Brindavan Gardens
The Brindavan Gardens is a garden located 12 k.ms from the city of Mysore[1] in the Mandya District of the Indian State of Karnataka. It lies adjoining the Krishnarajasagara Dam which is built across the river Kaveri.[2] The work on laying out this garden was started in the year 1927 and completed in 1932.[3][4] Visited by close to 2 million tourists per year, the garden is one of the major attractions of Srirangapatna.[5] Sir Mirza Ismail, the Deewan of Mysore, a man with a penchant for gardens, founded the Brindavan Gardens (Krishnaraja Sagar Dam in particular) and built the Cauvery River high-level canal to irrigate 120,000 acres (490 km2) in modern Mandya district.[citation needed] The gardens were designed by German botanist and landscape designer Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel.
Krishana Raja Sagara Dam
Statue of Kaveri at the Dam
Garden
The garden is maintained by the Cauvery Niravari Nigama (Cauvery Irrigation Corporation), a Government of Karnataka enterprise.[6] It is spread across an area of 60 acres (240,000 m2). Adjoining it is also a fruit orchard spread across 75 acres (300,000 m2) and 2 horticultural farms, Nagavana (30 acres) and Chandravana (5 acres).[7] The garden is laid out in 3 terraces which contain water fountains, Ficus trees, foliage plants such as Duranta plumaria and Euphorbia and flowering plants like Celosia, Marigold and bougainvillea.[4] The garden is open to the public and an entry-fee is charged. The garden also has topiary works (sculptures of animals created by clipping shrubs), pergolas (shaded passageway covered by creepers) and gazebos.[4] The main attraction of the park is the musical fountain in which bursts of water are synchronised to the music of songs. There is also a lake within the garden with boating facilities available for visitors.[8]
The garden was renovated in 2005 with a cost of Rs. 50 million.[9] The renovation included sprucing up the musical fountain using a digitised system and repairs of dysfunctional fountains.[9] In 2007, the gardens were closed for a brief duration as a safety measure to avoid trouble related to the Cauvery water dispute.[10]
Finances
In the year 2003-2004, the gate collection was Rs. 2.07 crores, which increased to Rs 2.69 crores in 2004-05 and Rs 4.3 crores in 2005-06.[6] This revenue is shared between Cauvery Niravari Nigam and Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) in the ratio 3:1.[
Spread across an area of 60 acres, Brindavan Gardens is at the bottom of the Krishnaraja Sagara Dam (KRS), across the river Cauvery. Modelled on the Shalimar Gardens of Kashmir, the garden entices visitors with its lush green lawns, terraces, flower beds, topiary and multihued fountains. Today, the Brindavan Gardens is world-famous for its ethereal beauty and grandeur. An endless expanse of green, dotted with colourful blooms, the terraced gardens are well laid and admired for their symmetrical design. The highlight for visitors, however, is the famed musical fountain which is a water ballet of sorts, with lights and music and is played every evening for the tourists.
Krishnaraja Sagara Dam (KRS): The engineers and planners of the erstwhile Mysuru State had envisioned this dam, with many objectives in mind like providing drinking water to Mysuru/ adjacent places, to supply water to the hydro-electric power station at Shivasamudra and for a continuous supply of Cauvery water for irrigational purposes. Due to the hard work and expertise of great visionaries like Bharat Ratna Sir M. Vishweshwaraya, T Ananda Rao, Sir Mirza Ismail and other engineers. the dam work was completed between 1911-1932. The dam is 8600 feet in length and 130 feet in height.
What to expect at Brindavan Gardens:
Garden:Laid out in 3 terraces, the garden is full of splendour. As the sun sets, the colorful lights and captivating showers of fountains turn this garden into a paradise. The musical fountain that showcases the synchronized movement of water to the mesmerizing music leaves everyone spellbound. Apart from this, other popular attractions include illuminated flower beds and open spaces to relax and unwind.Spread over 60 acres, it is a well-maintained botanical garden with an array of exotic flowers. You can find Ficus Tres, Foliage Plants such as Duranta and Euphorbia, and flowering plants like Celosia, Marigold, and Bougainvillea. Not only this, but it also has Topiary works, Pergolas, and much more.
Multi terrace structure: Brindavan Gardens elevation increases as one walks closer towards KRS Dam. The elevation offers an excellent view of the garden below.
Children Park: An area for kids
Nursery: Nursery houses saplings of several flower plants and trees. Visitors can purchase seeds and saplings.
Lake & Boating: Visitors can enjoy a boat ride in the lake. It is open from 6 AM to 8 PM everyday.
Photo opportunity: Extremely picturesque Brindavan garden has been featured in hundreds of movies and offers excellent photo opportuny