In tradition, making the pilgrimage to Kashi in the Himalaya was the last trip... people often never came back. Kuvempu's quote 'kai mugedu olege baa, edu sasya kashi' emblazoned on the entrance seems so apt and iconic in an alternate way. It marks the last trip for the plants that were brought in. Many of the plants had more than one individual of the same species brought in, a necessity if selfing is not possible in pollination (there are many mechanisms plants use to prevent selfing). The old master plan was that Lalbagh would be the introduction centre for plants where they would be acclimatised and passed on to nurserymen who would in turn propagate it and release it to the public. That was the purpose of having so many nurseries on Lalbagh road and Sidappura. The long term forethought is history today. Losing individuals makes redundant the collection, forever. It is indeed tragic. That one set of unprincipled people can bring an entire institution which was built up with sacrifice and dedication to ruin. In fact, Krumbiegel, while writing about the two small buildings near the main entrance, called them chattarams for people to come and rest, for they often came making arduous journeys to reach the then garden. And he compared it to Lalbagh itself, saying its just like Lalbagh being a chattaram to plants. Such a nice thought, that we should have rest houses for all! Where is it today? Have we become a set of madmen chasing money all the time?
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E&OE, IN GOOD FAITH, KRISHNAMB
making free time is culture!
