Lal Bagh, Bengaluru
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Lalbagh Botanical Garden or simply Lalbagh (), is a
botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...
in
Bengaluru Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
, with an over 200-year history. First planned and laid out during the dalavaiship of King
Hyder Ali Hyder Ali (''Haidar'alī''; ; 1720 – 7 December 1782) was the Sultan and ''de facto'' ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born as Hyder Ali, he distinguished himself as a soldier, eventually drawing the attention of Mysore's ...
, the garden was later managed under numerous British superintendents before Indian Independence. It was responsible for the introduction and propagation of numerous ornamental plants as well as those of economic value. It also served a social function as a park and recreational space, with a central
glass house Glass house or glass houses may refer to: Architecture * Greenhouse, a building where plants are cultivated * Glass works or glasshouse, a manufactory building used for glassblowing * Glasshouse (British Army), a term for a military prison in the ...
dating from 1890 which was used for flower shows. In modern times, it hosts two flower shows coinciding with the week of
Republic Day Republic Day is the name of a holiday in several countries to commemorate the day when they became republics. List January 1 January in Slovak Republic The day of creation of Slovak republic. A national holiday since 1993. Officially calle ...
(26 January) and
Independence Day An independence day is an annual event memorialization, commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or Sovereign state, statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a milit ...
(15 August). As an
urban green space In land-use planning, urban green spaces are open-space areas reserved for parks and other "green spaces." These include plant life, water features also known as blue spaces and other kinds of natural environments. Most urban open spaces a ...
along with
Cubbon Park Cubbon Park, officially Sri Chamarajendra Park, is a landmark park in Bangalore, Bengaluru, located in the heart of the city in the Central Business District. Originally created in 1870 under Major General Richard Hieram Sankey, Richard Sankey ...
, it is also home to numerous wild species of birds and other wildlife. The garden also has a lake adjoining a large rock on which a watchtower had been constructed during the reign of Kempegowda II.


