A khatta-meetha take on life around me through my presbiopic eyes!
Author: Archana
Once a Physiotherapist now a Wordsmith. Field Botanist. Bonsai. Proud Indian. Fauji Wife. Doting Mother and Mother-in-law. Devoted Grandmother. Reluctant Cook. Happiest on a road less travelled. 60s are the new 40s ;-)
Its the fourth day of the AtoZ challenge and I am writing about gardens in Pune. You can catch up with my previous posts here..
Getting down to ‘D’ , the Dr Shama Prasad Mukherjee Udyan is a fairly small and new garden again in the heart of a residential area. Whatever its previous avatar, this is now a lovely recreational cum exercise area for the local residents. It holds great promise of becoming a beautiful green spot.
Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was an academician, barrister and politician and was a member of the cabinet of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The park is a quiet oasis. It has a walking track along the perimeter and large landscaped lawns. Though still at the fourth alphabet (hence garden), I have realised that such lawns are a common feature in most PMC gardens. The trees along the fence create a leafy barrier of sorts. The walking track has archways over which grow vines of fragrant flowers like Jasmine. This would surely be an excellent spot when the flowers are blooming.
The garden has a pretty Kadamb (Neolamarcia cadamba), Kailaspati (Couroupita guianensis) and Kigelia that were all flowering when I visited. I saw Hollyhocks after a really long time, the last that I saw them was probably in my garden in Chabua over a decade ago.
For those living in the Patwardhan Baug area, Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Udyan is an ideal spot for some quality relaxation.
Info: Entry Ticket: Nil (during my visit) Timing: 6AM to 10AM and 4PM to 8PM Parking: Available Drinking water: Available (quality not checked) Rest rooms: Available (quality not checked) Location Map here.
Chittaranjan. A name with a wonderful ring to it. I remember it from my school days from the Chittaranjan Locomotive Works which is an electric locomotive factory. So i looked forward to visiting a park by that name that was almost in my neighbourhood. Often, this park hosts music and literary programs and that must surely be a divine experience. The combination of soul stirring notes (or words) under dense shadows of towering trees and bird songs would surely raise goose bumps.
Trees were the lasting impression at the Chittaranjan Park. It is located next to a ‘nullah’ (canal or small urban stream) and obviously is an old garden. It has a tiled pathway along the perimeter that serves as a walking track. Obviously I got into the way of the regulars, with my frequent halts for photographs or tree identification! I suggest walking in the same direction as the majority and a similar pace to avoid exasperated looks from regulars (many of whom were wearing masks for some reason). Want to pause? Then just step into the adjacent lawns. This track is thoughtfully marked for distance covered and there is a ‘fitness chart’ of sorts at one end.
The Chittaranjan Vatika also has a mock traffic training area. I am not sure whom it is meant for really, but it has signals, road signs, intersections and so on. From what I saw, it was reduced to a spot for a photo-op or play or resting/walking zone. I do wish more would take advantage of what it’s meant for…
The park is home to the a library called ‘Vasundhara Vachanalaya’ which seemed a really cool idea. Borrow books and read them in this garden. Perfect! The kids play area was buzzing with activity.
Many trees in the park are labelled which should help newbie tree lovers. Here are few trees that I identified: Saraca asoca, Khaya, Parkia biglandulosa, Sanmea sanamea, Spathodea campanulata, Kigelia africana, Alstonia species, Peltaforum species, Ficus species and Casuarinas. There are many more, which I leave you to spot and ID.
Seeta ashok, Kigelia, Rohitak
Do sit a while and enjoy the sound of gushing water in the adjacent nullah. The occasional breeze sets the wind-chimes tinkling in a nearby home. All in all, a wonderful garden in Model Colony, Pune. Cheers!
Info: Entry Ticket: Nil. Timing: 6AM to 10AM and 4PM to 8PM Parking: Available Drinking water: Available (quality not checked) Rest rooms: Available (quality not checked) USP: Library, Traffic training signs Location Map here.
