A perfectly conceptualised garden

A barren tract of land in South Delhi has blossomed into an amalgam of colour and fragrance, touch and form, and is awaiting a flood of tourists.

The Garden of Five Senses is spread across 20 acres of rocky landscape at Said-ul-Ajab village near Saket.

The garden has been designed keeping in mind the five senses – sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. The fragrance of flowerbeds stimulates the olfactory senses, the landscaping appeals to the eyes, the ceramic bells and the waterfalls create a soothing sound and the food courts serve a variety of cuisines.

The garden's proximity to the historic monument Qutub Minar is an advantage for the project, what with tourists visiting it round the year. In addition, a new access road is being developed here with a separate lane for bicycles.

Inaugurating the garden recently, Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit, said: "The garden is perfectly conceptualised and does justice to its name." Taking keen interest in beautifying the city, she added that efforts would be made to put little designs in the vicinity so that people are able to develop their own gardens.

According to Rajeev Talwar, managing director, Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), the garden has been developed at a cost of Rs 95 million over the last three years. In no time the area underwent a complete transformation. And DTTDC now has plans to lease it out to private companies.

A magnificent stone wall has been placed at the entrance of the garden to give the garden an ethnic touch. Craftsmen from Rajasthan have built it with stones brought specially from Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Dholpur.

Entry to the garden is through a gateway of slate-clad pillars mounted with stainless steel bird sculptures by sculptor Subodh Kerkar. About 200 varieties of plants are a part of the garden, which has been developed as a huge patch of green with shady trees.

The garden is aimed at stimulating one's sensory responses to the environment. One of the specialities of the garden is the Khaas Bagh. A garden patterned on the likes of Mughal Garden, it has various species of flowers, fragrant shrubs, cascades, fountains and sculptures. At the entrance of this garden is an exciting piece of sculpture – a tree fountain cast in brass by John Bowman.

Slow moving water cascades in channels along the length of the garden. Flowering and fragrant shrubs and trees line its path. A walk along the central axis leads to a series of fountains, some of which are lit by fibre-optic lighting systems.

The heart of the garden includes a tree museum. Close on the heels are the terrace gardens, herb gardens and bamboo grooves dotted with weather-beaten rocks. The meandering path lead up to Neel Bagh, which is a pool of water lilies encircled by pergolas covered with climbing plants of different colours and textures.

Also, huge rocks, some of them coloured and chiseled in the form of animal figures add to the beauty.

A huge wind chime that looks like a tree with hundreds of metal bells has a soft tinkling effect that can be heard even at the entrance – many metres away from the place. Another interesting aspect of the garden is the fact that unlike in other gardens, visitors here are encouraged to touch the rocks and displays.

Conceptualised to answer the city's need for leisure space for the public to socialise and unwind, the garden is unique in many ways. Says Kuldip Singh a resident of Saket, "One does need a break from going to shopping plazas and watching movies in theatres. And it is quite thoughtful of the Delhi government to have provided green and serene surroundings."

Former chief horticulturist of Rashtrapati Bhavan gardens, Satish Mathur, is presently looking after the horticultural interests of the garden. "Things have been moving smoothly but with the changing seasons, a lot more will have to be done," he remarked.

The garden includes an amusement section for the interest of children. The toy solar car costing Rs. 60,000 and imported from Taiwan is an added attraction at the Garden of Five Senses. Various other exhibits include two small solar powered buses and bicycles. Several food outlets have also been installed with solar water heating systems.

The solar energy park has been set up with the help of Ministry of Non-Renewable Energy Sources. Meant to bring about awareness in utilisation of solar energy, it comprises a 20-kilowatt solar power plant to meet its requirements.

The entry fee to the garden near Mehrauli-Badarpur road is Rs 10 for adults and free for children below five. The rides are charged for separately. Certainly a welcome addition to family hangouts in the city.