Photo Walk to Kofuku-ji

Kofuku-ji is both a landmark and a symbol of Nara. It used to be the family temple of the Fujiwara, the most powerful family clan during much of the Nara and Heian Periods. The temple originally is said to have contained almost 150 buildings in its premises, but only a few have survived, and most rebuilt over the years.

I had a quick breakfast at the Nara University cafeteria and head off to Kofuku-ji on foot using the narrow lanes. The route I love to go to Kofuku-ji is via the Sanjo-dori. It is the happening street in the area with hundreds of shops selling souvenirs and local delicacies. There is always a buzz along the street and I love to visit it often, just to have a good time.

A brief history of Kofuku-ji

Today Kofuku-ji is one of the head temples of the Hosso sect of Buddhism but it has had a very humble beginning. In the year 669 CE, Kagami no Okimi, the consort of Nakatomi-no-Kamatari, founded a Buddhist temple on their family estate in Yamashina Suehara (modern-day Kyoto) to pray for her husband’s recovery from illness.

Her literary works appear in Manyoshu, the oldest extant collection of Japanese waka (poetry in Classical Japanese), compiled sometime after AD 759 during the Nara period. In “Manyoshu,” her name appears as ‘鏡王女’ while in “Nihonshoki” (Chronicles of Japan) it is ‘鏡姫王.’ Her poems are said to be composed after Kamatari’s death, in the memory of her husband. She is also widely considered to be the birth mother of FUJIWARA no Fuhito, who later went on to be the founding patron of Kofuku-ji.

This temple which came to be known as Yamashina-dera was relocated to its present site shortly after the establishment of Heijo as the capital of the empire. The temple was renamed to Kofuku-ji and it grew rapidly in size under the patronage of successive emperor and empresses. During that time the Fujiwara clan had great influence over the imperial family and their blessings to Kofuku-ji, propelled its rise to an important influence even in political matters. In the Heian period (794-1180), the temple assumed control over the Fujiwara tutelary shrine of Kasuga and rose to become the dominant power in Yamato province.

Over time with the decline of the Fujiwara clan, the temple lost its shine. The temple was destroyed by the Taira, rivals of the Fujiwara, in the 12th century Heike wars. Financial pressures eroded the political influence that it had previously enjoyed. In 1595, during the reign of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the temple was stripped of its last remaining estates and replaced them with an annual endowment of only 21,000 koku of rice. Although this amount was sufficient for the maintenance of the temple grounds, a catastrophic fire in 1717 destroyed most of the temple complexes.

With waning power, Kofuku-ji became one of the primary targets of the anti-Buddhist policies of the early years of the Meiji period (1868-1912). In 1868, the Japanese government brought out an ordinance called shinbutsu bunri, which ordered the separation of Shinto from Buddhism. This brought to an abrupt end the centuries-old tie between Kasuga and Kofuku-ji. After a few years when things calmed down, Kofuku-ji was granted permission to re-establish itself as a religious institution.

As you keep walking along the Sanjo-dori. the road will open up near a pond, that falls on the right. it is the Surosawa pond. On your left, you will find a stone staircase that will take you inside the Kofuku-ji grounds. These stairs always remind me of the end scene from the movie “Your Name.”

As I went up the stone stairs, midway to the top, there is a left path, where you can find a Jizo statue surrounded by idols of little children. I spent some time here with the Jizo. The idol is carved out of a single piece of stone. It reminded me of the stone idols from our Hampi trip. The Sun was soft and I was able to get some nice sharp images.

The Jizo referred to as “O-Jizo-san” in Japanese honorific language, is a deity fondly loved by Japanese people. You will find Jizo statues like this in many places including Buddhist temples, graveyards, beside lakes, and even at the corner of some streets in the cities. If you are interested in exploring more, you should visit the Hase-dera temple in Kamakura which is said to host, on its grounds thousands of Jizo statues.

During colder times, you will find them draped in red. Jizo statues are clothed in red bibs and sometimes also hoods. What is a bit funny for me is that, you might also sometimes find cans of Sake beside the statues. The Japanese mostly pray to the Jizo wishing for protection for their lost baby so their spirits might go to heaven without suffering.