In general, there are a lot of misconceptions about. So the idea of a bonsai garden would be equally new. I have not visited any of the famous collections – YET – a situation that I hope to rectify in the future…. A ‘B’ post seemed to be an ideal platform to write about the ones that I have seen.
This garden would obviously be made so that to focus a visitors attention on the bonsai trees and if possible add to its beauty. Here is an excellent in depth article from Bonsai Empire that talks about displaying bonsai trees.
My friends have set up their bonsai ‘gardens’ in building terraces or even in balconies. My own collection resides in my balconies and their places keep changing as the sun moves southwards (in winter) or northwards (in summer). With these constraints, the display is not as I would want it to be but then in a space challenged city, I am not complaining!
My Jade that is still has some way to go…
B is also for Botanical Gardens. Pune has its share of those but sadly despite so many botany stalwarts and botany enthusiasts (not students!), these gardens could have be in better shape. Almost every Science college has one and I have visited many of those. The one that stays with me for sheer diversity is the Fergusson College Botanical Garden. My ‘Here Maps’ shows me a botanical garden at Spicer College but no one seems to know much about it. I shall have to find out soon…
Have you visited a bonsai garden or a botanical garden? Do share a link in the comments below. Thanks!
So it begins! One month of frenzied blogging and commenting. In the process we do read some very interesting blogs, unique ideas and wonderful people.
I had two choices for A both really interesting ones and it was a difficult one. So I wrote about the Alice garden and here we are, at the Aba Bagul Udyan. This is the park’s common name but technically, it is the Late Vasantrao Eknath Bagul Udyan. Udyan/Vatika are the Marathi words for park/garden. I have used them interchangeably in my posts.
This park is located right on a main road, a very busy road at that, yet
remains quite inconspicuous. I had several visiting opportunities with a botany group but alas, I could not join. Housed in an area that I
frequent, it was quite a shame that I stayed away for so many years.
This blogathon seemed a good way to make good many such pending visits.
I
remember the area from early 1980s when it was a rocky bare space through
which flowed a ‘nullah’ (a storm water drain that flows into the river). Over last
3 decades the city has grown tremendously and ‘developed’ and like many other parts, this area is unrecognisable now. I cant say who is to be credited
for the change but the garden I am about to describe is presently under
the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
On entering the Udyan, the Star Apple tree (Chrysophyllum cainito) is the first thing that gets attention. Its canopy of green and golden brown leaves casts a cool shadow in which rests a lion! A statue of course!
Star Apple
Distinctive leaves of Star Apple
Chrysophyllum cainito
The park has a tiled walkway that goes around the perimeter and also meanders through the well manicured lawns. Aerial roots of a banyan tree have created a ‘wall’ of sorts. Walk deeper into the park to see the ‘nullah’. Obviously designed by professional landscapers, the Aba Bagul Udyan also has a large play area for kids, one that is quite popular with locals. The park also has the Bhimsen Joshi Kaladalan (an art gallery) and a musical fountain cum laser show. This 20-minute is on from Mon to Fri at 745pm and on Saturdays at 730pm. I have heard excellent reviews of the musical fountain and its the only one of its kind in Pune that I have heard of.
The musical fountain and its seating area
Art gallery
I spotted the Madhavi lata (Hiptage benghalensis) – a liana with fluffy toothed flowers. It was in full bloom and its flowering heralds the spring season. The genus Hiptage is derived from ‘Hiptamai’ – a Greek word that means to fly. The Madhavi lata has a three winged fruit that can ‘fly’ – is propogated by wind.
Other significant trees that I spotted include the Triangular leaf fig (Ficus natalensis ), a really tall Rubber plant, a well grown Raktarohida (Aphanamixis polystachia), Satween (Alstonia scholaris) and Seeta ashok (Saraca asoca).
Madhavilata
Ficus elastica
Due to the water body, I am sure, this must be a good site to see birds.
What do you see? The Heron? The Anaphamyxis polystachia? The bridge?
Here is a short video of the musical fountain at this park:
All in all, a great place in Sahakar Nagar to exercise or relax or introspect or dream!
Before I end, A is also for Alice Garden which is an urban jungle of sorts. You may like to visit that too.