History

King
Hyder Ali Hyder Ali (''Haidar'alī''; ; 1720 – 7 December 1782) was the Sultan and ''de facto'' ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born as Hyder Ali, he distinguished himself as a soldier, eventually drawing the attention of Mysore's ...
commissioned the building of this garden in 1760, but his son, King
Tipu Sultan Tipu Sultan (, , ''Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu''; 1 December 1751 – 4 May 1799) commonly referred to as Sher-e-Mysore or "Tiger of Mysore", was a ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore based in South India. He was a pioneer of rocket artillery ...
, completed it. A ''Bagh'' is Hindustani for garden while the reference of the prefix ''Lal'' is debated and could refer to the colour red due to its original floral composition but ''Lal'' also means "beloved". King Hyder Ali decided to create this garden on the lines of the
Mughal Gardens A Mughal garden is a type of garden built by the Mughal Empire, Mughals. This style was influenced by the Persian gardens particularly the Charbagh structure, which is intended to create a representation of an earthly utopia in which humans c ...
that were gaining popularity during his time. King Hyder Ali laid out these famous botanical gardens and his son King Tipu Sultan added horticultural wealth to them by importing trees and plants from several countries. King Hyder Ali and King Tipu Sultan's Lalbagh gardens were managed by Mohammed Ali and his son Abdul Khader, and were based on design of the Mughal Gardens that once stood at Sira, at a distance of 120 km from Bengaluru. At that time, Sira was the headquarters of the strategically important southernmost Mughal "suba" (province) of the Deccan before the British Raj. The Lalbagh gardens were commissioned by the 18th century; over the years, it acquired India's first lawn-clock and the subcontinent's largest collection of rare plants. After the British conquest of
Kingdom of Mysore The Kingdom of Mysore was a geopolitical realm in southern India founded in around 1399 in the vicinity of the modern-day city of Mysore and prevailed until 1950. The territorial boundaries and the form of government transmuted substantially ...
in 1799, the garden was under the charge of Major Gilbert Waugh, Company paymaster and in 1814 its control was transferred to the Government of Mysore with an appeal by Waugh to the Marquis of Hastings that it should be under the botanical garden at Fort William, Calcutta. This was accepted and the charge for supervision was given to Nathaniel Wallich on 24 April 1819. This continued until 1831 when charge moved to the Mysore Commissioner. An Agricultural and Horticultural Society had been formed with William Munro, an army officer and amateur botanist in charge of the Bengaluru chapter. The Society wrote to the Mysore Commissioner, Sir Mark Cubbon, requesting charge of the Lalbagh garden. Cubbon granted control and during this period it was used for horticultural training. The Bengaluru chapter of the Society was dissolved in 1842, leaving the gardens unmanaged. In 1855, Hugh Cleghorn, was appointed as a botanical advisor to the Commissioner of Mysore. Cleghorn and Jaffrey, superintendent of the Madras Agri-Horticultural Society looked at various sites for a horticultural garden and found that Lalbagh suited their purpose despite being located at a distance from the Cantonment, the British centre of the city. He suggested that a European Superintendent be appointed with control under the Chief Commissioner. Cleghorn was against the use of Lalbagh for commercial enterprise and instead suggested that it should aim to improve the use of indigenous plants, aid in introducing useful exotic species and help in the exchange of plant and seed materials with other gardens at Madras, Calcutta and Ooty. Under Cubbon's orders, Lalbagh was made into the Government Botanical Garden in August 1856 and a professional horticulturist was sought from Kew. William New was recommended and he arrived at Bengaluru on 10 April 1858. New's contract ended in 1863-64 and he was replaced by Allan Adamson Black who worked at the
Kew Herbarium The Kew Herbarium (herbarium code: K) is one of the world's largest and most historically significant herbaria, housed at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London, England. Established in the 1850s on the ground floor of Hunter House, it has gro ...
. Black, however, suffered from poor health and resigned in 1865. He died after visiting his brother in Rangoon aboard HMS Dalhousie, off the Coco Islands on 4 December 1865. New was then re-appointed. In his 1861 catalogue of the plants of Lalbagh, there were numerous economic and ornamental plants including Cinchona, coffee, tea, macadamia nuts, hickory, pecan, rhododendrons, camellias, and bougainvilleas. New died in 1873 and was followed by John Cameron, also from Kew. Cameron had the additional support of the Maharaja of Mysore who was appointed in 1881 and introductions included Araucarias (''A. cookii'' and ''A. bidwilli''), cypresses (''
Cupressus sempervirens ''Cupressus sempervirens'', the Mediterranean cypress (also known as Italian cypress, Tuscan cypress, Persian cypress, or pencil pine), is a species of cypress native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Iran. While some studies show it ha ...
''), topiaries made from ''
Hamelia patens ''Hamelia patens'' is a large evergreen Perennial plant, perennial shrub or small tree in the family Rubiaceae, that is native to the American subtropics and tropics. Its range extends from Florida in the southern United States to as far south as ...
''. In 1890-91, a central bandstand and the glasshouse (for flowershows) made with iron pillars cast by Walter Macfarlane and Company of Glasgow were added. Cameron also helped introduce commercial crops like cabbage, cauliflower, turnip, radish, rhubarb, celery, and kohlrabi. Trees introduced included the
baobab ''Adansonia'' is a genus of medium-to-large deciduous trees known as baobabs ( or ). The eight species of ''Adansonia'' are native to Africa, Australia, and Madagascar but have also been introduced to other regions of the world, including Barb ...
from Africa, ''
Brownea rosea ''Brownea rosa-de-monte'' is a tree in the family Fabaceae Fabaceae () or Leguminosae,Catha edulis Khat (''Catha edulis''), also known as Bushman's tea, especially in South Africa, is a flowering plant native to eastern and southeastern Africa. It has a history of cultivation originating in the Harari Region, Harar area (present day easter ...
'' from Yemen. Cameron retired in 1908 and was followed by Gustav Herman Krumbiegel. A menagerie and an aviary had been established in the 1860s. A 15 ft high pigeon house or dovecote for 200 birds was built in 1893 south of the Glass House. Following the plague the maintenance deteriorated and there was a proposal to close the menagerie and aviary in the 1900s. in 1914. Captain S.S.Flower reported that it included a court built between 1850 and 1860 having tigers and rhinoceros; an aviary; a monkey house with an orangutan; a paddock with blackbuck, chital,
Sambar deer The sambar (''Rusa unicolor'') is a large deer native to the Indian subcontinent, South China and Southeast Asia that is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List since 2008. Populations have declined substantially due to severe huntin ...
, barking deer, and a pair of emus; a bear house and a peacock enclosure. In 1874, Lalbagh had an area of . In 1889, 30 acres were added to the eastern side, followed by 13 acres in 1891 including the rock with Kempegowda tower and 94 acres more in 1894 on the eastern side just below the rock bringing it to a total of . The foundation stone for the Glass House, modeled on London's
Crystal Palace Crystal Palace may refer to: Places Canada * Crystal Palace Complex (Dieppe), a former amusement park now a shopping complex in Dieppe, New Brunswick * Crystal Palace Barracks, London, Ontario * Crystal Palace (Montreal), an exhibition buildin ...
was laid on 30 November 1889 by
Prince Albert Victor Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale (Albert Victor Christian Edward; 8 January 1864 – 14 January 1892) was the eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra). From the time of his ...
and was built during the time of John Cameron. It was built with cast iron from the
Saracen Foundry Saracen Foundry, Possilpark, Glasgow The Saracen Foundry was the better-known name for the Possilpark, Glasgow-based foundry company W MacFarlane & Co. Ltd, founded and owned by Walter MacFarlane. MacFarlane's was the most important manufactur ...
in Glasgow UK. This structure was extended in 1935, this time with steel from the Mysore Iron and Steel Company at Bhadravathi. The Horticultural Department decided to close Lalbagh Botanical Garden on Saturday 21 March 2020, in order to avoid public gatherings in the wake of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. In the third week of May the government allowed parks to be open only from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the Lalbagh flower show on Independence Day in 2020. Due to the pandemic, mango and jackfruit melas were also not conducted at Lalbagh in 2020.