Three Storeyed Pagoda

Just beyond the Jizo statue there lies a three-story pagoda. This Pagoda was originally built in 1143 CE at the behest of Fujiwara no Kiyoko, the consort of Emperor Sutoku. The current pagoda was recreated shortly after the destruction of the entire temple complex in 1811, making it one of the oldest of the structures at Kofukuji.

The first storey contains a set of four murals painted on wooden panels that each depicts a Buddha. In addition, the goddess Benzaiten (Saraswati) is enshrined on the eastern face of the central pillar.

After taking some shots of the pagoda, I retraced my steps back to the staircase. As you reach the top you will find yourself in front of the Nanendo hall or commonly referred to as the Southern Hall. Before you go for the hall, if you check on your right, you will find a Chuyoza, a place to purify yourself before you go to pray at the temple.

It’s not much of a deal, you just take the ladle, fill it with the running water and wash your hands one at a time. In the end, you let the remaining water drip down along the handle of the ladle where you were holding it, in a way cleansing it for the next person to use.

The Southern Hall

The southern octagonal hall was initially built in 813 by Fujiwara no Fuyutsugu, in memory of his father. The current hall is the fourth reconstruction and was erected between 1741 and 1789. Enshrined inside it is a seated image of Fukukensaku Kannon.

The southern hall is opened to the public only one day in the year on October 17th

Some people were praying in front of the Nanen-do hall. The air was smoky with the incense sticks burning on an urn placed in front of the temple. Beside the temple hall, there is a small shop that sells incense sticks for ¥100. You can choose between sticks for praying for either health, happiness, or wealth. The words are written in Japanese only, so you might need someone to assist you if you are not able to understand which one to choose.

A left turn here will take you to the Hokuen-do. It was built in 721 by the Empress Gemmei and Emperor Gensho to commemorate the first death anniversary of Fujiwara Fuhito. The building originally dates back over a thousand years, and their present reconstructions were completed in 1210 respectively. The building also houses some of the temple’s treasured artifacts but is only open to the public only a few days a year. Notably among them is a set of four images of the heavenly kings that were created in 791, the finest examples of Japanese dry-lacquer sculptures.

The building is open to the public only on special days every year. The dates of this period vary every year, so please contact the temple authorities before visiting.

A few steps ahead there is a flat base, where once Kofukuji’s main building, the Central Golden Hall used to stand. It was destroyed in a fire in 1717 and – although a replacement hall was built on a smaller scale in the 1800’s – the original Central Golden Hall was not reconstructed. Reconstruction works are currently ongoing and are scheduled to be completed in the year 2018.

The Central Golden Hall opened in 2018, I have updated the details at the end of the journal.

For me, Kofuku-ji’s main attraction is the five-story pagoda known as Gojunoto. At 50.1 meters, it is the second tallest pagoda in Japan after Kyoto’s Toji Temple. The construction of the Five-storied Pagoda was originally started in 730 by Empress Komyo, the daughter of Kofukuji’s founding patron: Fujiwara no Fuhito.

Over its long history, the pagoda burned down a total of five times, with the latest reconstruction dating to around 1426. Enshrined around its central pillar, on the first story are a Yakushi triad (East), a Shaka triad (South) and an Amida triad (West) and a Miroku triad (North)

Lots of women visiting the temple were in the traditional Kimono. It was a beautiful sight to see them walking past the ancient temple. If you are interested in obtaining a Kimono for rental, there are many places along Sanjo-dori, but you have to book it in advance.

Eastern Golden Hall

Beside the Gojunoto is the Easter Golden Hall. The Eastern Golden Hall (Tokondo) was originally constructed in 726 by Emperor Shomu to speed the recovery of the ailing Empress Gensho. Rebuilt in 1415, the Tokondo hall is dominated by the presence of a large image of Yakushi Nyorai (the Healing Buddha) along with the Bodhisattava Nikko & Gakko. The hall also features seated images of 12th-century wooden Monju Bosatsu and Yuima Koji, surrounded by standing images of Four Heavenly Kings.

