Midweek Musings 40, 9.09.26 # UNCBD COP 17 Curtain Raiser

                                Why is Lalbagh Botanical Gardens so significant?

By Malini Shankar

Digital Discourse

Lalbagh Botanical Gardens in Bangalore is under threat of a promise of development. Regressive technology that endangers all life forms indeed in this sacred garden. A tunnel project that seeks to shorten the travel time from north Bangalore to the Electronics City in South Bangalore; it was sought by the government of Karnataka to acquire and destroy a portion of Lalbagh.  

Lalbagh Botanical Gardens is a precious 240 acres (97.12 hectares) lung space in the heart of Bangalore, epitomising beloved Bangalore’s sub montane salubrious weather all year round. Lalbagh has cultural significance to many, historical and archaeological significance, geographical and geological significance, Climate Science significance, ecological and botanical value ad infinitum.

That it is a botanical paradise is epitomised by the welcome greeting in Kannada on the West Gate “ಇದು ಸಸ್ಯಕಾಶಿ, ಕೈ ಮುಗಿದು ಒಳಗೆ ಬನ್ನಿ.” –  “Idu sasyakashi kyii mugidu ollage banni” meaning ‘this is a sacred garden, please come in with humility, folded hands and reverence’.

Lalbagh is a biological paradise that supports nearly 2000 types of native and non-native trees, birds of the terrestrial, arboreal, endemic and migratory birds, and aquatic varieties, herbariums, orchidarium, a Japanese rock garden, a Bonsai Garden, a glass house that hosts a biennial flower show, ikebana classes and Lalbagh is a manifestation of the Pensioners’ Paradise, that it has contributed to the public health quotient of Bangaloreans. Thanks to the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens in Bangalore, there is so much more fresh air, lesser CO, and critically recreation area for joggers and walkers. Yoga practitioners and regular walks will lose their health and fitness if Lalbagh is laid bare.

 Being owned and founded by the Horticulture Department of the Government of Karnataka through the requisite Government Order, legal provisions of CITES became applicable permitting import of seeds, cones and saplings to come from far and near parts of the planet – a yellow lotus, vines from Indonesia, hibiscus from Japan, and other ornamental plants from Hawaii, Bombax trees from Madagascar, Palms from South America, grass from UK, Bamboo varieties from outside Indian Subcontinent, Cacti species from the volcanic rims, and so on.

These kind of legal exemptions would not be possible for commercial nurseries like either Cargill Seeds or Indo American Hybrid Seeds. If any commercial nursery or bio technology firm gets these samples without certification from CITES it would amount to bio piracy!

Historical significance: Records point to a young Tippu Sultan the Tiger of Mysore playing in this park in an area where now the Time Keepers to the nation – Hindustan Machine Tools has erected a floral time piece / ground clock to showcase the geological time of the Subcontinent.

Archaeological and Geological Significance are borne out by the Kempe Gowda Tower on the Gneiss Rock Hill that predates the dinosaurs… at the very least 65 million years. This gneiss rock hill hosts the Kempe Gowda Tower - a monument attributed to the founder of Bangalore City. It is one of the four towers apparently erected by Kempe Gowda denoting the four corners of Bangalore up to which point the Founding Father envisaged Bangalore to grow in the years and centuries ahead of him. Today the tower stands almost in the Centre of the city and is a moniker for unsustainable growth for boom town rats.

Geographical Significance lies in the latitude where it is located. The 12^th latitude north of the Equator offers Bangalore City a year-long salubrious climate marked by sub montane ecosystems central to which is indeed the lung-space offered by Lalbagh Botanical Gardens. In the 1970s mist used to cover Lalbagh’s vast lawns.  Bangalore is also the highest point on the Deccan Plateau contributing to its mild weather all year.  

Lalbagh is a biological paradise that supports nearly 2000 types of native and non-native trees, more than 2000 birds of the terrestrial arboreal, endemic and migratory birds, and aquatic varieties have been documented by ornithologists.

Herbariums, orchidaria, a Japanese rock garden, statues, bandstands, saplings planted by VIPs like Presidents, royals, etc … saplings that have grown up into large crown trees, a glass house that hosts a biennial flower show, ikebana classes, extensive lawns with native grasses, curated walking paths, gardens, parks, a medicinal plants conservation area, more than few romantic thandi sadaks, a glass house, a gneiss rock hill that predates the Dinosaur extinction, Bamboo groves, a mini zoo, a lake, are all of Lalbagh’s earthly assets…Lalbagh also hosts farmers' markets and pet shows.

An agricultural produce market where experiments in agro technology proved sustainable solutions right in cultivars, offering food security to those in need of it.  Such successful experiments make grounds for negotiations for Government of India in international trading bodies like WTO, Free Trade Agreement Zones etc.

Why, scientists from Indian Veterinary Biologicals developed an anti-rabies vaccine from the humble simple Musk Melon! One is tempted to say one never knows which palm sap will one day cure endocrine disorders like Hypertension or Diabetes that has consumed humankind in pandemic proportions.

Cultural significance of Lalbagh Botanical Gardens: The anglophiles maybe pleased by the texture and tenor of the Glass house which predates horticulture experiments like hydroponic agriculture, or experiments in veterinary biologicals… but the bandstand has more universal appeal. So does the very colourful biennial flower shows.  All of Bangalore used to immerse their Ganesha idols in Lalbagh, then the department deployed authorised divers who would separate the flower decorations before immersing the idol. Concerned environmentalists objected to POP paint on the clay idols seeping into the lake bed so the Municipal Authorities made arrangements for immersion tank after the Ganesh Utsav. Government of Karnataka repeatedly appealed to idol makers not to use POP / oil paint as they are hazardous material but Bangaloreans are averse to mud plastered clay idols bereft of colour. A cousin on a family WhatsApp group today said “Malini before insisting on colour bereft Ganesh idols, because there is no direct cause effect established between immersion of POP painted Ganesh idols and environment please ask the Environment Department to prevent industrial effluents from being discharged into lakes.” It is such reactionary discourse that has stalled our progress indeed.

Another elderly lady in the same kinship group stopped immersing her coloured Ganesh idol in the Lalbagh and started immersing the Ganesh idol in the backyard aquarium after all her pet fish died.

The Geological Survey of India gave a technical report to the Government of Karnataka stating the unfeasibility of cutting the Gneiss Rock Hill; thereafter the Chief Minister of Karnataka abruptly withdrew the Bill that has been passed in the Assembly without debate or discussion.

It is time for Lalbagh Botanical Gardens to be declared a UNESCO World biological Heritage Site.