A nature lovers nirvana

As the dawn breaks in, the sky still dark with just a hint of light; doors simultaneously bang shut all over Bangalore as people leave their homes for a walk in their neighbourhood park. Huffing and puffing, they brisk-walk their way to good health, attempting to jog a few metres before giving up and walking again, at times indulging in some calisthenics secretly hoping no one is watching their self-conscious moves.Experienced old-timers pace ahead of their bleary-eyed young counterparts on cobbled pathways surrounded by trees and bushes with sweet-voiced birds giving a background score.The ‘Park Culture’ of Bangalore is a part of our daily lives and boy, are we thankful for that! The perfect place for people to meet for some evening gossip, a secret rendezvous, kids to play; parks are one of the best things that have happened to Bangalore. The inspiration behind these small parks is the mother of all parks - the Lal Bagh. The credit for Lal Bagh goes to Hyder Ali who had a penchant for gardens. He modeled it on the Mughal gardens that once stood in Sira (Tumkur District).Hyder left no stone unturned to build his dream garden. Saplings of exotic plants were imported from Persia, Turkey and Africa among others. Specialists in gardening were reportedly brought to Bangalore just for this purpose. The Lal Bagh lake was the water source for the plants. After Hyder Ali, his son Tipu took the garden under his wings. He continued importing new varieties of saplings. The garden grew from being just botanical to horticultural. This trend continued when the British took over. They also built a glass house to grow plants.The name Lal Bagh, meaning ‘Red Garden’ in Hindi owes its origin to the red roses that made the garden look red. It houses a rare collection of plants. Many century-old trees can still be found here. What started as a 40-acre garden is now more than 200 acres of lush greenery thanks to patrons who knew its worth and continued to expand it.The walls of Lal Bagh hide more than just the beauty of the garden. The gardens surround a small hillock over which Kempe Gowda built one of his towers. The hillock which is a metamorphic rock formation in itself is a major tourist magnet as it is more than 3,000 million years old! The other place of tourist attraction is the beautiful glass house where biannual flower shows are held. The loyal walkers’ Eden, a nature lover’s nirvana, a photographer’s canvas, a horticulturist’s library, a geologist’s lab and a tourist’s delight; Lal Bagh has something for all much like the city it belongs to.