National Treasure Hall

The Kofuku-ji National Treasure Hall (Kokuhokan) was erected in 1959 to house images, paintings, ritual artifacts, and historical documents that were enshrined in temple buildings that no longer exist. Among the most notable treasures are an 8th-century statue of Ashura (one of Buddha’s eight protectors) carved in the 8th century, an even older bronze head of Yakushi Nyorai, and 12th-century carved wooden statues of priests with strikingly human facial features.

While entrance to Kofukuji’s temple grounds is free and possible around the clock, there are two areas that require paying an entrance fee: Kofukuji’s National Treasure Museum and the Eastern Golden Hall. The recently renovated National Treasure Museum exhibits part of the temple’s great art collection and is an absolute must-see for lovers of Buddhist art. Among the many outstanding exhibits is the three-faced, six-armed Asura Statue, one of the most celebrated Buddhist statues in all of Japan. Unfortunately for me, it was closed on the day.

Kofuku-ji is a nice place to enjoy the history of Nara. Besides the temple, there are many other things to enjoy in Nara Park. If you are the explorer type, you should also check out Umikodo Pavilion, when looks stunning at night.

Kofuku-ji in Fall

Since I lived nearby, I came to Kofuku-ji many times. This is a shot of the beautiful pagoda during the fall. Nara Park has a brilliant fall and if possible, you should plan a trip at that time. For more information you can check out my journal of Nara during Fall.

Update: Central Golden Hall

The Central Golden Hall was opened to visitors in October 2018. Initially, the hall was constructed between 710 and 714 at the behest of Fujiwara-no-Fuhito. It has had an unfortunate history, with the building burned down a total of 7 times. The most recent of these fires occurred in 1717. With dwindling finances, more than a century passed before a temporary structure was finally erected in 1819.

However, the hall suffered extensive damage due to a leaking roof and had to be demolished in 2000. The newly constructed hall faithfully reproduces the Nara-period original based on archaeological evidence, drawings, and other historical records.

We came back at night to capture the celebration of the opening of this grand hall. At the time of writing this, visitors are not allowed to photograph the inside of the hall.

Later that night, we had a quiet stroll along Surosawa pond. The atmosphere becomes quite calm once the day tourists go back to Kyoto and you can enjoy some quiet time by yourself near the pond. I have spent many evenings here, just sitting and staring at the surroundings. A vending machine nearby will fulfill most of your needs if you are thirsty.

Kofuku-ji is one of the first temples I visited when I came to Japan and it will always have a special place in my memories. If and when you are visiting do not forget to explore Nara Park, it is huge and you will never forget the experience of the deer moving around among humans as you could only imagine in fantasy stories.

Thanks you so much for reading. I hope you have a wonderful time experiencing Nara as I did. Please leave me a comment if you liked my story or if you need to ask anything. I am also available on Instagram if you want to connect. Peace.

Admission Fees to Central Golden hall

Adults: ¥500
School Students: ¥300

Admission Fees to National Treasure Hall

Adults: ¥700
School Students: ¥600

Admission Fees to Eastern Golden Hall

Adults: ¥300
School Students: ¥200

When was Kofuku-ji built?

Kufuku-ji had a very humble beginning and the first structure was built in 669 CE in old Kyoto. It was later moved to Nara and succeeding generations of the Fujiwara clan kept building on it until it became a massive temple grounds comprising of over 140 buildings.

Who built Kofuku-ji

The first structure of the Kofuku-ji temple was commissioned by Kagami no Okimi, the legal wife of FUJIWARA no Kamatari. To pray for the recovery of Kamatari’s illness, she established Yamashina-dera Temple in 669 CE, which later became Kofuku-ji Temple.

A Walk through Nara Deer Park

The sun was shining and it was a lovely day for a walk in the Nara Deer Park. Nara Park is a huge park in central Nara. Established in 1880, it is the location of many of Nara’s attractions including Todai-ji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofuku-ji, but the star attraction is the herds of Deer roaming freely all over the park. We left our home after a quick breakfast at Nara University Cafeteria.

Nara is best experienced by walking. The closest temple on the map is Kōfuku-ji, around 10 minutes walk from Kintetsu Nara Station. A narrow alley beside the Station connects the road to Kofuku-ji. The road to the temple is lined with souvenir shops and eateries on both sides.

