I was reminiscing today, about Empress Garden. Anyone who grew up in the 'camp' area of Pune city, India would know what I'm talking about. This huge park has beautiful botanical gardens, elegant ponds and a canal where all you needed was a stick and a worm to catch little river fish.
EmpressGarden was a treat to kids, its gargantuan trees an escape from the sweltering summer heat. My mom took my sister and I (and a huge entourage of our friends) there practically every weekend. We packed sandwiches from our favorite café (Marz-O-Rin – remodeled and still awesome btw), and spent the day at the park running around, playing hide and seek and Cricket (contrary to the notion, a very fun sport, one of the positive fixations the British left behind).
So given the fond memories that I have, I was very upset to hear that they are tearing down a lot of the area to construct apartment homes.
To my friends back home, there's a petition that you can sign with the local government to stop destroying the area. Not only will we lose the one tranquil area in the midst of the crowded inner city, but we risk looking much needed acres of flora.
The summers have only gotten hotter, where is the escape?
2 comments:
Hey Seema...hmmm...I am surprised that they are actually tearing down part of the Empress Gardens to build apartments. I'm saying this coz a landscape architect friend of mine in Pune said they were planning on revamping the place. There was actually a contest among leading landscapers in the city for this, and my friend was among the final two being considered. Didn't follow up on what the results were, will find out if she has an inside story on this.
Hows life otherwise?
-Kashmira
Hey I am interested in investing in some property in Pune yaar. Whats the per Sq ft rate of the apartments they plannin to build out here any idea ??......Will surely be a good investment what say ;P...........btw when we were kids Empress Garden was filled with lovers who used to sit in all the weirdest of corners doing the funniest of things.......Surprizing how you didnt mention that now in your write up about the garden...Did u ever fish there btw ....Im sure u didnt that too with a stick and a work nah no chance i know u way too well for that kind of stuff....
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