A whopping 120 acres. Botanical Gardens in Kondapur has made a name for itself as a long-time favourite venue for eco-tourists to peruse the more than 600 species of flora and fauna, for couples and families photoshoots, and for general kick-back sessions.
An avidly-protected area by the Forest Reservation, the garden was declared open jointly by nature enthusiasts V P Jauhari, Chandana Khan, S K Das, K Subba Rao and T Ramakrishna on August 4 2001. Now, 16 years later, the garden, named after the then chief minister K Vijayabhaskhar Reddy, is now on an expanding mode.
The city can expect a cycling path, a boating lake, a bird park and much more following the thorough revamp. A night safari is among the plans but disputes over the land concerned are underway, halting progress for the time being. The seemingly unending grounds are frequented by peacocks and other smaller animals too. The tortoise observatory within the premises, visible to passers-by driving along Chirec Avenue, houses a collection of currently empty aquarium tanks, though not for long.
Visitors to the park can also find some unusual rock sculptures like what one finds at Shilparamam, but much more discreet. The arts and culture carefully woven into the space allows the sun to shine more on the natural beauty rather than what was intentionally placed there.
Flora Galore
The garden is rich with 19 ‘vanams’ or sectors connected by quaint bridges of species of cacti, succulents, bamboo, medicinal vegetation and other plant life popular with photographers and botanists. At the far end of the gardens is a forest reserve area, brimming with towering eucalyptus trees.
Currently, the dry and exceedingly hot season allows for mainly the cacti and succulents to prosper, but following the rainy season, the garden is likely to come life with a spectrum of flowers — cosmos, salvia and rasella — wildlife and greenery.
Hyderabad is clearly on a mission to ensure its lung spaces are thrumming with life with thanks to the hard work the labourers are currently putting in, as well as the government bodies seeking to protect the wildlife that thrive in the garden’s confines, eventually making it a hotspot for your Instagram feed.
