The Garden
At the time of its establishment, the Indian Botanical Garden was
called the Company Bagan or the Calcutta Bagan. Later it came to be
known as Royal Botanic Bagan. Today under the Botanical Survey of India
- it is called as Indian Botanic Garden.
It is the house of rarest variety of species of plants - the Indian
Botanical Garden of Calcutta. There are millions of perennial plants in
the garden brought from countries like
Nepal, Brazil, Java and
Sumatra. It also houses plants from India. It has a collection of rarest
of Orchids, and Cuban Palms. Bamboos, Scew Pines, Branched Palm, Double
Coconut, Giant Water Lilies, Mad Tree, Shivalinga tree, Krishnabot,
Bread Fruit Tree find a special place here. There is a stretch of Grass
land with Mango and Tamarind trees. It is also the home for development
of Teas which are grown in Darjeeling and Assam.
There are around 1400 species of shurbs in various Glass Houses, Green
Houses and other conservatories. The Indian Botanical Garden maintains
the germplast collection of Bamboos, Bougainvellia, Water lillies and
109 species of palms - the largest collection in the South East Asia.
Also there are aromatic plants, gymno - sperms, ferns and creepers which
fill the garden.
Around the Garden
» Banyan Tree : This aloof looking Banyan Tree has 2800
prop roots covering an area of 1.5 hectares. This Oldest Tree in the
world is around 250 years old.
» Birla Planetorium : If you want to see the star with a
close up or you wish to know more about the stars or our solar system
then this is the best place to be in. Sitting in the comfortable
counters of the Birla Planetorium you will be in the other world.
» Victoria Palace : If Britishers left something
magnificent in India, then this is the one to go for. Made on the lines
of the
Taj Mahal
of Agra, this one was the gift to Queen Victoria on her Birthday.
» Shantiniketan : Not very far away from Calcutta, is the
knowledge house of Noble Lauterate Rabindra Nath Tagore - Shantiniketan.
It is the must go for place in Bengal.