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While many of India’s famed gardens have faded
with time, the over 300 years old pleasure gardens of Pinjore, now
known as the Yadavindra Gardens of Pinjore, are one of the finest and
oldest of the existing gardens of India.
Throughout the changing
seasons, gay butterflies in swarms fuss faithfully around blazing
masses of flowers. Cool, shady walks and flagged pathways run to the
outer reaches of the far-flung creeper-festooned walls. Grey-fringed
palm trees, shapely cypresses and dense groves of trees add a touch
of mystery to the gardens of Pinjore. A water-course traipsing from
level to level sparkles in the sunlight, its pools reflecting white
shining pavilions and balconies etched high against a blue sky.
These graceful arched
balconies and tinkling fountains, luxuriant green lawns and murmuring
watercourse; limpid pools, shady walks and colourful flowerbeds,
unusual descending terraces and monumental gateways – all were
carefully planned to create a special effect. The gardens today are
an appealing blend of moving legends, a chequered history and
environs of variegated beauty – an alluring mixture of casual
perfection that continues to make Pinjore a destination for all
manner of people.
Lovers stroll hand in
hand, the elderly snooze under the trees, families open their hampers
after making themselves comfortable on the grassy carpet and children
run towards the mini zoon, a gift from the Haryana Government. All
day long, a playful young west wind blows across the garden of
Pinjore, kissing the flowers, creating ecstatic ripples on the water,
ruffling the hair of visitors. And in the evening a cool soft breeze
comes down from the Himalayas and wanders through the great gardens.
As the breeze wraps
itself momentarily around a clump of flowering shrubs before
caressing a riot of flowers as leaning over the water’s edge,
the dancing rays of the sun join in and play on the spray from
slender fountains. Unlike other Mughal gardens, the seven terraces
at Pinjore, instead of ascending, descend into the distance and
achieve an almost magical effect. In the near distance, the
purple-green Himalayas seem to rise up sheer over the battlements of
the old garden walls and the white buildings of the little
hill-station of Kasauli glow in the setting sun.
Long ages ago, the wooded
hill of Pinjore with their clean spring and cool breezes are said to
have formed the background for the closing scene of the Mahabharatha.
In local tradition, the five Pandava brothers, heroes of the epic
drama, chanced upon a life-sustaining fresh water spring at Pinjore
and during their banishment, stayed at what is now know as Pinjore
for 12 years. The old name of Panchpura – the town of five –
is believed to be derived from the five brothers.
The Pandavas regained
their kingdom but continued to visit the charming spot where they had
spent their exile. And it is said, before they disappeared into the
heights of the snowy Himalayas on their way to mystic Mount Kailsh,
Arjuna, his four brothers and their faithful black dog, rested at
Pinjore for one last time.
Centuries sped by and
Pinjore with its holy springs, lush foliage and cool breezes remained
a haunt of sages and pilgrims. Fragments of temple walls and ancient
Sanskrit inscriptions can still be found at Pinjore. Abu Rehman
mentions its existence in 1030 AD.
Time rolled on at
Pinjore and in the Pinjore and in the 17th century, Nawab
Fadai Khan – a great architect and foster brother of the Mughal
Emperor Aurangzeb – arrived at Pinjore and fell under its spell.
Captivated, Fadai Khan designed the idyllic gardens as they stand
today. He supervised the construction of the stylistic Sheesh
Mahal – the Palace of Glass,
the Rang Mahal or Painted
Palace and the cube-like Jal Mahal
or Palace of Water. And when Fadai Khan and his harem came to spend
their first summer at Pinjore, they were enchanted by this place of
fantasy – much to the dismay of local chieftains.
Fearing they would lose
their sway in the area, the chieftains plotted and came up with a
clever stratagem. They got together all the goitre affected people
they could find and assigned them tasks near the gardens. The royal
ladies were then informed that whoever stayed at Pinjore for any
length of time was bound to get afflicted with those ugly swellings
of the neck. Greatly perturbed, the ladies begged Fadai Khan to
leave.
After Fadai Khan’s
sad departure and the end of Mughal rule, the pleasure garden he had
so lovingly designed was overtaken by the wilderness. Nature ran
untamed and unbridled. The waterways and reflecting pools were
choked and still. The Sheesh Mahal and Rang Mahal heard no footsteps
and the inviting broad walks along which Fadai Khan’s ladies
once ambled lay deserted.
When the British came,
successive Viceroys made a point of halting at Pinjore to enjoy the
cool shade and running water on their way to Shimla, the capital in
the hills. Since it was situated far away from protected forts and
walled cities, Fadai Khan had built the garden for defence as well as
pleasure. High walls, loopholed and crenalleted, encircled the
garden. This suited daring robber chieftains and Gurkha raiders
admirably.
Between coming and going
of Viceroys and their baggage trains, bands of armed adventurers
found a haven at Pinjore. Until the Sikhs of Patiala conquered the
territory and His Highness Maharaja Yadavindra Singh of Patiala
restored Pinjore to its former glory.
Once again the
garden of Pinjore, basking in the sun, witnessed royal durbars
(select, ceremonial meetings) and peagants. Lovers of beauty, the
kingly Patiala Sikhs with twisted turbans drank in the spectacle of
the blooming gardens and were soothed by the cool perfumed breezes
that wafted their way through the pavilions. In time, the Patiala
royal family handed over the garden to the State, which opened them
to the public.
Today, as you step
through the main gateway of the garden onto its highest terrace, the
sweet fragrance of flowers and a palpable aura of peace and
tranquility come forward greeting. Throughout the day, the garden
presents everchanging facets of beauty. Towards evening, there is
the fascinating spectacle of elegant pavilions and arched balconies
floating airily against a reluctantly darkening golden-pink sky.
From the stately Sheesh
Mahal built in the Rajasthani – Mughal style, the watercourse
with its never-ending bubbling music cascades from terrace to
terrace, flowing under the towering Rang Mahal, then playing around
the Jal Mahal. As dusk merges and blends into night, the fountains
and splashing waterfalls re illuminated by tasteful colour schemes
and in the clear reflecting pools the moonlight plays with mysterious
shadows. Fireflies waltzing through the crisp night air form the
prettiest of decorations.
An owl hoots in the
velvety darkness and the great gardens of Pinjore unveil one last
surprise: In the deepening blackness of the night, the building too
are suffused by beautiful coloured lights, transforming the centuries
old garden into a place of fantasy, a place of fairy beauty.
GETTING THERE
The Pinjore Gardens are
20 kilometres from Chandigarh, 5 kilometres from Kalka, close to the
road leading to Shimla. Taxis and buses ply regularly between
Pinjore, Kalka and Chandigarh.
Special programmes are
arranged at the Yadavindra Gardens for the Baisakhi (spring) festival
in April and for the Mango Festival in June and July.
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