Mughal Gardens open to public from tomorrow

New Delhi, Feb 9 (ANI): The historic Mughal Gardens of Rashtrapati Bhawan, including the musical garden, the spiritual garden, the herbal garden, bonsai garden and the bio-diversity park, will open to the general public from Friday for the month-long annual festival christened as Udyanotsav.

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, who visited the presidential garden, known as the 'Mughal Gardens' today, a day before it is opened to the public, said: "Apart from flowers, what truly beautifies the garden are colours; green carpets of grass, the carpet of flowers, the spiritual gardens, herbal gardens and musical garden, circular garden, long garden."

"Therefore, different types of things have been brought here together and I want that our people, our brothers and sisters should come and look at them," she added.

The gardens will be open to the general public on all days from February 10 to March 15 from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Entry into the gardens will be open only upto 4 P.M.

However, the Udyanotsav shall remain closed every Monday during this period for maintenance activities. The Udyanotsav shall also remain closed on February 15 on account of Rashtrapati Bhawan programme and also on March 8 for Holi.

This year the attractions will be floral carpets, the cactus corner and bonsais. A new concept of making of floral carpets on the lawns has been introduced for the first time to garden lovers.

A new bonsai garden has also been established to enrich the variety of collections and styles, with about 200 Bonsai plants. A cactus corner has also been created.

The entry and exit into the gardens will be from Gate No. 35 of the President's Estate, which is located at the extreme end of the Church Road, about 300 meters West of Cathedral Church.

Entry for physically challenged people using wheelchairs will be through the Rashtrapati Bhavan Reception. Such persons can arrive at Rashtrapati Bhawan through Hukmi Mai Marg or Rajpath.

Visitors are requested not to bring any water bottles, briefcases, handbags/ladies purses, cameras, radios/transistors, cell phones, any writing material, umbrellas, arms/ammunitions and eatables.

Such articles, if any, will not be allowed to be carried into the Mughal Gardens and will have to be deposited at the entry point at the owner's risk.

March 14 will be an exclusive day reserved at the Udyanotsav for differently-abled persons from 10 A.M. to 1 P.M. Such persons will be allowed entry through the Reception of Rashtrapati Bhavan, from either Gate Nos. 2 or 37.

Schools wishing to organize a visit for children to the Mughal Gardens during this period may contact Section Officer (Invitation Section), President's Secretariat, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi 110 004 on telephone numbers 23012960 and 23015321 Extn.4479 and fax number 23013189, two days in advance so that their entry can be arranged on a priority basis. (ANI)