Spread over 7 acres, the park houses an art gallery, has a musical fountain, a park for children, jogging track and a well-spread out lawn where one can sit and enjoy the greenery.
The Vasantrao Eknath Bagul Udyan — or the Nala Park as it is fondly known among Sahakarnagar residents — is a place where you not only get refreshed, but also return informed and entertained.
Spread over 7 acres, the park houses an art gallery, has a musical fountain, a park for children, jogging track and a
well-spread out lawn where one can sit and enjoy the greenery. The garden was constructed at a cost of Rs3.5 crore.
The park’s foundation was laid in 1995 and since then the area has been developed into a tranquil paradise for citizens.
Sitting with friends, Suresh Chavan, a student said, “The garden is away from the hustle and bustle and is a good place to spend some time alone. I come here to study with my friends almost every evening. Nobody disturbs or prevents us from studying here. One can concentrate well as the garden is not crowded.”
A 20,000-square-foot plot in the garden was recently used to build the three-storey Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Kaladalan, which houses a mini-theatre, music library and an art gallery. Just walk into the theatre and you are greeted by huge portraits of great classical singers from various gharanas, who have performed at the Sawai Gandharva Festival. The auditorium, which showcases a documentary on the life of Panditji, has a capacity of 80. The music library has 28 cubicles with computers and headphones, where you can listen to music.
The musical fountain, which was recently inaugurated, is another attraction for visitors. “There were specialists from Hyderabad for constructing the fountain,” says gardener Jalinder Phanse. The fountain has 1,000 nozzles, which create a 20-foot-high water screen. The water forms different patterns, making it appear as if it is dancing to the music.
A three-dimensional laser show is presented on the water screen in an open auditorium with a seating capacity of 600. Every day, there are two shows of 20 minutes each in the evening. On Saturday and Sunday, three shows are presented in the evening.
Executive engineer, Annirudha Pawaskar, who supervised the planning and execution of the fountain and Kaladalan said, “It was after a year of meticulous planning, meetings and discussions with the team that led to the construction of a garden of such high standards. Types of songs, kind of chairs and mattresses for the Kaladalan... everything was decided only after discussion and research.”
Life-size figures giraffe, leopard, elephant, deer, tortoise and crocodile, made of fibreglass make for another attractive feature at the garden. The artificial waterfall with a mini-bridge running across is a good place to feel the coolness of the flowing water. One can even sit on the artificially carved stones near the waterfall and hear the melody of the flowing water.
“The bottlebrush, cannon-ball tree, Kanchan and golden Duranta give people a refreshing feel and keeps the area cool even during summer,” said GR Tumale, the PMC horticulture supervisor. A 1-acre park with slides, swings and see-saws will keep your children occupied while you take a stroll on the lawns, giving an all-family experience.
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