As part of my theme for the April 2015 AtoZ blogging challenge, I have visited some famous, some popular and some relatively less known parks in Pune. Today is the day for ‘O’ and there is only one park that I want to write about. The Osho Teerth Park. The land where it now resides (is that the correct word for a park??) used to be a wasteland and a not very clean nullah (stream) flowed through it. Dedicated efforts by the Shunyo Foundation has made this into a serene garden with bridges, artistically installed benches, statues, rocks, trees and bamboos. The water was purified using specific species of fish and some plants. The stream snakes through the 12-acre plot of land creating a mini forest of sorts. The water attracts several bird species and early morning hours can make this a delightful spot for birding. The pond has water lilies and some ‘real’ lotus as well.
Some of the old trees have been retained e.g. the superb Mahadhawda (Anogeissus pendula). We were speechless by this tree which in full bloom resembled a cascade of greenish yellow fuzzy balls.In fact the tree and hence its inflorescence was so high that it was impossible to touch the flowers, and we had to use binoculars to ‘see’ them clearly. Yet another park that does not permit photography so I cannot share the beauty that I saw….
Children may get bored in the garden as there is no ‘play’ area. It seemed to be a popular spot among health enthusiasts in the morning hours when I visited. As I have said before, most of the parks have a different ‘flavour’ at different times of the day when the visitor demographic changes.
A wonderful park that should be on every Pune vistor’s list. Visit this link for some glimpses of the park. Info: Entry: Free for public in specified time Timing: 6AM to 9AM and 3PM to 6PM Parking: Not Permitted in the lane Rest Rooms and Drinking water: Not available Photography: Not permitted. Location Map here.
J is for JJ Garden and strangely I actually ventured into this garden because of the highly popular Vada Pav stall (some label it as the best) located at the park gates. Vada Pav is a typical Maharashtrian fast food and is a deep fried potato patty eaten sandwiched in a Pav (can be loosely described as bun). Cheap and satisfying food of the first order which can be eaten on the go at any time and any place!
Hey, this post about gardens not food so lets enter the park. Unlike others we have visited so far on the A to Z tour, this one is managed by the Pune Cantonment Board.
Fountain
Trees have motivational quotes. This one says “Happiness lies, first of all, in Health: George Willian Curtis”
Oriental style gazebo
The park trees have boards with interesting motivational quotes – though I dont know how many people even bother to read them. I saw a lovely Soap nut tree bearing fruit as also really big Banyan and Tamarind trees. For some reason there were large Putranjeev (also called Child life tree) – but their pretty drooping green branches more than made up for downsides of the garden.
Located as it is in the hub of the commercial area, the garden is quite noisy but the kids playing there did not seem to mind it one bit! The garden could be better maintained and it has scope to be a wonderful resting spot in this very busy area of Pune.
Info: Entry: INR 1 single entry ticket Parking: In adjoining lanes Rest rooms: No Location Map here.
F is an alphabet that had me stumped. I could not find anything among the Pune gardens whose official name or local name began with F. That’s when I realised that my theme was also meant to document trees in the city. Bingo! That gave me my post. Forest Research Garden!
Its not technically a garden. Its more of a forest really. This is a government-run tree nursery located on Sopan Baug Road. It is also home to some really old and one-off trees in the city. It is a must on the places-to-visit list for tree lovers or botany students. I had visited the Forest Garden Nursery a couple of years ago on a field botany trip and even now, the place has retained its ‘Forest’ like atmosphere. The trees are really tall with not much sunshine reaching the floor. This means there are a lot of small herbs, shrubs growing there which gives you more study material. The property has some green houses where I think they conduct their research or try to germinate seeds or house the young still delicate saplings.
Soaring stately Ceiba pentandratrees are important residents at the Forest Garden. Experts tell us that these can be called ‘Heritage’ trees as they seem to be over 100 years old. In fact, author Shrikant Ingalhalikar has included a photograph of these trees in the Preface of his book ‘Trees of Pune‘ (page 12). The Page 232, lists some of the unique trees in this garden.
A few of thetrees to be studied here are Ficus mollis, Alangium salvifolium, Sandbox tree (Hura crepitans), Buddha’s coconut (Pterygota alata), Rudraksha. The list is not complete as I would like to leave something for you to explore and enjoy.
Sand box tree
Its not a place if you are looking to picnic or for kids to play or or for exercise or for general recreation. A unique ‘garden’ indeed!
Info: Parking: On the road and some available in the premises Entry: Free Timing: 10AM to 5PM Closed on Sundays and government holidays. Location Map here.
