A small hillock, locally called 'Rathnagiri
Bore' located on the northern side of Chikmagalur town, has become quite
a hot spot for the local people. Located on a vital spot, it gives the most
beautiful sight of 'Mullayanagiri'
on the back drop with ever-changing natural scenario. Clouds and fog
playing around the top of the hill, is really the most wanted place for
visitors of all ages. 'Rathnagiri Bore' ? primarily used by morning joggers-
has now been converted into a small, beautiful garden called Mahathma Gandhi
Park. It has two entry points: one
for the walkers and the other main gate for vehicles. The Garden has
beautifully designed pathways and lush green lawns on either side with a
variety of beautiful-hued flowers and ornamental plants.
On the way to the top, through the walking path, there is a lotus pond
and a children-cross bridge. Towards the left of the garden, on the way towards
the Amphitheatre, begins
the Nehru Rose Garden with as many as 250 varieties of rose plants. The
Amphitheatre, a mini out door stage (with an audience capacity of 250) is a
great place to conduct mini art and music programmes. One of the major
attractions is the provisional telescopic view point, from where one can enjoy
the contours of Baba Budan Giri. For true nature lovers, the Greenhouse,
with a variety of more than 300 species of plants and trees, proves to be a
great visit.
The Ratnagiri Toy Train, cynosure
of the garden, is the primary attraction with people of all ages hopping onto
the train for a kilometre long ride. The canteen serves food and beverages and
is a nice place to just relax and enjoy the atmosphere around.
A great place for the locals to simply unwind after a long day's work,
even tourists find it hard to go without visiting this extremely popular local
Park.
|
.gif){kind=small}
