Mr Vijay Tiruvadi took us on a memorable Lalbagh walk on June 1. Rated on Lonely Planet within world's top seven nature walks. Vijay takes us through history, geography, botany and beauty of plants from world over meticulously gathered and flourishing in Lalbagh. Rs 600 including sumptuous MTR breakfast!
Check out Bangalorewalks.com
Ten things I didn't know before my Lalbagh walk y'day :
1. The Lalbagh rock is 300 million years old, and came from Gondwanaland, the super southern continent connecting Africa and India.
2. 95% plants IN Lalbagh are from outside India originally.
3. Tipu Sultan imported plants and seeds for Lalbagh on ships from as far as Brazil to Mangalore port.
4. Gin and tonic has quinine extracts the British took to fight malaria. Ronald Ross lived in Bangalore.
5. Mr Fortune of East India Company posed as a Chinese noble to steal tea seeds into India from China.
6. The tallest tree in Lalbagh is 165 feet tall, comes from Pacific Island and is named after Captain Cook.
7. The maluva Creeper grows like hell over trees and all.
8. Most of the flowers we call Champa aren't Indian or even Champak.
9. There are conifers from eight countries in a small area in Lalbagh.
10. The original banana from Turkey grew upward, like the flower too.
Check out Bangalorewalks.com
Ten things I didn't know before my Lalbagh walk y'day :
1. The Lalbagh rock is 300 million years old, and came from Gondwanaland, the super southern continent connecting Africa and India.
2. 95% plants IN Lalbagh are from outside India originally.
3. Tipu Sultan imported plants and seeds for Lalbagh on ships from as far as Brazil to Mangalore port.
4. Gin and tonic has quinine extracts the British took to fight malaria. Ronald Ross lived in Bangalore.
5. Mr Fortune of East India Company posed as a Chinese noble to steal tea seeds into India from China.
6. The tallest tree in Lalbagh is 165 feet tall, comes from Pacific Island and is named after Captain Cook.
7. The maluva Creeper grows like hell over trees and all.
8. Most of the flowers we call Champa aren't Indian or even Champak.
9. There are conifers from eight countries in a small area in Lalbagh.
10. The original banana from Turkey grew upward, like the flower too.
