Visit to Mughal Garden, Rashtrapati Bhavan

Visit to the Mughal Garden
(Feb 16 2010)

Rashtrapati Bhawan, the word evokes a sense of awe in anyone who hears the term because here it is that the President of India has her “home”. And even more awe struck I was when I had the opportunity of visiting the place (we did not exactly visit the residence; it was only the garden to which access was allowed). It was difficult to imagine her taking an evening walk along one the pathways or her morning tea in the bamboo pavilion that we came across near the Herbal Garden, reason being the scale of the garden. I could not believe that this grand setting was made to cater to an individual (then, the Governor of the British).
About the Walk
After the tight security checks, the walk began from the security check post. A pathway, and also a road lead to the entrance of the Herbal Garden. Here it was that I got to see so many of the things that I had only heard about till now (Fenugreek, Asparagus, Lemon Grass, Brahmi, Reetha, Ashwagandha to name only a few). The planting is done in orthogonal grids and as I moved through one-way pathways, I had some really good lessons about the uses of several herbs. While moving towards the next stop, the musical fountain, I encountered an avenue of very old Banyan trees. Here I was, standing at the one end of that avenue, staring and wondering what was the focus because all I could see at the other end was the road. ???
Honestly, I did not spend very much time near the musical fountain because one it was not working at that time of the day and two I could not wait to see the main garden which beckoned me. The monumental entrance gate of the main garden was sign that we better be prepared for something very grand.
Having read about Mughal Gardens, some of the features that I instantly recognized here:
The building is placed at one end of the garden and the landscape provides a foreground to it.
The main garden is a square design, based on the Char-Baugh Concept, symmetrically subdivided into squares.
Water plays an important role, one; fountain placed at the centre as the focus of the garden, two; by using water channels as the means to divide the geometry.
Trees are pruned and growth restricted (As told by Mr. Semwal, this was done because the landscape is not supposed be dominating and must not overshadow the building).
Presence of Chinese-orange trees.
And all this was contained in high boundary walls.
The main garden is at a higher level than the subsequent Rose Garden thus following the Mughal Concept of terracing.
Some of the water channels weren’t working. This, I got to know, was done to reduce the wastage of water (so much for the environment!!!).
All along the pathways I encountered flowering beds with all indigenous species and that is probably why I had either heard the name or seen the flower for almost all of them. What I found very interesting were the names of various varieties of Roses; Queen Elizabeth, Oklahoma. I still need to find out if this is because of the Indian obsession with West or are they actually exotic species.
Another gateway, similar to the one where I entered, took me down to the rose garden. I realized that almost all the varieties were already present in the main garden, then why a dedicated rose garden. I later got to know that this garden was designed as a butterfly garden and a pergola covered with creepers was located to enjoy the cool breeze even when it was otherwise sunny. Two tennis courts flank the Rose Garden but we did not get a chance to see them.
At the extreme end of the series of gardens is the circular garden, further stepped down. A perfect circle, the place looks like a riot of colors with flowers of every possible color. This place looks more like a catalogue for flowers to choose from. All the tall walls that contain the garden are covered with flowering creepers.
After the Circular Garden we had an hour long session with Mr. Semwal where he talked about the Garden as he’s known it for years and other parts of it that we could not visit like the Kitchen Garden (Having heard a lot about it, I hope to visit it also).
The last stop was the spiritual garden which housed trees that are worshipped and considered important in some or the other religion (Amla, Neem, Date, Peepal, Brahmi, Tulsi, Banyan, Henna, Araucaria)
As discussed with Mr. Semwal, this was done to give an important position to nature in day to day life and to protect trees.
The visit ended with a hope that I get to take the nature walk and see other parts of the garden as well that Mr. Semwal talks about very fondly.