Indian Botanical Gardens
Encyclopedia
The Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden (previously known as Indian Botanic Garden) is situated in Shibpur
, Howrah near Kolkata
. They are commonly known as the Calcutta Botanical Garden, and previously as the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta. The gardens exhibit a wide variety of rare plants and a total collection of over 12,000 specimens spread over 109 hectare
s. It is under Botanical Survey of India
(BSI) of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
The best-known landmark of the garden is The Great Banyan
, an enormous banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis) that is reckoned to be the largest tree in the world, at more than 330 metres in circumference. They are also famous for their enormous collections of orchids, bamboo
s, palms
, and plants of the screw pine genus (Pandanus
).
The gardens were founded in 1787 by Colonel Robert Kyd
, an army officer of the British East India Company
, primarily for the purpose of identifying new plants of commercial value, such as teak, and growing spices for trade. Joseph Dalton Hooker
says of this Botanical Garden that "Amongst its greatest triumphs may be considered the introduction of the tea-plant from China ... the establishment of the tea
-trade in the Himalaya and Assam
is almost entirely the work of the superintendents of the gardens of Calcutta and Seharunpore (Saharanpur
)."
A major change in policy, however, was introduced by the botanist William Roxburgh
after he became superintendent of the garden in 1793. Roxburgh brought in plants from all over India and developed an extensive herbarium
During the first twenty years especially of Nathaniel Wallich
’s superintendence, it "... contributed more useful and ornamental tropical plants to the public and private gardens of the world than any other establishment before or since. ... I here allude to the great Indian herbarium, chiefly formed by the staff of the Botanic Gardens under the direction of Dr. Wallich, and distributed in 1829 to the principal museums of Europe." This collection of dried plant specimens eventually became the Central National Herbarium of the Botanical Survey of India
, which comprises 2,500,000 items.
Over the years attractive display garden
s for the public have been developed and many kinds of plants have been cultivated for scientific observation. During the 1970s the garden initiated a program to introduce improved food plants and other varieties of economic benefit to the people of India.
Indian Botanical Gardens can be reached by taking a ferry service from Bichali Ghat, in Metiabruz
. Presently, the easiest way to reach there is by passing over the Vidyasagar Setu
as one of the exits from this bridge leads to the garden.
The Indian Botanic Garden was designated the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden on June 25, 2009 in honor of Jagadish Chandra Bose, the Bengali
polymath
, and natural scientist.
.
You can find The Bengal Fox (Vulpes bengalensis), also known as the Indian Fox inside the park premises. Also recently collection of park fee have started which is Rs. 5.00 per person. There is a complete ban on carrying plastic/polythene carrybags, bottles, wrappings etc.
Shibpur
Shibpur is a residential area located in the city of Howrah, West Bengal, India. It is well known for being the location of the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, the Bengal Engineering College and the Hazar Hath Kaali Temple. The famous Bengali linguist Suniti Kumar Chatterji...
, Howrah near Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. They are commonly known as the Calcutta Botanical Garden, and previously as the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta. The gardens exhibit a wide variety of rare plants and a total collection of over 12,000 specimens spread over 109 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s. It is under Botanical Survey of India
Botanical Survey of India
The Botanical Survey of India is an institution set up by the Government of India in 1887 to survey the plant resources of the Indian empire.-History:...
(BSI) of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.
The best-known landmark of the garden is The Great Banyan
The Great Banyan
The Great Banyan is a banyan tree located in Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, Howrah, near Kolkata, India. It was the widest tree in the world in terms of the area of the canopy and is estimated to be about 200 to 250 years old...
, an enormous banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis) that is reckoned to be the largest tree in the world, at more than 330 metres in circumference. They are also famous for their enormous collections of orchids, bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
s, palms
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
, and plants of the screw pine genus (Pandanus
Pandanus
Pandanus is a genus of monocots with about 600 known species. They are numerous palmlike dioecious trees and shrubs native of the Old World tropics and subtropics. They are classified in the order Pandanales, family Pandanaceae.-Overview:...
