Feel your worries slip away in this tranquil and fragrant garden

Picture this: After an exhausting week you feel like relaxing in a serene setting, far removed from pollution, traffic and the chaos of everyday life. A peaceful place surrounded by hills, that allows you to detach yourself from your problems, rejuvenate in the cool fresh evening breeze and soak in the natural beauty all around you. No, this is not just a word-painting. There's a place exactly like this...and not so far away. It's the rose garden and nursery of Punyadham Ashram, which you reach by taking the Kondhwa Budruk road from Somji bus stop. While the ashram has a library, a gaushala, a temple and a senior citizens home being constructed, it is the rose garden that is a feast to the senses. Sweet-smelling roses spread across an acre of land provide the perfect aromatherapy; while the myriad shades of pink, red, yellow, white, orange, lavender and peach provide the visual treat.

Mohan Lodhi, the garden supervisor, says that there are 350 varieties of roses here. "The rose garden is divided into four sections, according to colours and fragrances," he says. The rose garden has been awarded the 'Princess of the Show ' trophy in 2004 and 'Queen of the Show ' trophy in 2003 by the Pune Rose Society. It has also got awards from the Pune Women's Council. The range and variety of roses is truly breath-taking. A new variety of rose, though not yet in bloom, is found exclusively here and at the Jagtap Nursery. It is a crossbreed called 'Sudhanshuji Rose' named after Acharya Sudhanshu, the spiritual leader of the Ashram.

There are roses in bloom here throughout the year. The garden is open to the public from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. All that the ashram authorities request is that the cleanliness of the place be maintained and that the roses are not plucked. Visitors would need to carry their own food and water as well as mats to sit on.

Another beautiful aspect of the ashram is its nursery. Plants are not for sale, as they are used only for the ashram. However, you can feast your eyes on the wealth of indoor and outdoor plants that are lovingly and carefully tended.

Punyadham Ashram, Survey No 38/39, Pisoli, Pune-411048, Phone: 26931330.

Khursheed Dinshaw