Info: Entry Ticket: Yes INR 20 for adults. Timing: 6AM to 10AM and 4PM to 8PM Parking: Available Drinking water: Available (quality not checked) Rest rooms: Available (quality not checked) USP: Trees, Musical Fountain Location Map here.
This is my third attempt at the April AtoZ blogging challenge and the second attempt based on a theme. To be truthful, I had thought of not participating this year. Why? I was defeated by conjuring post titles and was about to give up. That’s when inspiration struck! I remembered a blog from one of the earlier April AtoZ’s (sorry but cannot remember which one) which described gardens and was motivated by the idea of local tourism. I also love trees. So I thought why not combine the three ideas??
Soooo… Will my posts be about trees? Yes but not only about trees… Will they be about gardening? Well, gardens yes but not gardening… Will it be about local tourism? Yes local places will be the main focus…
So WHAT is the theme?
I plan to write about gardens in my city Pune, the trees therein and special features if any. I made it a point to visit all gardens before writing about them which took up most of my time over the last few weeks.
I realised that except for two, I had not visited any gardens in Pune. Sad because, I now see that the parks are really beautiful and clean and each has something different to offer. This makes me proud of the efforts of the authorities. I am quite a vocal critic of the garden department but credit must be given where due…
I had a stroke of luck as I found a map by the Pune Municipal Corporation that detailed locations of their gardens. But this did not necessarily make my task easy as most parks were named after Kings or Queens or some prominent person who is no more. Hence I had a plethora of gardens for alphabets like ‘C’ or ‘L’ and almost nothing for the others… I am bound by the A to Z theme so decided to take some leeway and have used popular names of parks or their ‘official’ names.
Irrespective of whatever part of the world you visit from, dear readers, you are bound to find something interesting here in this month. Maybe its an echo of a garden in your city or one that you have seen or one that you would like to see created! I would love to hear from you.
Pune has many famous gardens (i.e. famous in Pune) but I had never heard of Alice Garden. Being a tree lover, I took it as a personal affront at not knowing where it was located. To add insult to injury, I learnt that the Alice Garden was located inside the premises of the erstwhile Pune University now called the Savitribai Phule Pune Uniiversity which was a place that I had visited often.
When I did finally go there, I would not be wrong in describing the Alice Garden as an urban forest! It did have a proper gate, one ‘proper’ lawn, some dirt tracks to walk around and some swings for kids to play but I am not really sure how many kids come there, located as it is amid an institution of higher studies. I guess children from the staff quarters must be using it….
The main attraction is its huge trees. Easily at a height of five storeys, one can only guess the species based on leaves, fruit, flowers, twigs that had fallen on the ground. However we must thank some one for having thoughtfully labelled the trees which makes the subsequent process easier! The pretty foliage Filicium decipiens (Fern leaf tree) welcomes you and the path immediately splits into two. Choose any and walk around, enjoy the bird sounds and enjoy the earthy smell. I have always visited in the morning or evening but I doubt much sunlight reaches the floor through the thick tree canopy. We spot the Joannesia princeps (Arara Nut tree – indigenous to Brazil) and the Bauhinia vahlii. The joy is doubled as these are not labelled! There is a massive Sapindus emarginatus (Reetha), Caesalpinia coriaria (Divi divi), Guazuma ulimfolia (West Indian Elm) and and Tabebuia species.
There is small pond – an extremely peaceful spot provided one is lathered oneself with mosquito repellants! That is to be expected, really, considering one is amid thick greenery. Possibly a birders delight!
I am told that the Alice Garden is a treasure for those keen to study spiders. In fact, a recently organised Spider Walk at this place was a huge hit!
I notice a few dedicated walkers in this park who had shunned the tarred roads outside for their morning exercise. Other than them, there is some staff in a plant nursery which did not seem to be selling the plants. No other humans are visible.
The University itself is from the period when the British were present in Pune so I guess the garden is about two hundred years old. It is named after Alice Richmans. The Alice Garden has an interesting legend as well. According to some reports, the garden is haunted. Follow this link to read more about these anecdotes.