The Empress Garden is an iconic site in Pune, a landmark, a place for recreation, exercise and study to name just a few. Spread over 39 acres and in existence since 1880 the park obviously has some really old and unique trees. It is privately managed by the Agri-Horticultural Society of Western India Initially it was a ‘Soldiers Garden’. Its land was the property of Sardar Vitthalrao Purandare and General Finjier looked over the maintenance jobs. The then-government took over ownership of the garden in 1838 and in 1845, its ownership changed to Sir Charles Napier. In the period that he owned the garden, it was called ‘Garden of Dr. Don’. Thereafter the garden was named Empress Garden in honour of Queen Victoria when she was bestowed the title ‘Empress of India’. (This info from the garden website)
For a tree lover, the joy begins almost as soon as you reach because the imposing Kinhai and a Moha in the parking area will delay your entry. Feast your eyes and proceed for more tree wonders – made somewhat easier by the helpful labelling on the trunks. A stream of sort runs through the foliage creating a micro habitat for some water birds and flora. Empress does not have the typical manicured lawns that one expects in a garden. To be fair, its a botanical garden so don’t look for ‘accepted’ or ‘traditional’ aesthetic elements. Rather revel in the thought of sharing space with living beings that may be over 100 years old. What secrets would they be holding? If only trees could tell us…
The mesmerising creeper Bauhinia vahlii which loops over the tall trees and forms a floral canopy in April
The trunk of the Kinhai
Dont miss the giant creepers that grow here – living up to their ‘giant’ status. An interesting fact about Bauhinia (shown above). The genus Bauhinia is in honour of 16th century botanists Caspar and Johann Bauhin who were twin brothers. Species in this plant group also have two lobed leaves that are identical when folded.
Twin lobed leaf of Bauhinia
Folded leaf of Bauhinia
The garden has the usual play area for kids which seems highly popular. There is a small cottage that serves as their office and is used for small events – I have attended a book launch there. This garden is a popular site
for school picnics, family outings and of course health enthusiasts.
They have a ‘Nana Nani Park’ which is a section for grand parents (Nana
Nani mean grandfather and grandmother respectively).
The high point of this garden is its annual Buds n Bloom show held sometime in January each year. Besides the usual stalls selling gardening stuff; the gardeners at Empress create stunning displays using seasonal flowers. In addition, there is a wonderful display of Ikebana arrangements. Yet another unusual exhibit is an collage created using grains, pulses, fresh fruits and veggies. There is no limit to creativity! Local Bonsai enthusiasts display select trees during the annual Empress Buds n Bloom fest.
A heritage garden that should be on your list when visiting Pune. Enjoy!
Info you can use: Entry: INR 10 for 3 years and over Timing: 930AM to 630PM All days of the week Parking: Available and Chargeable Drinking water: Available (quality and hygiene not checked) USP: Unique trees and creepers; Plant nursery; Palm garden; Sale of organic veggies and fruits; Annual Buds n Bloom show; Birding; Tree spotting Location Map here.
This post is part of the April AtoZ Blogging challenge and I am writing about gardens in Pune.
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.
I have made it a point to visit gardens in every place that I travel to but never bothered to visit those in my own city. No reason really.. The past few days have been a conscientious effort to correct this. The Udan Biodiversity Park is located near Pune’s airport and I usually go to this locality only when travelling. Obviously visiting a park is out of question at that point in time.
Thus I grabbed the opportunity to visit Udan during the Virasat Pune Heritage Festival 2015 as we would have someone from the ‘makers’ of the park to share information with us. Besides the biodiversity element, this park has a sensory garden. That was a major attraction for me. Several years ago, I remember using different textures as part of therapy for special kids. With my new interest in botany, I was fascinated by the idea of using plants to stimulate the sense organs. I must say the creators of this park have succeeded to a large extent and I was quite impressed.
I have seen a sensory garden in the Chicago Botanic Garden but that was at the start of the spring so most of the plants were still dormant. I have heard and read about the Garden of Five Senses in Delhi and I am quite proud that my city too has a sensory garden. This one is is geared for differently-abled kids but everyone can enjoy and learn here.