Kōfuku-ji

Kōfuku-ji is a Buddhist temple that was once, one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, in the ancient city of Nara. The temple is also one of eight Historic Monuments of Nara inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Kofuku-ji temple area contains 3 main buildings, the biggest being Gojunoto, the five storied pagoda. The first monument we noticed is a three-storied pagoda named Hokuen-do. A flight of stairs took us to  Tokon-do, another temple. Both Hokuen-do and Tokon-do have been designated National Treasures of Japan. There is a stone wash basin just before the Tokon-do temple where one can wash their hands in sparkling cold water. Before praying to the Shinto deity, worshipers are required to purify themselves of impurity. The washing of hands with water is called Temizu. Most shrines have similar stone wash basins where visitors can rinse their hands before approaching the deity.

Just beside the hand-washing fountain/basin is a wooden board where numerous people have tied their prayers on small wooden plaques. These plaques, sold at the Shrine, are called Ema. Worshipers buy the plaque, write their wish on it, then hang it on the Ema stand, in hopes the shrine deity will grant their wish.

The beautiful smell of incense sticks drew us towards the Tokon-do temple. I got one for Mani from a stall beside the temple. They cost 100 Yen each. Mani later told me that the incense was for “Happiness” There were others meant for praying for health and peace too. After lighting the incense, we went directly opposite, towards the five-storied pagoda.

Kofuku-ji was initially built in 1426 in accordance with traditional Japanese construction techniques. Since then, the present building has been rebuilt over time. It measures 50 m in height, making it the second tallest pagoda in Japan. We admired the awe-inspiring architecture for some time. I am short of words to describe the beautiful and majestic pagoda. I have never seen a more huge wooden structure in my life.

Nara Deer Park

A small path towards the back of Kofuku-ji directed us towards the main Park area also known as Nara Koen. The park is home to hundreds of freely roaming deer. Considered in Shinto to be messengers of the gods, Nara’s nearly 1200 deer have become a symbol of the city. According to the legend, Takemikazuchi-no-Mikoto, the kami of the Kashima Shrine in Ibaraki, was once invited to come to Kasuga Taisha, in Nara. He arrived in Nara riding a white deer, and since then the deer are considered sacred beings, divine messengers of Kami. Nara’s deer are tame, although they can be aggressive, specially the male ones, if they think you will feed them. Deer crackers are for sale around the park, and some deer have learned to bow to visitors to ask to be fed.

We walked past Kōfuku-ji on a narrow path laden with soft pebbles. We bought some Shika Senbei, deer crackers from one of the several stalls. The deer keep loitering around the stalls and they came running towards us as we walked away from the stall. The path opened up into a small meadow where several Deer young-lings were feeding on the green grass. We stayed there among the deer, feeding and playing with them. One of them softly landed a couple of head butts on me. It was fun and will be one of the fondest memories of my life.

After a while we got hungry too and went inside a Ramen shop to have some food.

Kasuga-Taisha

It was late afternoon when we walked beyond the meadow, up towards the forested Wakakusayama Hill. The path up the hill took us towards Kasuga Taisha. The approach path is lined on both sides with scores of stone lanterns. The lanterns are lit up in times of festivals and it must look awesome. After walking for a few minutes the meadows gave way to a more dense forest as we climbed up the Wakakusayama Hill. Located a short walk towards the Kasuga Shrine main complex is the Kasuga Taisha Shinen Manyo Botanical Garden. This garden displays about 250 kinds of plants described in the Manyoshu, Japan’s oldest collection of poems which dates to the Nara Period. A large part of the garden is dedicated to wisteria flowers which usually bloom from late April to early May. The sun was on its descent so we decided to skip it, hoping to come during spring when the flowers will be in full bloom.

Kasuga Taisha is Nara’s most celebrated shrine. It was established at the same time as the capital and is dedicated to the deity responsible for the protection of the city. The shrine’s offering hall can be visited free of charge, but there is a paid inner area which provides a closer view of the shrine’s inner buildings. Kasuga Taisha is famous for its lanterns, which have been donated by worshipers. Hundreds of bronze lanterns can be found hanging from the buildings. The lanterns are only lit twice a year during two Lantern Festivals, one in early February and one in mid August. At the gate one can find many souvenir shops. Girls, dressed as beautiful priestess attend to the visitors.

