery where the gardeners are happy to give visitors saplings of plants in their garden. For free. I came away with Marjorum and Basil saplings that are happily growing in my balcony.

A park that every Punekar should be proud of!

Info:
Entry: Free
Time: 6AM to 10AM and 4PM to 8PM
Parking: On the road
Location Map here.

23/04/201521/07/2020

T is for Tathavade Udyan

My first visit to this part was as part of a tree walk and the striking feature here was its plethora of Brownea coccinea trees. Trees were the sole focus of that visit and, I came away knowing a lot about the species growing there there but totally ignored the story of Late Major Tathavade Kirti Chakra who made the highest sacrifice in Poonch area in the year 2000. I regretted my ignorance and made another visit just to read about this brave soldier in whose memory the park has been named. There is a statue of the Late Major Tathavade at the entrance and I paused for a while there to pay my respects to his valour.

Spread over 3 acres, the park has one more nationalistic attraction which is a Pakistani tank from the 1971 India-Pakistan war.

Obviously this park should be a huge silent inspiration for youngsters and should remind that peace comes at a cost and we should not take contributions of our soldiers for granted.

The garden is rich in terms of trees as well with a magnificent Arjun (Terminalia arjuna), Kadamba (Neolamarckia kadamba), the Fern Leaf tree (Filicium decipiens), pretty Tamhan (Lagerstromia sp) and ofcourse several varieties of Ficus. Most trees have been labelled. The landscaped lawns and gazebos added to the beauty and serene atmosphere. There was a small kids play area too.

Brownea buds

Brownea in full bloom

New Brownea leaf looks is brown like a horse tail

The leaf grows to look like this

A garden that is popular due to its tiled walking track and location in the heart of a residential area. A garden that would be a delight for tree lovers, health enthusiasts and an inspiration for all.

Placards bearing plant names and plant info

Landscaping

Info:
Entry: INR 1
Timing: 6AM to 10AM and 4PM to 8PM
Parking: On the road adjoining the garden
Drinking Water: Available
Rest rooms: Available
Location Map here.

22/04/201521/07/2020

S is for Saras Baug and Sambhaji Park

This post is part of April 2015 AtoZ blogging challenge and I am writing about parks in Pune. My theme offered several options for some alphabets and very few for some. ‘S’ was among those where I could actually choose from the garden I want to write about!

S is for Saras Baug, a major landmark in the city. In the eighteenth century, Nanasaheb Peshwa built a small lake in this area which is at the base of the Parvati hill and a Ganesha Temple was constructed in the centre of this lake. To this day, the temple is much revered among the Punekars. He also developed a garden which has undergone several makeovers thereafter. Here is a link to the Shree Deveshwar Sansthan website that has more information about the temple.

The garden is open all day long unlike most other parks in the city. The lawns are well maintained and seem healthy and green as they are kept off limits for visitors (this possibly protects them from footfalls of hundreds of visitors daily). A unique feature is the piped music played on specially installed speakers along the tiled walkway. There is a thriving street food market outside the park plus several activities for kids like horse rides, merry-go-rounds, carousels and so on…. The atmosphere outside is colourful, happy and highly energetic – one that never fails to cheer me up. People from all walks of life, all faiths and all ages are simply enjoying!

Pink Canna to border the lawns

Lawns

Pond with water lilies

Getting back to the garden, it has some wonderfully old trees and some not so old ones too! The Lagerstromia speciosa here are spectacular. This flower locally called Jarul or Tamhan is the state flower of Maharashtra.

Tamhan

Info:
Entry: Free
Timing: All Day

I cannot complete this post without a mention of the Sambhaji Park – yet another landmark garden in the city. I do not know its ‘age’ but suffice to say it has been around for four decades at least – the time that I have been visiting Pune…. The PMC Garden Department has its offices in a section of this garden and an annual fruit and vegetable show is held every year sometime in February. It has competitions for gardeners and home gardens and the displays using fruits/flowers/vegetables are absolutely stunning each year. The creativity never ceases to impress me…. The Sambhaji Park is also home to a humble Aquarium and the Mutha River flows right alongside the garden. This means, in case of heavy monsoon rains, when the river is in spate, the lower parts of the garden get inundated ..

For tree lovers, the garden has the Bauhinia vahlii creeper, Kailashpati, Bottle Palms and an interesting coconut tree that has a Ficus growing on it… a classic example of avian propagation of seeds.

Ficus growing on a Coconut tree

An Armoured Corps Vehicle On Display- an inspiration for the younger generation

A glimpse of the garden during the annual fruit and vegetable show

Info:
Entry: Free Aquarium entry ticket is INR 2 for adults and people over 4’4″. Kids INR1
Timing: Garden is 6AM to 11AM and 4PM to 8PM
Aquarium Timing: 8030AM to 11AM and 4.30PM to 8PM
Location Map here.

Cheers!

