April AtoZ Reflections

April has passed by and so has the AtoZ blogging challenge and its time to relax a bit. This was my third attempt and as I said earlier, I was in two minds about signing up this year. My theme this year was "Gardens in Pune". However  I am glad I did as I could see parts of my city (Pune, India) that I had never gone to before.

During the period that I surveyed the gardens, the city was amid a garbage crisis and the machinery to collect and dispose waste was under severe strain. Yet, I found that the gardens were spotlessly clean, the lawns properly mowed, the hedges perfectly trimmed, no garbage in the gardens and a stark contrast to the city outside. Why or How  this happened is still a mystery... Almost all gardens had a healthy number of visitors of all age groups. Some were exercising, some meditating, some reading or studying or some just enjoying the beauty. Thankfully not much PDA. 

Another thing that was strongly evident was that every park had something unique to offer in addition to the usual garden 'elements' (lawns, trees, kids play area etc). These included animal statues, equipment for cardio exercises, miniatures of the 7 wonders of the world, musical fountain, memorials of war, a sensory garden... I came across a garden that was not a garden and a garden that was a forest! There was a a lake in the gardens as also a stream... Wow! Some gardens were very small and some sprawled over several acres. Some very young and some of a heritage status. Yes, Pune is proud to have these gardens. I hope the authorities and people strive to maintain them in full glory. 

You can go on an e-visit to all my AtoZ parks to read more!

The Maps

The month of April 2015 was pretty hectic as I had to write posts daily and visit different gardens to gather information for these posts! That is when I realised that I had not mapped the gardens I have blogged about. So here are the garden locations!

This is the map put up by the Pune Municipal Corporation that actually sparked this theme.

As you can see I have covered almost all directions of Pune. This was only possible due to unstinted support from my husband and daughter - for bearing with delayed meals, restaurant take-aways, accompanying me to some parks and even chauffeuring me to some! Thank you! 

Its now time to relax and catch up with other fantastic blogs. 
Cheers!

Z is for Zoo

We are on the last day of the AtoZ Blogging challenge and the month seems to have flown by. I have tried to visit and comment on many blogs but would have liked to have done more. I think I can catch up in the upcoming weeks. I am writing about gardens in Pune. 

Getting back to the last letter, Z, I had only one place that I could write about---- the Zoo in Pune. Earlier it was located at the Peshwe Park but the animals have now been moved to the outskirts of the city, near the Katraj Lake. The new establishment is called the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park and Wildlife Research Centre. This zoo is commonly called the Snake Park as it is home to a large number and variety of snakes. The most important aspect of this Zoo is that it has a rescue centre for orphaned and rescued animals. 

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... 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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

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.

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.

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. 

O is for Osho Teerth Garden

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.

Here is an article from The Hindu with more details about the restoration and clean up project.

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.... 

This is a tree lovers delight with the Kailashpati (Couroupita guianensis), Beggars Bowl (Crescentia cujete), a pretty pink Azalea, Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata), the Vallaris heynei creeper, just to name a few.. 

Here are some images taken elsewhere... 

Kailashpati

Anogeissus pendula

Vallaris

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. 

Read my other posts on this theme here.

N is for Necklace Garden

The frequency of my visits to this part of Pune soared after I took up cycling and our favourite route is the 'Necklace'. Here Maps has marked this area as the Necklace area. Initially I assumed it was because of the semicircular road that traverses the area. Then I thought the reason was because this particular patch of road is the among the beautiful parts of the city - clean, green, hardly any traffic and so totally different from the hustle bustle that's now associated with Pune. Then I came across the Necklace Garden. 

M is for Matoshri Udyan

My theme for the 2015 April AtoZ is gardens in Pune. I am really happy with my choice as I have been able to see first hand the state of the parks in my city. Matoshri Ramai Bhimrao Ambedkar Udyan is a pretty garden that is metaphorically sandwiched in a college (Wadia), a hospital (Ruby Hall) and a five star hotel (Courtyard by Marriott) and on a main arterial road. I have often admired the Lagerstromia that bloom in this garden little realising that there is a lovely park that they grow in... 