There are many smaller shrines in the woods around Kasuga Taisha, twelve of which are located along a path past the main shrine complex and are dedicated to the twelve lucky gods. Among them are Wakamiya Shrine, known for its dance festival, and Meoto Daikokusha, which enshrines married deities and is said to be fortuitous to matchmaking and marriage. Rather than going inside Kasuga Taisha, we decided to walk along the forest towards these smaller shrines. The path kept going up. It was exciting walking by ourselves surrounded by the dense forest. After reaching  the end of the path at Shin-Yakushiji-Temple, we started our descent back to civilization. Back on the road, the tourists were sparse, so we decided to pay a quick visit to the Todai-ji temple.

Tōdai-ji

Unfortunately the temple had closed at 5 p.m. so we just loitered around the grounds of the temple.

Todai-ji is one of Japan’s most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of Nara. The temple was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan and grew so powerful that the capital was moved from Nara to Nagaoka in 784 in order to lower the temple’s influence on government affairs.

Along the approach to Todaiji stands the Nandaimon Gate, a large wooden gate watched over by two fierce looking statues. Representing the Nio Guardian Kings, the statues are designated national treasures together with the gate itself.

It was going dark fast. We took some pictures of the gate. Towards the side of the temple is a lovely garden with wooded seats. The heavy camera bag had made me tired. We sat there for a while looking at the beautiful landscape. The slightly chilly winds at dusk felt really good. At 6 p.m. except for the street lights, it was totally dark, so we head back home.

I later went back for a photowalk to Todaiji a couple of times to witness the great Buddha in all its awesomeness. I was also lucky to celebrate New Years Eve at Todaiji when it is opened to public at midnight. If you cannot make it on new years, one can still enjoy a lovely walk in summer evenings at Todaiji when the park is illuminated.

 

Photo walk in Lal Bagh

It was a beautiful sunny day with streaky clouds and a blue sky, kind of perfect to get my gear out. Mani was taking her JLPT examination so I dropped her off at Christchurch College and took a public bus to Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens.

Lal Bagh is one of the major attractions “within” the city of Bangalore. Spread over almost 250 acres of landscaped terrain, this beautiful garden was laid out in 1760 CE by the famous Mysore ruler, Hyder Ali. The admission tickets are cheap. You also take a guided tour on an eco-friendly buggy, or like me, just stroll around at your own pace.

Initially designed as a 40-acre garden, it boasted plants imported from places like Delhi, and Multan. Because of the gardens many roses and other red flowers, Hyder Ali named it “Lal Bagh” or “Red Garden.” Tippu Sultan, his son, further enriched the garden by introducing seeds and plants from countries such as Afghanistan, Persia, Turkey, and Mauritius. In particular, it was during his time that the pines and oaks from South Africa were introduced into the garden. Thereafter it passed into the care of the British, who added their own touch to the beautiful garden.

The effort put in over the centuries has an immediate effect. Right after buying my admission ticket at the counter outside the gate, I found myself walking through a tunnel of sorts, created by overlaying branches of Bougainvillea. Depending on the season you will see it laden with flowers or just dried branches. Whatever be the case, you will find it enthralling going through this long tunnel.

Lal Bagh Hillock

Once you exit the Bougainvillea tunnel, you will find yourself in front of a granite hillock. Signage placed at the base of the hill declares this rock formation as a “National Geological Monument.”

The hillock was formed by a process known as Peninsular Gneiss – a geological term for a complex mixture of granite rocks extensively developed in peninsular India. The Peninsular Gneiss is among the oldest of rocks on the Earth dating back to 3 billion years. The antiquity of these rocks has attracted geologists from all over the world.

The hill is easy to climb and is also a good starting point. Take a breather at the top and plan a path to your liking as you can view the whole area from here.

This hillock is said to be one of the oldest rock formations on earth, dating back to some 3 billion years!