Overview

Lalbagh is a garden and is located in south
Bengaluru Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
. It holds two flower shows and has over 1,000 species of plants with many trees that are more than a hundred years old. The garden adjoins one of the towers erected by the founder of
Bengaluru Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
,
Kempe Gowda Kempe Gowda I (27 June 1510 – 1569) locally venerated as Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda, or commonly known as Kempe Gowda, was a governor under the Vijayanagara Empire in early-modern India. He is famous for the development of Bengaluru Pete in th ...
. The park has some rare species of plants brought from
Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
,
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
and
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. With an intricate watering system for irrigation, this garden is aesthetically designed, with lawns, flowerbeds, lotus pools and fountains. Most of the centuries-old trees are labelled for easy identification. ''The Lalbagh Rock'', one of the most ancient rock formations on earth, dating back to 3,000 million years, is another attraction that attracts the crowds.


Gates

Lalbagh has four gates numbered 1 to 4. Gates 1 and 2 are on the north side. Gate 3 is to the east and Gate 4 is to the west. The eastern gate is situated near Siddapura Circle (K.H Circle - K.H Double Road) and one can enter this gate and enjoy the sylvan atmosphere of the garden. The northwestern wall adjoins Krumbiegal Road named after G.H. Krumbiegal, the last pre-Independence Superintendent. The western gate has a wide road with Jayanagar, Bengaluru close by. The southern gate is often referred to as a small gate and opens near Ashoka pillar. The northern gate is a fairly wide and big road leading to the Glass House and serves as the primary entrance.


Tourism and eco-development

Flower shows are conducted every year during the week of Republic day and Independence day, to educate people about the variety of flora and develop public interest in plant conservation and cultivation. In August 2022, on the occasion of 75th Independence Day, flower show was conducted in the honour of Rajkumar and
Puneeth Rajkumar Dr. Puneeth Rajkumar (17 March 1975 – 29 October 2021), affectionately known as Appu (by his fans, after his first lead role in the movie Appu (2002 film), ''Appu''), was an Indian actor, playback singer, film producer, television presenter a ...
depicting their life journey. It was attended by 8.34 lakh people. A bonsai garden has been added in 2002. Apart from this, there is a Topiary Garden, Rose Garden and Lotus Garden inside Lalbagh. An artificial waterfall has been commissioned in 2017 at the far eastern edge of the lake. Lalbagh is a good place for bird watching both in the lake and on the ground. Lalbagh also has a "Garden centre" where citizens can buy ornamental plants. This is managed by Nursery Men's Cooperative society. A geological monument for the
peninsular gneiss Peninsular Gneiss or Peninsular Gniessic Complex are the gneissic complex of the metamorphics found all over the Indian Peninsula, on top of which, the supra-crustal Dharwar craton, Dharwar System have been laid down. The term was first fashione ...
formation is also a tourist attraction at the gardens. This monument has been designated by the
Geological Survey of India The Geological Survey of India (GSI) is a scientific agency of India. It was founded in 1851, as a Government of India organization under the Ministry of Mines, one of the oldest of such organisations in the world and the second oldest survey ...
on the Lalbagh hill which is made up of 3,000 million-year-old peninsular gneissic rocks. One of the four cardinal towers erected by Kempegowda II, also a major tourist attraction, is seen above this hillock. This tower gives a view of Bengaluru from the top.