Two Shirish trees (one on either side) dominate the centre of the park and their golden yellow pods rustle in every gust of wind. The almost ubiquitous tiled pathway in these PMC gardens meanders around the lawns and bisects a small open air auditorium of sorts. A great place to have a talk or song/dance program for a small group of people. The gazebos would be a good place to shelter from the sun or rain as there are not many 'big' shade giving trees as we saw in Chittaranjan Vatika. 

Canna

 This red flower is the Canna. What looks like red petals are not petals but are highly modified stamens (staminodes) and the real sepals and petals are hidden underneath. It can be said to be a relative of the Banana and Ginger. There are a large number of horticultural cultivars available in a range of beautiful colours that make them an ideal choice for gardens. 

Cycas in the lawns

The garden has the usual tree speices : Silver Oak, Auracaria, Ficus benjamina. The Lagerstromia were not blooming during my visit but the Lily and Canna were. 

Lilies

Manicured lawns

One side of the park has a Plumeria hedge. Many more trees are visible here ready for plantation

Due to its very location, the park has a continuous sound of vehicular traffic but its not a big disturbance. It seemed to be very popular for health walkers and Pranayam groups. 

Info:
Timing: 6AM to 10AM
Ticket: Nil
Drinking Water: Available (quality and hygiene not checked)

Parking: Available 

Location Map here. 

L is for Limca Jogging Park

In my quest for Gardens A to Z in Pune and I had mentally slotted this park for 'B'. This seemed so apt as there is a road called Bund Garden Road which means there has to be a Bund Garden right? To my utter disappointment, when I actually went there, I found its official name as "Mahatma Gandhi Udyan Limca Jogging Park'. This necessitated a revision of my list and fresh research and I chose to use the second part of the park's given name.

As I said, it is located on the Bund Garden Road and its almost a land mark in Pune. The garden is right beside the Yerawada Bridge (erstwhile Fritzgerald Bridge) but has now been sort of bisected after construction of a new bridge across the MulaMutha River. The jogging track is on one side and the landscaped lawns are on the other side and accessed via a walkway under the new bridge. 

Garden location

The jogging track seemed to be popular among senior citizens who preferred to walk instead of jog.. A good idea I say, protect the knees so you can continue coming to the park longer! ;-) Some visitors preferred to play volley ball and some were using the exercise equipment installed there. There is a small built up structure called the Weikfield Court where a group Pranayam and Yoga class was in progress. 

The track meanders around the park and at one point overlooks the Mula Mutha river. The almost bare trees (most are deciduous species) formed a mesh through which the slow moving water was visible. 

Clock at the gate

K is for KNP

KNP is the popular shortened name for Pune's Kamla Nehru Park. This is an 'old' park compared to other parks that the PMC looks after - ofcourse nowhere close to the Empress Garden. There are no records as to when this park was set up but many speculate it to be in the late 1930s or early years of the 1940s. Hence one can see fairly large and mature trees here and its a popular site for tree walks. 

The KNP is a small stately neighbourhood park, very popular with both young and old alike. The park is the meeting point for many senior citizens many of whom are from different parts of the city. These meetings are a great way for them to 'let their hair down' and relax to get away from the humdrum issues that increasingly become predominant at this stage of life. Kids too seem to love this place judging from the number of parents and children I have seen here. 

A vintage Marut aircraft of the Indian Air Force is on display here. I am sure many a young minds has been inspired to take up a career in flying just by looking at this aircraft. The Marut is the first fighter jet designed in India. In 1955 the country did not have infrastructure to build it yet the project did go ahead with ingenuity and perseverance. After the due phases of design, prototype, ground test program etc, the aircraft made its maiden sortie on 17 June 1961. (Source Bharat Rakshak). Do visit this link for the very interesting story about the life and times of this bird.

J is for JJ Garden

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. 

I is for Indraprastha Udyan

This is yet another alphabet that tested my 'research skills'! After some effort, I got lucky as I had two places that I could write about. I chose to visit the Indraprastha Udya located in Yerawada. Its a small place under the care of the PMC and some effort has been put in to create it but somehow it seems to have suffered. There were not too many people present when I went there except for some local kids playing cricket. The bougainvilleas have almost grown into trees and their bright pink flowers formed a good backdrop for the kids play area. The tiled pathway goes back quite some distance.  The park has the usual tree species so I shall not repeat them all.