At the top of the hill, there is a small tower called the Kempe Gowda Tower. This tower is connected to the origins of the city of Bangalore. The oldest inscription found in present-day Bengaluru is the Hebbala-Kittayya inscription, dating back to 750 AD (Pic 1). This inscription, from the Ganga dynasty in Karnataka, references the reign of Sripurusha. Written in early Kannada script, it honors Kittayya, who was martyred while defending his land in a battle during Sripurusha’s rule. The Gangas initially ruled Gangavadi from Kolar beginning in 350 CE, later moving their capital to Talakadu.

The earliest recorded mention of the name Bengaluru, albeit as ‘Benguluru,’ dates back to a 9th-century AD inscription found in Beguru (Pic). Written in Halegannada (ancient Kannada), it references ‘Bengaluru Kadana’ (the Battle of Bengaluru). This inscription, discovered near Beguru, indicates that the area was part of the Ganga Kingdom, which ruled Gangavadi until 1024 AD. At that time, the city was referred to as ‘Benga-val-oru,’ meaning the City of Guards in ancient Kannada.

Bangalore came into significance in 1537 CE, when Kempe Gowda laid the foundation of the city by building a mud fort. The fort occupants consisted of people of different vocations.

Heads up for tourists wanting to visit, they should start early since as day passes, it gets more and more difficult to breathe on the polluted road to this beautiful garden.

Kempe Gowda established four cardinal towers or mandapas defining limits to the “city.” This Kempe Gowda Tower is supposed to be the southern end of the city. I need to point out that currently, Bengaluru has very much outgrown these boundaries and the tower is now more of within the heart of the city. After Kempe Gowda, Bangalore changed many hands – from the Marathas to the Mughals, followed by Hyder Ali and then his son Tippu Sultan and finally, the British Empire. They have all left their imprints on Bangalore and in turn Lalbagh.

From the hilltop, I started walking towards the south. Lalbagh’s rock is a favorite sit-spot for many visitors. Several Bhutta (roasted corn) and peanut vendors hang around Kempe Gowda’s Mandapa. A decade ago, the Mandapa was not fenced, visitors were able to sit inside the historic monument.

Surrounded by lush grass you can find some lovely pink Tabebuia trees over here. I will try my best to give brief information about these trees as I move through the garden.

Tabebuia avellanedae

Common Name: Pink Tabebuia
Origin: Paraguay & Argentina

A Tabebuia tree is a medium to small flowering tree that is native to the West Indies and South and Central America. This South American import is colloquially known as the ‘pink trumpet‘ or ‘pink lapacho‘ trees and can get up to 49 m tall. Although the gold blooms are most common, the garden features more of the pink variety.

It was the first time I saw the pink Tabebuia in full bloom. I felt rejuvenated in a way I had not in a very long time. Looking at hundreds of those pink trumpet-shaped flowers silhouetted against the clear blue December sky felt like a balm for both eyes and the soul.

During my on-off stays in eastern Japan, I have been blessed to have experienced the blooming of the cherry blossom during spring. An event worthy enough to dedicate an entire festival. Hanami as it is referred to is the Japanese custom of mindfully observing and appreciating the flowers and their transient beauty.

What makes this bloom even more magical is that the trees lose their leaves just before embracing their bright pink flowers. In its homeland South America, the inner bark of the pink trumpet tree is regarded highly for its healing qualities by the indigenous people.

Although Lalbagh dates from 1760, it reached its apogee under two Kew-trained superintendents, John Cameron from 1873 CE to 1908 and Gustav Herman Krumbeigl from 1908 to 1932, who was successively appointed as caretakers of the garden.

I came down the hillock and decided to take a left on the well-laid walker’s path that runs along the periphery of the park.

Lalbagh Lake

Further on I could see quite a few morning joggers. Apart from health enthusiasts, Lal Bagh gets anything around 6,000 to 7,000 visitors every day including quite a few foreigners. Lalbagh Lake is man-made and was earlier just a gorge. The lake project was commissioned in 1890 to provide water to the garden’s plants. There are benches all along the periphery of the lake, where one can sit and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the two islands on the lake.

The path goes through a wooded area with many trees. This path is referred to as Walk Trail 2.

After the nursery, there are some wounding paths lined with street lamps. This part of the trail is referred to as ‘Walk Trail 3.’

