THE GARDEN OF FIVE SENSES
GREENERY IS OFTEN
at a premium in Indian metros. Our ever expanding population and the ceaseless migration to urban areas means that vegetation of any kind is
always under pressure to yield to the inexorable march of concrete. Most cities, however, realising the importance of plants in our lives, try to stem the tide and celebrate whatever flora exists.
Delhi is no exception; its horticulture department maintains an astounding 13,000 parks/green areas covering about 5,200 acres. Huge as this may sound, it is less than 1.5 per cent of the total area of Delhi. But, that is just about all the public land there is for horticulture. After that, it is up to Delhiites to exercise those green thumbs and potter around in their own gardens.
With an aim to encouraging horticulture, the Delhi government organises a Garden Festival every spring. Held in the Garden of Five Senses on the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, the three-day festival was held between 15-17 February this year. The festival presented floral displays, themed gardens, horticultural demonstrations and other gardening related activities. The festival generally has a theme every year and this year's theme was Indian Ethnic Plants.
Earlier themes have included local flora and topiary, the art of pruning shrubbery, among others. The festival also sees several competitions, with gardening enthusiasts from across the city and beyond vying for the honours.
The Garden of Five Senses is, itself, a breathtaking and enamouring experience. Not just a park, it is a celebration of aesthetic expression and appreciation, a seamless dialogue between the creations of man and nature that invites interaction and exploration.
It is an ideal ground to realise the twin objectives of the need for a public leisure space as well as the awakening of human sensitivity to the environment. Amidst the concrete jungle and the hustle and bustle of the city, the Garden of Five Senses comes across as a welcome breath of fresh air and serene quietude. True to the imagery suggested by its name, the garden stimulates all the five senses in an evocative bouquet that awakens the mind to the beauty of life and invokes a grateful prayer for the gift of touch, sight, sound, smell and taste.
Visitors are encouraged to touch the rocks and displays, inhale the heady fragrance of thousands of blooms, drink in the visual delight that is the landscaping and feast on the culinary smorgasbord on offer, while all the while, the wind chimes and bells make soothing music in the background. The garden has several sections, each wing with the other for the visitors' attention.
There are the Colour Gardens—beautiful compositions of flowering
shrubs and ground covers that have you looking at familiar plants with new eyes. The Courts of Specimen Plants acquaint you with some of the lesser-known species of plants.
An expansive plaza, set on the natural slope of the site, invites you up the spiral walkway. On one side of the spiral walkway is Khas Bagh, set in
the traditional Char Bagh style. Slow-moving water cascades in channels along its length, while flowering and fragrant shrubs and trees line its path.
The central axis leads to a series of fountains, some of which are lit up by fibre-optic lighting systems. Nestled amongst the natural slope of the site is the amphitheatre, with blocks of sandstone serving as seating. At the rear of the garden is an open exhibition area for displaying art and holding workshops. Pools of water lilies, bamboo courts and herb gardens are some of the other attractions. Away from the heart of the garden, on the other side of the walkway, is the food and shopping court. A series of terraces provided with seating face the food court.
ART DESTINATION
The Garden of Five Senses is also an art lovers' delight. About 25 different sculptures and murals were brought together for this project, making it one of the largest commissions of public art in the country. The sculptures created by master craftsmen are a symbol of modern art, yet the arches and domes give the impression of a traditional Mughal period. Amongst the innumerable marvellous pieces of architecture is a sculpture in stainless steel, on the lines of a pin-wheel, which flutters with every gust of wind and creates one in hearts, too. There has been an extensive use of terracotta pots and Rajasthani Phad art, symbolising our very own exquisite and traditional art forms.
ECO-FRIENDLY
Y It's not just the plants that are green in the Garden of Five Senses. An integral part of the garden is the Solar Park, set up with the assistance of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The aim is to promote awareness of renewable source of energy.
A 20 KW solar power plant provides clean green energy to the garden. The amusement centre also has solar-powered toy cars. And that's not all the garden also has two solar-powered buses. During the garden festival, these buses are stationed at Qutub Minar and the Deputy Commissioner's Office, near PVR Saket, to ferry visitors to the garden and back, for free.
So rush to the Garden of Five Senses and make the most of this oasis of green, soaking in the sylvan surroundings and be sure to take away tips for your garden back home. Who knows, you might just be one of the competitors next year?
