The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee opened a ‘Nakshatra Vatika’ today (December 30, 2013) at Rashtrapati Nilayam Gardens, Bolarum Secunderabad. The opening was by planting an ‘Ashoka’ sapling in the area earmarked for the garden.
The garden will in total comprise of 27 plants (list attached) and will be completed in six months. A Herbal Garden already exists at the Nilayam Gardens and this will be the second specialized garden within the complex. (Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi has within its premises a Nakshatra garden, Herbal Garden, Cactus Garden, Spiritual Garden, Bonsai Garden etc over and above the famous Mughal Gardens with its large collection of roses)
According to Hindu Astrology, every person born on the earth belongs to any of the 27 stars (Nakshtra) i.e. 27 or 28 divisions of the sky that the moon passes through its monthly cycle. Each Nakshtra is identified by its prominent stars and associated with a zodiac sign. It is believed that each constellation of the zodiac is associated with a tree. These 27 Nakshtras and 9 planets correspond to each other and each constellation of the zodiac is associated with a tree on earth. Trees give energy to human being and it is believed that presence of these trees create a healthy mental, physiological and spiritual effect on people meditating near the tree. These trees are of high medicinal, social, aesthetic and economic values.
Ashoka or ‘Saraca Indica’ is a native plant of India, Burma, Ceylon, Malaya and Bengal.
‘Ashoka’ blossoms in large compact orange red clusters in February-March. The profusion of orange red flowers against the deep green foliage present an object of startling beauty.
The Hindus regard it as sacred, being dedicated to Kama Deva, God of Love. The Buddha was born under an Ashoka tree; hence it is sacred to the Buddhists. It is extensively planted in monastery gardens in Thailand and Burma. The tree became a symbol of fertility and is a subject of sculptures in many Buddhist temples.
This release issued at 1730 hrs