Lalbagh management and public protests

The Lalbagh botanical gardens is managed by the Department of Horticulture and is no longer maintained as a botanical garden and is not a member of the
Botanic Gardens Conservation International Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) is a plant conservation biology, conservation Charitable organization, charity based in Kew, Surrey, England. It is a membership organisation, working with 800 botanic gardens in 118 countries, wh ...
. With an increasing pressure to serve as a park and social space, much of the garden has been converted into walking paths and lawns. Morning walkers throng Lalbagh every morning. Many tree have been trimmed or cut down to make way for public amenities or due to perceptions that falling branches may threaten visitors. A part of the garden was taken over and many trees cut down amid protests for construction of the
Lalbagh Metro Station Lalbagh is an elevated metro station on the North-South corridor of the Green Line of Namma Metro serving the Basavanagudi area of Bengaluru, India. It was opened to the public on 18 June 2017. It services Lalbagh Botanical Garden. Station ...
as part of the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. Entry fees of INR 25 with a camera fee of INR 60 have also been a point of contention. There have been repeated proposals to build various recreational amenities such as rock gardens, fountains and boating facilities. Some of these proposals of the management have been halted in the past due protests from enlightened public who have pointed out the impacts these have on the environment.


Connectivity

Lalbagh metro station Lalbagh is an elevated metro station on the North-South corridor of the Green Line of Namma Metro serving the Basavanagudi area of Bengaluru, India. It was opened to the public on 18 June 2017. It services Lalbagh Botanical Garden. Station ...
connects with the Greenline of
Namma Metro (), also known as Bangalore Metro or Bengaluru Metro, is a rapid transit system serving the city of Bengaluru, the capital city of the States and union territories of India, state of Karnataka, India. It is the Urban rail transit in India#List ...
. Lalbagh is also connected by
Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation, formerly Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), is a state-owned public road transport corporation in the Indian city of Bangalore. It is wholly owned by the Government of Karnataka. ...
buses from
Kempegowda Bus Station Kempegowda Bus Station (KBS) is a integrated main bus station in Bengaluru, India. It is located opposite the KSR Bengaluru railway station. It is bordered by Seshadri Road to the north, Danavanthri Road to the east, Tank Bund Road to the sou ...
/Shivaji Nagar. All buses towards Jayanagar/
Banashankari Banashankari, commonly abbreviated as BSK, is a locality spread across South and West Bangalore. Its name is derived from the Banashankari Amma Temple on Kanakapura Road, one of Bangalore's renowned temples constructed by Subramanya Shetty ...
areas pass through one of the four gates of Lalbagh.


Preservation Act, 1979

The Preservation Act, 1979 passed by the Government of Karnataka to preserve the uniqueness of the park is under the provision of Karnataka Government Park (Preservation) Act, 1975, which states:
''Accordingly, it is directed that neither any land should be granted to nor any further constructions be permitted whether temporary or permanent by any organization or individuals in the
Cubbon Park Cubbon Park, officially Sri Chamarajendra Park, is a landmark park in Bangalore, Bengaluru, located in the heart of the city in the Central Business District. Originally created in 1870 under Major General Richard Hieram Sankey, Richard Sankey ...
and Lalbagh areas except the constructions taken up by the Horticulture Department in furtherance of the objectives of the department.''


Gallery

File:Lalbagh bangalore.jpg, Lalbagh or Lalbagh Botanical Gardens is a well known botanical garden in southern Bengaluru, India. File:Kempegowda tower in Lal Bagh.jpg, Kempegowda tower File:Fav Lalbagh W.jpg, Side view of Glass House File:Lalbaghglasshouse.JPG, Interior view of the Glass house File:Bombax LalBagh.JPG, Largest known ''
Bombax malabaricum ''Bombax'' is a genus of mainly tropical trees in the mallow family. They are native to western Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and the subtropical regions of East Asia and northern Australia. It is distinguished from the genu ...
'', 'red silk-cotton' or 'kapok' specimen, (sometimes listed as ''Ceiba pentandra'') located in Lalbagh File:Lake inside Lalbagh Botanical Garden Bangalore An Evening View.jpg, Evening View of the Lake File:Lalbaghdecojapan.JPG, A Japanese decorative monument found in Lalbagh File:Lake - Lal Bagh, Bangalore II..JPG, Lalbagh Lake pathway File:Lalbaghstatue.JPG, A statue of Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar, ex-ruler of Mysore at Lalbagh. He also sponsored the famous journey of Swami Vivekananda to Chicago in 1893. File:Lalbagh lake view.jpg, A view of the lake at Lalbagh File:Lalbaghbanglore.jpg, Lawn inside Lalbagh File:Lotus Pond, Lalbagh Botanical Garden.jpg, Lotus Pond


References


External links


Catalogue of plants in 1891



The Lalbagh - A History


{{Bangalore topics Kingdom of Mysore History of Bengaluru Tourist attractions in Bengaluru Tourism in Karnataka Botanical gardens in India Parks in Bengaluru Greenhouses Aquaria in India