Lalbagh: A Sunday Morning Odyssey Through Time and Nature's Wonders

The morning after a lively Saturday night usually beckons for lazy lie-ins and perhaps a leisurely brunch. But for us, a surprising call around midnight from my beloved—a spontaneous idea to explore Lalbagh with a guided tour—transformed our Sunday plans entirely. The sheer enthusiasm, the sudden shift from revelry to curiosity, and the collective agreement of our friends, all at 12 AM, was truly inspiring. A nod of appreciation, a mental cheer for a mind so eager to learn even on a holiday, and we were set!

Our friends gathered at my home, fueled by a quick coffee, and by 6:30 AM, we were on our way. The drive to Lalbagh on a Sunday morning is a treat in itself – comparatively emptier roads, a gentle hum of awakening life, a stark contrast to the usual city bustle.

Still from Lalbagh on a Sunday

Reaching the West Gate, we were greeted by our guide, Vijay. His neatly trimmed hair, a pleasing tilak on his forehead, and a sling bag across his shoulders painted a picture of quiet dedication. Vijay, an employee at HAL, dedicates his Sundays to guiding tours, driven by a deep belief in the importance of sharing our rich culture, heritage, and history. After a quick ice-breaker, our diverse group of nine, from various walks of life, was ready to embark on this unique journey.

Unearthing Ancient Tales: The Veeragallu and the Oldest Rock

Veeragallu at Lalbagh

Our adventure began at the base of a majestic rock, where Vijay introduced us to a Veeragallu. These ancient hero stones in Karnataka, silently narrate tales of bygone clashes between tribes or kings, marking a victorious triumph. While the specific names of the victors remain etched in time, these stones bear witness to historical conflicts. Often overlooked, they are scattered across South India, a testament to a rich and sometimes turbulent past. From these silent sentinels, we ascended to the summit of the rock, a moment that truly humbled us. We also have other types of stones like that of Bastigallu and Mahasatikallu. Bastigallu is a stone which tells the tale of an individual who fasted unto death, a tradition that is practiced to this date (Jainism). Then we also have Mahasatikallu which talks about the women who jumped into the burning pyre of fire to sacrifice themselves when their husbands passed away, fearing the enemies or others might take advantage of them. This was a tradition of the north, which trickled down to Southern part of India as well.

Mica Granite Rock at Lalbagh

Vijay revealed that this very rock is considered one of the oldest rocks in the world, a Mica Granite formation estimated to be a staggering 3 billion years old. Imagine! How many millennia have unfolded, how many generations of life, both animal and human, have witnessed the passage of time from this very spot? We were standing on a geological gem, a living timeline of Earth's timeless transformations. To amplify the wonder, Vijay shared a captivating fact: Lalbagh is a living botanical encyclopedia, home to flora from almost five continents – North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe. And true to his word, he promised to show us these global botanical treasures, and boy, did he deliver!

A Walk Through the Global Greens: From Tamarind to the Rain Tree

Descending from the ancient rock, we made our way to a grand Tamarind tree. Vijay explained its unique characteristics: it's considered one of the strongest trees, yet it consumes more oxygen and emits carbon dioxide. This unusual nature led our elders to advise keeping away from it, attributing the presence of "ghosts" to its vicinity.

Illustration of Tamarind Tree - Dates of India

Interestingly, Arabs, captivated by its fruit, referred to it as the "Dates of India," coining the term Tamar-E-Hind. Our guide then beautifully wove in the tale of Nachiketa from the Upanishads, a profound story of a young boy who triumphed over Yama, the lord of death.

As the story faded, we moved towards the Akasha Mallige, also known as the Indian Cork Tree. Its wood is renowned for being the softest, and it's a primary source for cork exported globally. The delicate flowers, hanging high amongst the branches, filled the air with their sweet fragrance – a beautiful contrast to the "hardest" wood we had just discussed.

Illustration of Indian Cork Tree

Akasha Mallige Flowers (Indian Cork Tree Flowers)

Rain Tree at Lalbagh

Next, we encountered a magnificent tree native to the African continent – the Rain Tree. Its expansive canopy provides immense, pleasant shade, capable of spreading across an acre. The sight of its leaves and majestically spreading branches was a treat for the eyes.