Parallel to this trail, beyond the short wall on the left, there is a narrow carriageway that runs along the perimeter of Lal Bagh. A signboard will tell you its name- Krumbeigel Road. Not too many of the thousands who traverse this road every day would be aware of the history behind its name. It’s not insignificant that Krumbeigel Road adjoins the precinct of Lal Bagh. If there was anyone — apart from Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan – who contributed more to making the garden what it is today, it perhaps was Krumbeigel, the botanist.

Krumbeigel was invited by Maharaj Nalvadi Krishna Raj Wodeyar to take over as director of the famed garden in 1908. Wodeyar could not have picked a better man for Krumbeigel, who saw Lal Bagh as the last word on modern botany. He wasn’t interested in beauty alone. He also explored the science of plants. It was under the leadership of German horticulturist Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel that the saplings of these trees and seeds were imported from Indonesia by the Mysore Horticultural Society. 

Even to this day, Lalbagh has the best possible collection of hibiscus and bougainvillea. It was Krumbeigel who brought the concept of a nursery to Lal Bagh. From a mere ornamental garden, Lalbagh was transformed into a scientific park, thanks to Krumbeigel. It was he who began the concept of marking and naming trees by their scientific names.

You can find many photographic opportunities in this area. I loved how this creeper displayed the tiny leaves.

I took some other macro shots. I don’t know the name of this flower. Let us just refer to it as the white hairy flower 🙂

This purple-white budding flower looked beautiful.

After going a full circle, I found myself near the Rose Garden. The wind picked up and I was able to take some very nice shots here. It took me around 2 hours to go a full circle of the lake. If you are just out for a quick walk it will take a lot less.

Here I found some Ixora shrubs. Ixora is native to Asia and its name derives from the word ‘Ishvara‘, a name variously meaning God in India. It is a branched shrub, up to 1 m tall and the leaves are mostly stalkless. Flowers are borne at branch-ends, in dense corymb-like cymes, flower-cluster-stalk very short or absent; bracts about 8 mm long.

Ixora

Common Name: Flame of the woods / Jungle geranium
Hindi Name: Rukmini
Origin: Southern India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka

After capturing several photos of flowers I walked along the trail to reach the Hibiscus Garden. Near the Hibiscus Garden, you can find many beautiful trees including some Petrea Voluilis.

Petrea Voluilis is a vine or semi-climbing shrub with puberulent stems. As a climbing plant, it grows to a height of 12 meters, but as a shrub, it grows to 4 meters tall. It is found especially on the banks of rivers and streams, from northern Mexico to Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay in the Antilles and Venezuela. Depending on the climate, it can have up to two blooms in the year.

Petrea Voluilis

Common Name: Purple wreath / Queen’s wreath
Hindi Name: Nilmani Lata
Origin: Tropical America

A few meters ahead, you can find one of the oldest trees on the grounds. This is a kapok tree (Ceiba pentandra) also known as White Silk Cotton Tree. The girth of the tree, measured at a height of 1.30 m, is around 23 m. Its height is around 26 m (Jun 2, 2012, Measurement on a photo, Cesare). This tree was planted around the year 1800, which makes it at least around 200 years old.

Ceiba pentandra

Common Name: Kapok, Ceiba, White Silk-Cotton Tree
Hindi Name: Safed semal
Origin: Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean

There are about 15 silk cotton trees spread around the garden. Two of them are near the West gate, half a dozen near Siddapur gate, and the remaining around the Glasshouse. White silk-cotton sticks obtained from fruits will be used for making pillows and beds. The wood is very light; hence, it is used to make match sticks and packing cases. Thick roots form hollow spaces large enough for an adult human to hide.

Near the Topiary garden, you will find this Bandstand.

Band Stand

The bandstand is a circular wooden structure with an artistically elevated roof supported by wooden pillars, which are fixed to a granite platform. Located almost in the center of the garden; it is surrounded by lush green lawns encircled by parapet walls. The garden around the bandstand is in the form of a terrace. A panoramic view of the Glass House towards the East and the Topiary garden towards the West can be seen from the bandstand.

Near the rest stop, there are also ample opportunities to capture some beautiful flowers.

