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Indian Botanical Gardens, originally found in 1786
along the west bank of Hoogly, containing about
12,000 living plants and over two and half million
dried out plant specimens in the herbarium collected
from all over the world, is the largest of its kind
in India. Originally founded by Colonel Kyd, this
was the place where the world-renowned varieties of
Assam and Darjeeling tea were first developed. The
200-year-old banyan tree is the main attraction of
this garden. Col. Alexander Kyd of the East India
Company developed it for the collection of plants,
indigenous to the country and for the introduction
and acclimatization of plants from foreign parts.
Trees of the rare kinds, from Nepal, Brazil, Penang,
Java and Sumatra can be found here. There are
towering mahogany trees, an avenue of Cuban Palms
and an Orchid House. Stately casuarinas abound with
creepers clinging to their tall trunks. There are
towering Mahogany trees, an avenue of Cuban Palms
and an Orchid House. Mango and Tamarind trees shade
the grassy lawns. They stretch for over a km along
the riverfront and occupy 109 hectares. The gardens
were originally founded in 1786. It was from these
gardens that the tea now grown in Assam and
Darjeeling was first developed. The gardens? prime
attraction is the old banyan tree, claimed to have
the second largest canopy in the world. It covers an
area of ground nearly 400m in circumference and
continues to flourish despite having its central
trunk removed in 1925 because of fungus damage. The
palm house in the center of the gardens is also well
worth a visit. Other notable botanical specimens are
the double coconut tree from Sicily, the branching
palm tree from Brazil, the multicoloured bamboo
trees, the mad tree, various cacti and orchids.
There is a huge lake, with a large variety of
aquatic plants, including the rare Victoria
Amazonica. The Gardens are also a popular picnic
spot. |
| The
gardens are over the Howrah Bridge, about 19 kms.
from Chowringhee on a bus heading for Sibpur.
However, it?s much more pleasant to go by ferry, and
there are frequent departures from Chandpol and Babu
Ghats. The gardens are open from sunrise to sunset,
and although they tend to be very crowded on Sunday,
on other days they are peaceful and make a pleasant
escape from the hassles and crowds of Calcutta.
Today the garden is home to countless numbers and
types of fruits and flowers, besides other botanical
specimens, including medicinal plants. It also
houses a library containing an invaluable collection
of rare books on botany and allied subjects. |
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