Ficus Krishnae (Krishna's butter bowl)

Continuing our arboreal exploration, we arrived at a tree with peculiar leaves. It felt familiar, distinctly Indian, yet we were perplexed. Then, one participant exclaimed, "It's a Banyan tree – our national tree!" Vijay smiled and nodded, confirming it was indeed a Banyan, but a unique species: Ficus Krishnae, distinguished by the distinct cup-like shape of its leaves. He shared an intriguing scientific anomaly: only two out of ten Banyan seeds produce Ficus Krishnae, a phenomenon that continues to baffle scientists.

The Candle flowers of Panama are characterized by their bright yellow, overlapping bracts that resemble a stacked candle, from which white tubular flowers emerge. A few meters away, the vibrant, fiery red blooms of the Flower from Panama caught our eye. Also known as the Flame of the Forest, its brilliant hue is truly captivating. The "Flame of the Forest" tree is renowned for its spectacular, vibrant orange-red flowers that bloom in late winter and early spring, often covering the entire tree in a fiery display, giving it its evocative common name.

Candle Tree of Panama

Illustration of Palash tree Or Popularly known as the Flame of the Forest

Illustration of Peepal Tree

Spiritual Significance and Global Wonders: Peepal to the Century Palm

How could we forget the Peepal tree? This sacred tree holds immense religious, mythological, and scientific significance in India. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna declares, "Among all trees, I am the Peepal tree." Buddha attained enlightenment under its shade. Renowned for its medicinal properties, it generates the highest oxygen and is perpetually growing. A truly remarkable fact: Ashoka's children, Mahindra and Sanghamitra, planted a Peepal tree in Sri Lanka over 2000 years ago, and it still stands protected today – a living testament to time.

Illustration of Weeping Willow

Our journey continued to Bhutan's national tree, the graceful Weeping Willow, instantly conjuring images from English literature and poetry.

Then, we admired the majestic Agathis robusta, an Australian native. Apparently, the phrase "jet black" originated from this very tree; fossils of Agathis robusta reveal the darkest black color, hence the idiom.

Agathis Robusta

Next, we encountered the Century Palm. This tree has a deep historical connection with Indians. Our ancestors, the Dravidians, documented their past on Talegari, processed leaves from the Century Palm tree.

Century Palm

Taalegari from Century Palm Tree

It is believed that modern-day Talaghattapura was once a hub for Talegari manufacturing centuries ago, where these processed sheets became the canvas for documenting history in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam scripts. It is also said that the Dravidian languages are as it is easier to etch it on these leaves. The ancient people would crave the curvy letters and then fill in fine it with fine charcoal powder. Then they would smear it with a transparent resin liquid and dry it. This would stay help the talegari to be protected for centuries to come. The picture on the left shows the ancient texts preserved even to this date.

Lost in awe, contemplating the rich tapestry of the past, we arrived at Assam's Elephant Appple Tree, which, despite its name, appeared quite ordinary. It is an evergreen tree which is short and has separate male and female flowers.

Elephant Tree of Assam

Our gaze was then drawn to a tall, slender, leaning tree – the Australian Araucaria cookie tree. This tree possesses an astonishing characteristic: eight out of ten Araucaria cookie trees are said to lean towards the equator!

Arucaria cookie tree

Imagine the innate wisdom of a tree, instinctively knowing the direction of the equator. Remarkably, navigators in the 14th and 15th centuries reportedly used these trees as natural compasses to aid in knowing the direction of the equator.

Group photograph with the our Guide Mr. Vijay

After a mesmerizing 1.5-hour walk through Lalbagh, filled with fascinating facts and captivating stories, we felt eternally grateful for the session. We concluded our enriching experience with a serene Shanti Mantra of "Om Purnamadah Purnamidam," which emphasizes the non-duality of life and the infinite cosmos that we all are part of, carrying with us not just memories, but a newfound appreciation for the wonders of nature and the hidden stories within.

With that, I thank you for your patient reading and urge you to take this walk through Lalbagh.

Until then, Keep Exploring, Keep Experimenting, and Keep Learning. Adios Reader!

With Love Team Parikrama.