THIS
IS a garden with a difference. Trees and plants abound here, but
the arrangement has not been through casual selection, or for
visual pleasure.
Unlike other gardens, this is not really a place for relaxation.
On the contrary, it is a temple of learning. Here are plants and
trees that not only bestow shade and the healing hues of green,
but specific knowledge about flora to the less fortunate among
us, to those who cannot see and learn - to the visually challenged.
This is a garden where you can touch, smell and learn.
Brilliant layout
Conceived by India's legendary agro scientist Dr. M.S. Swaminathan,
this garden is spread across just half an acre, but packs in a
lot of punch by virtue of its brilliant layout. The garden has
been divided into four blocks with cobble-stoned pathways radiating
from a central Mangalore tiled pagoda.
The wrought iron garden furniture underneath this pagoda provides
an ideal place for visitors to sit back and reflect on the knowledge
gathered before setting out in another direction and taking in
the touch and smells of other plants.
Just how do visually challenged children make sense of the carefully
nurtured medicinal plants grown here.
Planned effort
"It has been a planned effort. For instance, we have placed
bristly jute mats across the terracotta-tiled path at places where
hanging pots with medicinal plants have been placed.
The child takes note of this mat and only has to stretch his
hands to the side to touch the leaves of the plant, feel its shape,
size and texture.
This produces a mental image of the leaf in the child's mind",
explains N. Parasuraman, estate manager, M S Swaminathan Foundation.
The child gets to learn the name of the plant and other details
through the Braille plate placed near the hanging pots. The garden
has been specially designed to enable independent locomotion by
visually challenged children. The special tiles that line the
garden pathways give grip, and are not slippery. For indicating
directions such as a turn in the road, big pebbles have been placed
in the shape of arrowheads, which a visually challenged child
can feel and take heed. . Likewise, soft marble pebbles arranged
in a `T' shape indicate directions where the pathway heads in
two directions.
The touch and smell garden is a brilliant concept as it gives
visually challenged children an opportunity to learn by experience
and field study, rather than by word of mouth.
This gives children the thrill of discovering nature and scientific
facts by themselves, and can go a long way in igniting their thirst
for knowledge.
No wonder then that several of the visually challenged visiting
the garden have expressed ambitions to become scientists.
For other children too
However, the touch and smell garden is not exclusively for visually
challenged students.
Other children too stand to learn a lot about medicinal plants
by strolling through the lanes in the garden.
This garden celebrates the diversity of nature.
The plant species here include fragrant, medicinal, and economically
important plants.
The plant commonly used in Tamil Nadu as fencing because of its
capacity to ward off intruders, Aduthoda (Adathoda vasica) borders
the garden periphery. As for the plant beds, here you will find
species like Lemon Basil (O. gratissimum), Common Rue (R. graveolens),
Adigam (G. sylvestre) Camphor basil (O. kilimandscharium) Rosemary
(R. officinalis), Patchouli (P. patchouli), Mint (M. spicata),
Thyme (T. vulgaris), Davana (A. pallens).
The hanging pots along the edge of the path host plants like
Indian Borage (C. ambionicus), Kamkasturi (O. basilicum) and Sweet
Marjoram (Majorana hortensis).
Certificates
The Touch and Smell garden is located at the M.S. Swaminathan
Research Foundation on the Old Mahabalipuram road.
Dr. Swaminathan had donated the entire prize money of Rs. 25
lakhs that he received with the Indira Gandhi Peace prize in 2000
for setting up this garden. Since its formation in 2002, the garden
has been helping scores of children discover nature.
The foundation also givescertificates to children who undertake
detailed study of the garden.
Thanks to this garden, visually challenged children get a chance
to study life science, an opportunity otherwise denied to them
beyond their 10th standards under our present system of education.
The garden's success can be gauged from the fact that visually
challenged children themselves guide and educate visitors to the
garden.
