What do you do when you have the power and resources to actually create a city?
You plan out things. You stack buildings neatly in a row, just like you used to while playing building blocks as a child. You plan out the amenities. You lay out grand places of worship. And then, you plan a green cover.
Putrajaya, the administrative capital of Malaysia, has all this and much more. There isn’t much history if you look around — after all, the city was built from ground zero less than two decades ago, when the Malaysians felt that Kuala Lumpur (KL) was overburdened. But there’s a story for sure, and it’s one worth looking into.
There’s much to do here, especially if you’re done indulging in the shopping delights at KL, a mere 25 km away. There are architectural delights to peer into in detail — the Perdana Putra, the Putra Square, the Seri Perdana and the mosques — but if you are short on time, there are two unique ways by which you can check them out from a distance. One is on water and the other from the air. We decide to first check out the Cruise Tasik Putrajaya (CTP), which was established primarily to tap into the lake’s tourism and recreation potential. It’s a chance to leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind and explore the 650-hectare man-made lake, while taking in the sights of architectural wonders on the shore.
The other, which we check out a day later, is grander. There’s a huge queue on the day we visit (we’re a huge group of journalists ourselves). We wait to experience the city from 500 ft in the sky at the Skyrides Festivals Park, which boasts the first tethered helium balloon. Once you overcome your initial fear of heights, it’s a joy and a wonderful photo opportunity (though you have strong winds to battle against) to check out the buildings and the city from afar. For yet another viewpoint, visit the top storey of the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, which is now much in demand for international conferences.
Putrajaya is sometimes called the ‘City in a Garden’ and it is only fitting that it is the venue of Royal Floria, now in its ninth edition. As we trudge into the 29-acre festival arena on the inaugural day, we’re greeted by gardens, gardens and more gardens.
There are 83 of them this year, says Sashikala Nathan, media advisor for the show, with 11 countries taking part. The Floria has grown over the years into an important event in the world of international flower shows, with about a million visitors expected over nine days.
There are many interesting gardens; a day wouldn’t suffice if you wanted to do justice to the entire festival. There’s a Perbadanan Putrajaya Garden and one designed with Kerawang motifs to symbolise Malay culture. A Mystical Mossy Forest prominently features chrysanthemums (the theme flower of the fest) and creates a rainforest-like atmosphere.
The festival itself is timed in connection with the school holidays — kids are an important market-driver in Malaysia, informs a local guide. ‘Enchanted Garden’ and ‘Magical Gardens’ are specifically designed for this target group. While the former is inspired by tales of Alice in Wonderland and Hansel and Gretel and exhibits giant lollipops, a candy house and a magical pool, the latter features glow-in-the-dark mushrooms and has mermaids popping up.
Flowers cannot refer to just beauty but also grandeur: the Royal Johor Garden stands testament to that. A symmetrical garden with ornate carpets of floral design, it is aimed at displaying the cultural and heritage aspects of Johor, a state in Malaysia.
As evening sets in, we head to the shore of the lake to witness the ‘Magic of the Night.’ The highlight event of the festival, it features 14 boats making their way across the lake in a colourful parade.
Every boat has a significant theme. If the Terengganu float featured the elephant prominently, Miss Shophia, the country’s shopping icon, was proudly shown off in the Tourism Malaysia float. Locals cheered on as the night came to a loud finish, with fireworks decking up the sky, even as the floats gently swayed in the water.
The Malaysians take their greenery quite seriously. The Taman Botani — a network of open spaces and green corridors — is a fascinating space to get lost in. Beyond the beautiful spaces inside, like the Canopy Bridge, Sun Garden and the Bougainvillea Tunnel, its raison d’être is to be a repository for the nation’s rich botanical heritage. That’s evident, because presently, only 63 of the 230 acres are open to the public — the upcoming phases will include a cultural garden and conserve certain endangered plant species.
(The writer was in Malaysia on the invitation of Tourism Malaysia.)
