President inaugurates 'Nakshatra Vatika' at Rashtrapati Nilayam The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated a Nakshatra Vatika today (July 06, 2015) at Rashtrapati Nilayam Gardens, Bolarum, Secunderabad. He took a round of the Garden and watered a plant representing Surya or the Sun God. He was accompanied by Governor of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh E.S.L. Narasimhan and Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Ali. The Garden will be open to public along with other gardens of Nilayam in the first week of January 2016. The layout of Nakshatra Vatika has been developed in various geometrical combinations corresponding to the Sree Chakra of Vedic astrology on a 0.91 acre plot. In the core, the formation is square shaped and accommodates nine squares to represent the Navagrah (Planets). Each square is planted with a particular tree/plant variety that represents the respective planet and is placed as per the astronomical direction. The first inner circular band is divided in 12 small circles at parts of 30 each corresponding to the 12 Rashi (zodiac sign). Each has a plant that represents the particular zodiac sign. The outer circular band consists of 27 parts of 13- 20 each with small circles which represents each a Nakshatra (Stars), planted with a representative tree/plant of that particular star. In all, 48 trees/plants representing 09 (nine) Navgrahs, 12 (twelve) Rashi and 27 (Twenty seven) Nakshatra are present in the Garden. Beside these, thePeepal tree, Banana tree and Bilva have been also placed in appropriate locations in the Vatika bringing the total to 51 trees/plants. 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).