).
The gardens were founded in 1787 by Colonel Robert Kyd
Robert Kyd
Colonel Robert Kyd was a British army officer stationed in India. He founded the botanical garden at Calcutta in 1787.Kyd was interested in horticulture and owned a private garden in Shalimar near Howrah...
, an army officer of the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, primarily for the purpose of identifying new plants of commercial value, such as teak, and growing spices for trade. Joseph Dalton Hooker
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker OM, GCSI, CB, MD, FRS was one of the greatest British botanists and explorers of the 19th century. Hooker was a founder of geographical botany, and Charles Darwin's closest friend...
says of this Botanical Garden that "Amongst its greatest triumphs may be considered the introduction of the tea-plant from China ... the establishment of the tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
-trade in the Himalaya and Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
is almost entirely the work of the superintendents of the gardens of Calcutta and Seharunpore (Saharanpur
Saharanpur
Saharanpur is a city and a Municipal Corporation in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. It is the administrative headquarters of Saharanpur District as well as Saharanpur Division...
)."
A major change in policy, however, was introduced by the botanist William Roxburgh
William Roxburgh
William Roxburgh was a Scottish surgeon and botanist. He has been called the Father of Indian Botany.-Early life:Roxburgh was born at Underwood in the parish of Craigie, Ayrshire. He studied medicine in Edinburgh...
after he became superintendent of the garden in 1793. Roxburgh brought in plants from all over India and developed an extensive herbarium
Herbarium
In botany, a herbarium – sometimes known by the Anglicized term herbar – is a collection of preserved plant specimens. These specimens may be whole plants or plant parts: these will usually be in a dried form, mounted on a sheet, but depending upon the material may also be kept in...
During the first twenty years especially of Nathaniel Wallich
Nathaniel Wallich
Nathaniel Wallich was a surgeon and botanist of Danish origin who worked in India initially in the Danish settlement near Calcutta and later joined the East India Company...
’s superintendence, it "... contributed more useful and ornamental tropical plants to the public and private gardens of the world than any other establishment before or since. ... I here allude to the great Indian herbarium, chiefly formed by the staff of the Botanic Gardens under the direction of Dr. Wallich, and distributed in 1829 to the principal museums of Europe." This collection of dried plant specimens eventually became the Central National Herbarium of the Botanical Survey of India
Botanical Survey of India
The Botanical Survey of India is an institution set up by the Government of India in 1887 to survey the plant resources of the Indian empire.-History:...
, which comprises 2,500,000 items.
Over the years attractive display garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
s for the public have been developed and many kinds of plants have been cultivated for scientific observation. During the 1970s the garden initiated a program to introduce improved food plants and other varieties of economic benefit to the people of India.
Indian Botanical Gardens can be reached by taking a ferry service from Bichali Ghat, in Metiabruz
Metiabruz
Metiabruz is a neighbourhood on the southern fringe of Kolkata , the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal.-History:Matiaburj has a rich history. The Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah, took refuge here when he was ousted by the British from his throne, and attempted to build a replica of his...
. Presently, the easiest way to reach there is by passing over the Vidyasagar Setu
Vidyasagar Setu
Vidyasagar Setu, also known as the Second Hooghly Bridge, is a bridge over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. It links the city of Kolkata to Howrah. The bridge is a toll bridge for all vehicles. At a total length of 822.96 m, it is the longest cable-stayed bridge in India and one of the...
as one of the exits from this bridge leads to the garden.
The Indian Botanic Garden was designated the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden on June 25, 2009 in honor of Jagadish Chandra Bose, the Bengali
Bengali people
The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
polymath
Polymath
A polymath is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. In less formal terms, a polymath may simply be someone who is very knowledgeable...
, and natural scientist.
.
You can find The Bengal Fox (Vulpes bengalensis), also known as the Indian Fox inside the park premises. Also recently collection of park fee have started which is Rs. 5.00 per person. There is a complete ban on carrying plastic/polythene carrybags, bottles, wrappings etc.