Fern house, Cubbon Park

These pictures were shot on March 21 2020, the day before Covid-19 lockdown. My high school friend Anil and I met at Cubbon Park's Corporation Circle gate for an early morning walk. The sights brought back primary school memories... when I was in VII standard, our class had represented our school in the year's Kannada Rajyotsava function at Kantirava Stadium. After the function we had walked into Cubbon Park and found a spot to rest around this very place. Back then the paved foot-path wasn't there.

The little red structure was a kind of nursery to as I remember. There was a collection of potted plants including hanging pots.

On Google Maps this structure is marked as Fern House. Probably this was once a fern nursery hence the name. As you see it's basically a mantapa with mesh screens on it's sides. Once could call it a greenhouse too.

Anil and I approach the greenhouse for a closer look. On the grill framework was a cover of creepers. On these platforms were rows of potted plants, can't remember what plants but surely it would be show plants.

There still are flowering creepers here. I think it was Anil who noticed the engraved slab on the lintel.

That's the inscription, it's in Kannada which reads as: ಸುಂದರ ನಗರ ಗೌರಿ ಮಂದಿರಂ ~ Sundara Nagara Gowri Mandiram. Also there's a date.. 23-3-1___ ..the year's numerals are unclear. I feel this is a XIX Century structure so the year could be 1884 CE. The name raises a question if this was a temple originally. Quite possibly yes. On the other side of the road is an active shrine named Sri Dakshinamurthi Devastana.

Close to the fern house is a tree with a kinky trunk. The formation is unique, never had I seen such a trunk. Wondering what caused the tree to take that form.

After a relaxing walk, we headed to Kantirava Stadium, not for sport but for snacks. There's a self-service eatery within the stadium premises which is not crowded at this time of the day. We chatted and snacked for a while and headed home. For the next month and half the entire country was locked down to contain the spread of Covid-19. A totally new experience for the urban world.

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Gulmohars of Krishna Rao Park, Bengaluru

2015 December last week a gathering at Lalbagh was suggested for Republic Day. I'd plans of visiting Bangalore, told my friends that I had good chance of being present. Third week of January my trip to Dharwad-Bangalore confirmed but I wasn't sure if I would make it on Jan 26th. However, with the progress of work at Dharwad confirmed my trip to Bangalore but it would a short stay, few hours at the most. I left Dharwad by 10 PM, reached mom's place by 4-30 AM; messaged Daniel asking him to pick me on the way; slept till -6-45; woke up and got ready by 7-05 and met up Daniel on Richmond Road. On the way I learned that our meetup venue wasn't Lalbagh because of the flower show. Instead we headed towards Basavangudi's Krishna Rao Park commonly known as KR Park.

It was ages since I stepped into this park. Probably my last visit was late 1980s but I would see some changes.. the foot path for morning/evening walkers. Our walk began at the main gate; I was awestruck at the Gulmohar trees' unusually long and winding branches. These trees seem like a different variety than the Gulmohar trees usually found.

tree next to main entrance

Here's another one, this is the King of Gulmohars here.

Couple of laps around the park, few more friends joined in. I was meeting Venugopal (blue) and Bhaskar (red) for the first time after quitting Holy Saint English School. I'd met Dinesh, Subbu and Daniel several times already..

Remains of a tree :( Its trunk and branches must have become too weak.. man's safety is more important.. at least the park authorities could planted a replacement or two right here.

This tree on the left; its base seems like a frog with a human head.

Call this a pregnant tree?

Daniel, Bhaskar and Dinesh walked around briskly, he was particular about keeping up his morning routine. Venu and I were slow, chatting and seeing trees. In the middle of the park is a building which is used for a sports club, it has a table tennis court inside. Close to it a old Mantapa. Someone in our group mentioned that the legendary singer SPB used to practice in that Manatapa.

Few rounds later, Prashant joined in. Shyam was the last one expected to join in; he would leave his apartment as soon as the flag hoisting function was done.

Yellow lobed leaves of a silk-cotton tree.. ready to fall off.

Done with our walks, we all headed towards Gandhi Bazar for breakfast. First we checked out Vidyarti Bhavan but it wasn't open. Prashant suggested Roti Ghar.. in fact it was the most convenient option. As usual, Prashant took control of our morning diets, loaded us heavily with all varieties of South Indian items and fresh Badam Halwa. The breakfast session was lively, our school day crushes and romantic adventures had to be part of our talks. Before the session ended, it was unanimously decided that Bhaskar would have to walk some more rounds K R Park to burn off the extra calories :)

Here's Subbu, Daniel and Dinesh posing with Daniel's Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.

 ..and the entire group of the morning.

Shyam, Subbu, Daniel, Prashant, Venu, Dinesh and Bhaskar

This green meetup, like the previous ones at Lalbgh will be part of good memories :)

For my friends who missed our earlier meetups..