21/04/201521/07/2020

R is for MahaRana Pratap Udyan

This garden is officially called the MahaRana Pratap Udyan and is tucked away on an important arterial North-South Road of the city. The neighbourhood is mostly residential and borders a very busy commercial area. I realised it was extremely popular with families when I visited as many relaxed on the lawns, played games and enjoyed the greenery in the very heart of Pune.

A bust of MahaRana Pratap is located almost immediately after the gate. He was a King of Mewar in what is now India’s Rajasthan state. He was among the few rulers who stood up to the Mughals. An inspiring and fearless King whose deeds are still recounted with fervour.

This garden also has a memorial to Shaheed Captain Sushant Godbole who laid down his life fighting terrorists in Jammu. We are safe in our cities only because of him and all our armed forces personnel who are unquestioningly guarding our borders for the safety of their fellow countrymen.

Installations in this garden should be an inspiration to young minds. Besides these, there are the by now ubiquitous manicured lawns, tiled walkways around the perimeter, trees and a few flower beds.

Kids enjoying!

Info:
Entry: Free
Timing: 6AM to 11AM and 4PM to 8.30PM
Drinking Water: Available (Quality not checked)
Rest Rooms: Available (Hygiene not checked)

Another “R” park that finds a mention in this post is the Raja Mantri Udyan not because it is something spectacular but because it was the park where I began my research for this series! I spotted a white powder puff in bloom here, a somewhat uncommon tree.

Info: Raja Mantri Udyan
Entry: INR 1
Timing: 6AM To10.30AM and 4PM to 8PM
Parking: On the road
Drinking Water and Rest Rooms: Available

Location Map here.

20/04/201521/07/2020

Q is for Queens Garden

This post is part of my April 2015 AtoZ Blogging Challenge where I have visited and am writing about gardens in Pune. I have depended extensively on maps (the old fashioned paper ones and e-maps on my phone and the PC) to identify gardens. As usual, one alphabet had me stumped and this time it was Q. Not because I could not find a garden but for an entirely different reason. Despite many maps indicating the Queens Garden, there is no ‘garden’ in the form that we all know.

The ‘star’ is the location of the Tribal Museum

Oh dear.

What does exist is a road that is called Queens Garden and the entire area is again called Queens Garden. It is a residential area with living accommodation for government officials! All my research skills were unable to spot existence of any ‘real’ garden in the past.

Now what?

I walked around the area and found that though I cannot write about a typical garden, this area has much to offer for tourists – for botany lovers, the heritage building that houses the Western Regional Centre of the Botanical Survey of India is a stone’s throw away and is a most interesting place to visit.

The Tribal Museum is in the vicinity and should offer great insights into the life and culture of tribal folk.

I saw this wall of sorts created by Banyan (Ficus benghalensis) trees on the road that leads to Queens Garden. It was amazing. This tree sort of ‘walks’ via its aerial roots that form a new tree wherever they touch the ground. The Ficus is like a keystone species in any jungle as its figs are an important diet of many animals and its leaves and branches offer a home for several species of reptiles, birds, bats, butterflies, moths etc… Several species of the Ficus genus grow in India and many of them are wonderful for Bonsai as well.

So don’t lose heart because there is no real garden, there are other wonderful places to explore in this part of town.
Cheers!

Info:
Visit this area not for its garden but for other attractions in the area.
Being a defence neighbourhood, people passing through this area may be asked to prove their identity or subject to search.
Some parts of this area are out of bounds for foreigners.

18/04/201521/07/2020

P is for PL Deshpande Garden

My first choice for ‘P’ for my April 2015 AtoZ blogging challenge was the Peshwe Park in Pune. I have been visiting it since my childhood when it was a Zoo but more recently it has gone a total makeover from a Zoo to an energy park. Another interesting tidbit I have learnt is that way back in the late 1700s, this very site had a menagerie which was created by Nana Phadnavis. Take a look at this sketch “A Rhinoceros in the Peshwa’s Menagerie at Poona”

To my utter despair, despite repeated attempts, I could not enter the Park (reserving this for another post!) so I must settle for the PL Deshpande Garden. PL Deshpande was an extremely popular author, poet, music composer, orator (to name just a few of his talents) and he is still revered among Marathi people around the world. The garden is named after him and is also called the Pune Okayama Friendship garden. Here is my original post. Thereafter, the park has an addition which is a version of the ‘Mughal Garden’ with terrace lawns, walkways and fountains. The entry ticket rates have also been hiked.

The lawns are off- limits which I think is a good idea as it protects the grass as the park tends to get fairly crowded. There are several interesting species planted here. Prunus serrulata and Platanus orientalis are among the important uncommon trees planted in this garden.

Here are some images from the garden from a while ago. Enjoy!

Photo credit @puneribaker

Photo credit @puneribaker

Info:
Entry: Ticketed entry
Time: 6AM to 10AM and 4PM to 8PM
Parking: Available
Rest Rooms: Available (quality and hygiene not checked)
Drinking Water: Available (quality and hygiene not checked)

This post is part of my April 2015 AtoZ blogging challenge and I am writing about parks in Pune. You can read other posts on this theme here.