The Mughal Gardens
The Mughal gardens at India's Presidential residence are open to the public for a few weeks in Feb-March every year. We were able to log a visit on Sunday, just a couple of days before Gate No 35 is closed. And now I attempt to describe the visual delights on offer without the right kind of pictures.That's right - being a VVIP enclosure, you are not allowed to carry the camera / mobile / handbag / car keys. (Good ideas of course for a proper, unencumbered stroll). Even my son's small notepad had to be deposited at entry.
How to get there - Reach North Avenue in the Presidential Estates, then you'll find ample parking. Sufficient arrangements are available for visitors - lockers, lounge areas, waterholes (only water), first aid, a horticultural info stall.
Herbal Garden - India's rich daily-use herbs basil, mint, fenugreek, ginger, garlic, asparagus and so many more, are well marked out. [If I had blindfolded my life-partner, he would have easily scored full marks in a 'find the herb' contest using just his nose - honest! We got to know of the herb in the next patch before we turned to see it or read the placard. Me - I am not very proud of my olfactory senses].
Musical fountain - You can sit in a lounge and enjoy watching the water dancing to popular numbers, and the very huge hybrid dahlias.
Bio-diversity park with 10 species of local fauna.
Main Mughal garden - If we had been the lone visitors, I would have felt like a queen (or Madame President!) having a private stroll amidst millions of flowers. As it was, this is about as close as you can get to the Indian President.
Rose Garden (also called purdah garden) A straight stroll under pretty creepers, with patches of rose varieties on either side.
Circular Garden - This is a set of stepped, annular riots of flowers, with a central fountain. If you ever wish to go round in circles, there is no better place!
(picture courtesy http://presidentofindia.nic.in/)Spiritual garden - A special enclosure for herbs and trees mentioned in India's ancient religious texts (tulsi, henna, kadamba, hibiscus, amla, olives, bamboo, to name some of the well-known species).
My takeaway (apart from pleasant memories of a family stroll in haloed precincts) - these flowers - the silk cotton flower and the flame of the forest.
A welcome change from the concrete jungle I live in! I'll now look forward to a Nature Trail at the Presidential Estates.
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nice info...thank you very much. It reminded me of my visit to the garden some years back. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSuch an incredibly beautiful garden!
ReplyDeleteOh, what lovely gardens! Thank you for sharing your world! Beautiful photos!
ReplyDeletethats something i would want to visit and spend a lot of time photographing. thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSwarna: That is really beautiful, thanks for sharing your neat shots.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting post and place. Too bad no photos allowed. Yet a nice intro to a future place to visit.
ReplyDeleteYou make the gardens sound wonderful, and the photos are lovely. Seems like a very special place to visit.
ReplyDeleteThose are amazing. I especially like the mandala-shaped garden.
ReplyDeleteMy mother would have loved to visit those gardens! She loved anything with flowers! :-)
ReplyDeleteRight the best thing about it to me is that it's all year round and You don't have to wait till Spring.
ReplyDeleteHi Swarna :)
ReplyDeleteGreat presentation and lovely photos.
Actually your narration brought to my mind a visit to the Mughal Gardens in the year 1968. I took part in the Republic Day Parade and one of the benefits was to have a tea party with the President. At that time VV Giri was the President. I was amazed at the beauty and magnificence of the various flowers especially the roses. From your narration, I understand that substantial improvements and additions have been done to that already wonderful garden.
Many many thanks for sharing and I wish I was in 1968 again. The fun we had at the Garrison grounds living in tents in extremely cold weather and believe me it rained sometimes although it was the month of January.
Best wishes :)
These are just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteVery lovely. Thank you for posting! Happy travels!
ReplyDeleteOh there's no way I could visit a place so beautiful and not be allowed my camera! It would be just too cruel!
ReplyDeleteWell I think you gave a wonderful verbal tour, it looks and sounds delightful.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful garden!!
ReplyDeleteFabulous gardens, fantastic pics.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
Guy
Regina In Pictures
would love to visit this place someday. nice post! thanks for sharing this..
ReplyDeleteOf several images can be acquired idea of beauty spot. Thanks for the information.
ReplyDeletewhat a lovely area...enjoy your posts of your world.
ReplyDeleteerin
No camera allowed? That would have been very disappointing for me too.
ReplyDeleteYou have done justice with words though.
The Mughal Gardens are something Delhi can be proud of. When I was a child, it was a treat to visit the garden as part of our school activities in the winter.
ReplyDeleteJeeez, you've thrilled everyone
ReplyDeletewith the visit to the President's
gardens.
As a UIP, such thoughts to visit
such places have never entered the
mind.
The flowers whacked from the
gardens looked very nice :)