• Krishnae Ficus at Lal Bagh, Bengaluru
• Devil's Tree. Lal Bagh, Bengaluru

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Bonsai Garden at Lalbagh

October 14, 2013

Japanese style gateway to Bonsai Garden

At the garden is an interesting collection of 70+ plants... lets call them trees, their ages varying from 15 to 70 years. These pictures were shot by my niece.

ficus benjamina | 20 years

araucaria cookii | 25 years

ficus aastica veriegat | 15 years

ficus benghalensis | 30 years

barringtonia asiatica | 50 years

aleurites fordii | 50 years

polyalthia longifolia (false ashoka) | 15 years

casurina equisetifolia | 60 years

jacquinia aculeata | 35 years

ficus infectoria | 35 years

pithecolobium dulc | 30 years

bombax ceiba | 70 years

ficus nutens | 35 years

bambusa vulgaris | 20 years

bamboo

ficus benjamina | 30 years

ficus religios | 30 years

psidium guajava | 25 years

acacia ferrugineo banni | 50 years

And here's a tribute to all life forms- a hand-made obelisk depicting various organisms, from the smallest to the largest.

Evolution Obelisk

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Benches at Cubbon Park

During this visit to Bengaluru, I did something never done earlier; long walks early mornings. I would leave home by 4-45 AM and return by 7 O'clock. I walked the streets in Cantonment area I had only driven on during my earlier years. I would reach Cubbon Park around 5-30 when the sky turned light. Walking under the canopy of Cubbon Park was a great experience, I noticed some trees were labelled with scientific names, that would remind me of Botanical garden at Dharwad. The second day I noticed the benches, there were several types.. some interesting designs. I decided to visit with my camera. July 6th I skipped early morning walk, instead left home later with my niece Durga we had work at General Post Office, enroute we took a detour into the park to shoot. I captured only the unoccupied benches except one, here we go-

a modern, cement and steel bench, purely functional

cement seat and granite legs with an artistic touch

this tree closes overgrows the space between two benches

arrangement for an open air conference

an octagonal bench

definitely an ancient creation, simple yet beautiful

another relic bench in better condition

purely functional cement and steel mass produced bench

a pair of lions flank the path connecting Cubbon Park to High Court

We walked around for thirty minutes, then occupied the relic bench, had snacks and water. We had brought a pack of Monaco salt biscuits for our canine friends but none of them would eat. Durga said they don't like salt biscuits. Anyway, the biscuits found a target- a gang of crows :) It was past 10-30, GPO would be open for business, time to end our little excursion.

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Ficus Krishnae at Karnatak University, Dharwad

Like the Baobab tree, Krishnae Ficus is also a rare tree. Until few years back I did not even know such a tree existed, until a colleague told me that Botanical Garden at Karnatak University, Dharwad has one. During my numerous visits to the Botanical Garden, I must have passed by this tree few times but never paid attention to it. One day I went closer thinking that the tree must be chalakaaygida. No it wasn't chalakaaygida, the leaves are were cup-shaped. Wow, finally I saw the rare Krishna Ficus!

To my knowledge this is the only tree in Botanical garden with a brick boundary marker around the stem. Special status to a special tree.

Stem is ash colored with dark patches.

Arial roots emerging from the branches.

I feel the wood is not the strong type. It's kind of delicate.

A new born leaf.

The leaves turn greenish-brown as they develop. The cup-shape is well defined.

The leaves turn green and the veins turn red. The leaves turn thicker and stronger as they grow.

A fully grown leaf. 

Ficus Krishnae - the leaf which connects this world to the Hindu mythological world. It is believed that Lord Krishna was very fond of butter and would even steal it. Once when he was caught by his mother, Yashoda, he tried to hide the butter by rolling it up in a leaf of this tree. Since then, the leaves of these trees have retained this shape.

Fruits grow in the month of June.

Dry leaves on the ground below the tree.

Months later I discovered two more Ficus Krishnae here. One is quite close to this tree and the other one is a two year old sapling in the nursery.

Karnatak University is more than just buildings of various departments. Few departments have taken steps to make education enjoyable and interesting. History, Zoology and Geology departments have museums. History museum has a some rare artifacts such as prehistoric burial urns, Stone-age tools, delicate paper cuttings, wooden sculptures, etc. besides it's large collection of hero-stones and inscriptions. The zoology museum is opposite history museum. The collection includes preserved animal bodies and skeletons. The geology department museum has an amazing collection of rocks, minerals and rock fossils and even a wood fossil. Some months back Dharwad Regional Science Center was inaugurated. Its a see-n-learn educational set-up for children and elders alike. The science park is created on the lines of Visvesvaraya Museum of Bengaluru.

I think kids should be encouraged to visit museums and parks. What kids fail to learn in classroom, museums and science parks teach in an enjoyable way.

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