Leaf imprints at the entrance
This park is spread over 2 acres and uses different plant species and their properties to explore the sense of touch, smell, taste, hearing and vision. Children are bound to find this very interesting as one goes beyond four walls to feel and experience strange wonderful phenomenon. The entrance itself is dramatic with leaf imprints in the cemented pathway. The sign posts are in English and Marathi and in Braille. Visitors are encouraged to pluck a leaf to experience its specific properties. There is the ‘Toothache plant’ whose leaves cause a tingling sensation in the mouth, the ‘Pandanus sp’ which has a distinctive fragrance, the ‘Touch me not’ whose leaves droop at the slightest touch…
Fun with plants
Sign posts in Marathi, English and Braille
Camphor Basil
Cardamom flower
The park has a fountain in the centre and most of the time there was a gentle breeze blowing. They have retained some of the rocks that were found in the original plot of land to create a wonderful waterfall. In my humble opinion there exists scope to create a spot to explore/demonstrate sound of water and the feeling of air movement as well.
I do hope more people especially kids go out and enjoy what this park has to offer. This is a Pune Municipal Corporation Park that has been developed and maintained by the Zensar Foundation. They do give away saplings of their collection if you desire and at no cost! What more can one ask??
Entry to the park is free. There is space for parking. Tips: Carry a cap/umbrella as there is not much shade. Insect repellent is advisable.
As the name suggests, Udan Park has a biodiversity element too. However I shall talk about it in another post. Till then, Go on… Enjoy!
This morning I chose a different route for my morning walk. And lo behold! Spring was evident at everywhere! Vasantrutu (वसंत ऋतु ) is there to be seen and the plants and trees are putting on a flamboyant display. Dont miss this once a year celebration! Here are some images though they do no justice to the real thing. (Follow the links to learn more about the trees)
Bats
are something that usually inspire fear or create revulsion among all (or
most)of us. I did not really spare them much thought except on our long walks
on a disused taxi track where we used to see huge bats (recognisable due to
their typical wings) flying across the runway. More recently a group of bats
relocated to a tree outside my balcony which is when I took a keen interest.
Would they be dangerous? Will they accidentally enter my home? And so on…
Luckily they flew away before I hit the panic button.
Thus, I could not miss on a ‘bat spotting walk’ organised by Virasat Pune conducted
by Dr Vishakha Korade who has done her PhD in Bats! Here is what I
learnt.
A colony of bats seen handing from Kinhai trees
Fruit
bats (aka Flying fox) are vegetarian and this was the species that was near my
home. (This is what I inferred from some of her answers to my queries). They
roost on tall trees with sparse foliage (we saw them hanging upside down on
Eucalyptus and Kinhai trees) and fly out at dusk and return at about 5AM. They
feed on fruits (specially of the Ficus genus) and other plant parts as well except roots and stem. The
digestion process in bats increases the chances of germination of the seeds in
the fruit they eat. These seeds are disbursed in their excreta hence the bats
are an important part of the ecosystem. They also help pollinate some plants
species (about 400 e.g. Kigelia africana, Adansonia
digitata). According to Dr Korade, while many urban people fear bats,
people in villages refer to them as Laxmi (as in the goddess)! I guess they
understand the position of bats in the ecosystem more than us city folk! Fruit
bats have fair vision and find their food etc using their eyesight and
olfaction.Contrary to belief, fruit bats do not use eco-location.
Smaller
insectivorous Evening bats (called पाकोळया
in Marathi) produce twins about thrice a year but they are lost to predation
and the total number often does not increase. These bats look like swifts and
can be seen about 15 minutes after sunset. They may share a shelter with swifts
too. Evening bats use eco-location to find their food.
There is a species called Vampire bats that feed on blood (usually of cattle). They secrete an anticoagulant when they bite the animals and then feed on it. These can also regurgitate the ingested material to feed young ones left behind or those unable to fly out. There is a type of ‘false vampire bat’ that is found in Asia.
Bats
have a weak pelvic girdle and lower limb muscles and do not ‘stand’ on legs like
humans. Being mammals, they give birth to live young ones. Fruit bats produce
one offspring every year (after about a two month gestation). The young ones may be carried on the bellies for some time. Bats are a
reservoir of many types of virus and may be carriers of Rabies, Ebola. They usually
are not dangerous to humans but may spread disease if people consume plant
produce contaminate with bat fluids (e.g. toddy collected from trees). Their
bodies are geared for an upside down life. Here is a link to some info about the bodies of bats.
In
recent times, bats may have gained some popularity due to the popular book
series by Stephenie Meyer. However I was pleasantly surprised at this session to
see kids ask several intelligent questions. I guess India does have a bright
future, provided they stay and work here of course not fly off to foreign
lands…
The number of fruit bats in the colony we saw is dwindling which can be a cause for alarm as an important member of the ecosystem will be lost. Loss of their habitat could be a reason. Indiscrimiate cutting of trees has to be stopped.
Its important to keep learning something new as its a big wide world and we would only have skimmed the surface!