The Jarul has erect clusters of spectacular flowers that don different shades – mauve, pink, or lilac. The tree is small to medium-sized when it grows in the city, so it is common to see it planted in parks and pathways. However, when it grows away from the city near water bodies, the tree can grow to a great size.

Lagerstromia speciosa

Common Name: Pride of India / Queen Crepe Myrtle
Hindi Name: Jarul
Origin: Tropical Southern Asia

Petals of the flowers are crinkly, like crape and the fruits are oval, woody capsules that stay on the tree for a very long time. The tree is also known by the name Pride of India and is locally called ‘Hole Dasavala‘. There are a couple of beautiful specimens in Lalbagh, on the way from the bandstand to the glasshouse.

In earlier times, the Bandstand used to be the venue for flower shows.

White-red flowers.

Tiny pink flowers.

From here it is a small walk to the fountain.

Although Hyder Ali initiated the gardens his son, Tipu Sultan, further developed and completed it. The garden has quite a few trees and plants imported from several countries. Along the path are rows of benches with Red Cedar trees on either side providing a wonderful shade on both sides.

Lalbagh Glasshouse

Along the way, one can see the Glass House, built during the British Raj, which is said to be modeled after London’s Crystal Palace. It was desolate, but it serves as a venue for Horticultural Shows twice a year on Independence Day (15th Aug) and Republic Day (26th Jan).

Of the many artistic structures in Lalbagh, the Glass House is the most famous one. It is a magnificent structure modeled on the design of the Crystal Palace of England. John Cameron, the then Superintendent of Lalbagh Gardens conceived the idea. This impressive iron and glass glasshouse was designed, manufactured, and shipped to India by Walter Macfarlane and Company of Glasgow, Scotland. It was erected in 1890 partly to accommodate the spectacular flower show that had become a key feature of the garden’s annual calendar. The annual age-old tradition is continued to this day with the flower show organized every year on Republic Day and Independence Day.

In the beginning, this structure was called the “Albert Victor Conservatory” and was intended for acclimatizing exotic plant specimens. Now it is popularly known as the Glass House and is being used for conducting the popular biannual Flower shows. It was further extended by the Mysore Iron & Steel Company in 1935.

Walking back towards the entrance you can find some wood sculptures created using the dead trees in the garden. Every year in Bangalore strong winds during October lead to the felling of many large trees.

In 2019 many very old trees got uprooted, some of them over 200 years old. The usual practice used to be that the horticulture department that manages Lalbagh would auction or sell off the deadwood to timber merchants and wood dealers to be chopped up. This time, owing to the antiquity of some of the trees, the department decided to get artists to turn them into sculptures that would be housed in the gardens for public display.

Here lies a beautiful carving of the Buddha. In my opinion, it is a wonderful initiative to make the dead trees come to life again.

I am not posting all the carvings so you find the motivation to visit the garden yourself to see these beautiful works of art in person.

Near the statues, you can also find some more flowers bunched together in different areas of the garden.

White flowers

Right at the exit, I saw a sweet dog trying to get some shut-eye on the bench.

The botanical garden is enriched with numerous native and the exotic flora of wide-ranging diversity, by way of introduction, acclimatization, and multiplication from various parts of the world since its inception in 1760. Today, 2150 species of plants belonging to 673 genera and 140 families can be seen in Lalbagh. The collection of such diverse types of plant wealth has made Lalbagh, a veritable treasure house of plants.

The Lalbagh Botanical Garden is a lovely place to relax, unwind & be amidst nature. The Park is a big one but it’s definitely worth it. I went solo and enjoyed every bit of it. Even on a regular weekday, you can find lots of families entertaining themselves. The park contains some eateries. Outside the Lalbagh gate, stalls are selling fresh fruit juice in the morning. Battery-operated buggies are available for the elderly. The park is well-maintained and truly worth a visit.

*Updated: July 2021

Admission Timings:

Morning 9 AM to Evening 6 PM

Admission Price

The admission fee is Rs. 30 for adults and Rs. 10 for children.

Is there a camera charge at Lalbagh Botanical Gardens

Yes, since August 2014, there is a Camera charge of Rs.50 per camera. Mobile phones are not subject to this charge.