How green is my city? A Punekar's perspective.

Dear readers,

I had conducted a survey with a view to understanding the link Punekars maintain with their Landscape. The observations and inputs from that survey have culminated in an article, published in the latest issue of LA Journal! (Issue no 44)
Do visit the website www.lajournal.in for the digital version of the magazine. And thanks to all those who participated in this survey!

How green is my city? A Punekar's perspective

The Landscape of a city and its people are inevitably related. Or so it was, years ago. When cities took birth in the landscape and grew up to respect it. Does the same hold true today? As a citizen of Pune, I have seen the city outgrow its natural surroundings. A sense of nostalgia creeps in when I remember the green Pune of my childhood. The time when we would climb up the hills ( 'tekadis' in Marathi) for our morning walk, and stroll along the river in the evenings or enjoy our picnics in the verdant greenery of the University campus.

The Landscape of Pune has undergone a great change in a span of three decades. The "Pensioner's Paradise" and "City of bicycles" has today become the "Traffic City". Lifestyles have changed and so has the relationship between people and Landscape. Today, Punekars go about their lives with little, or no real connect with the land that they live on.

Situated at the foothills of the Sahyadris, in a topographical bowl of sorts, Pune is home to the confluence (sangam) of two rivers, the Mula and the Mutha and also a number of lakes (like the Katraj lake, that was harnessed as a source of water by the Peshwas in the 18th century.) The city is blessed with many shades of green, and is home to a variety of indigenous species of flora and fauna.

photo credits: Meenal Rohankar

What does the green layer look like, today? The Hills are being encroached, the river is no more than a channel of polluted water and the greens are fast disappearing. What does the future hold for the Landscape of the city? To understand the future, it is important to know how citizens perceive the place and value of Landscape today. For, it is people who finally make a city. It is people who value or disregard natural resources, and people who make critical decisions regarding their place in the urban fabric.

Punekars mourn the loss of greenery over the years. So when exactly did Pune start changing from Green to Grey? The answer may lie in the strengthening of the transport link with Mumbai, resulting in Pune's development as an alternate destination, where you could live your life and enjoy it too! The sudden growth that resulted in the 90's altered not only the boundaries, but also the built and unbuilt character of Pune.

The city, according to most Punekars is 'not so green' today. Interestingly, Architects perceive their city to be greener than their non architect counterparts. Is it because architects, with their focus on the 'built' are sub consciously quite ready to accept a lesser percentage of 'unbuilt'? If that is so, the people who actually give form and character to the city are more likely to allow or promote development that that focuses on buildings and infrastructure, with Urban Landscape relegated to the second place.

Along with 'development' comes the issue of mobility. Pune ,'The Traffic city' has allowed vehicles (instead of natural resources) to dominate the policy making and planning process. Though the landscape still holds a special place in the Punekar's heart, very few perceive Pune as 'The City along the River', a reflection on how we have turned our backs to the Mula- Mutha. A city that started out as a settlement on the banks of the river, no longer feels connected to it! On the other hand, its image as 'The City of Hills' seems to be intact even though it has long outgrown its natural topographical boundaries. The hills that once defined the limits of the city are no longer barriers to growth, but natural oases of peace and tranquility amidst the new development. Pune may have become a 'city of bricks' and a 'wannabe concrete jungle', but there are people who believe that it could be a 'potential green city' and a 'model city of tomorrow'.

The view of hills on the skyline anywhere in Pune may have disappeared, but they (especially Taljai and Vetal tekdi) are still the most striking feature of Pune's landscape and remain popular for the fresh air and scenic views they offer (at times, even a peacock sighting or two) People frequent the hills for their daily exercise, for meeting friends and family, or just to be by themselves, away from the din of the city. This is where they can connect to nature, feel a sense of openness and serenity, interact with people without really talking to them, hear the birds and smell the flowers, or just get some clean fresh air.

photo credits: Manjusha Ukidve and Meenal Rohankar

This strong connect with the Tekadis explains the activism against allowing construction activities on the hill tops and slopes. Most people would like to have only urban forests and nature parks there, that can act as public recreation spaces without disturbing the greenery and peace of the hills.

The river does not seem to figure as a positive space in the Punekar's mind today, but people certainly wish to see it becoming more relevant to the city. The lack of water in the river is a stark reality. A river full of water, fish and life, has turned in to a dirty, polluted channel no more than one third its original size, with un organized development along the edges. The memories of the Panshet flood (1961), that wreaked havoc and caused major shifts in the urban fabric, have dimmed. The river is not a threat today, but a wasted opportunity! The average Punekar may look at it as space to build roads that will bring about better connectivity, but the truth is that it would further reduce the river to a being an environmentally degraded space that divides the city into parts instead of integrating it. In fact, the river is potentially the longest green space that Pune can have, with lots of plantation and public parks coming up along the edge, providing opportunities for recreation and socio cultural activities.

photo credits: Advait Ukidve

The story repeats with the lakes that were a once sources of potable water for the city. They no longer serve that purpose, with the uncontrolled development all around resulting in the degradation of lake environs. But most Punekars still find them relevant to the city and would like to see them become 'protected water bodies' with public parks and recreation activities happening around them. Pashan lake, a nesting place for many species of birds, remains important to the nature lover. Khadakwasla lake and Sinhagad hill fort also remain popular destinations, in spite of being slightly away from the city.

photo credits: Advait Ukidve

Punekars do maintain a physical connect with their Landscape, visiting these places at least once or twice a month. The Pune University campus and the Saras Baug that many people consider to be their favourite green, are frequented by many, as are the other public parks in the city. Settings for family outings and also for cultural and socio - political events, public parks are integral to the Punekar's routine. But they are losing their popularity amongst the younger generation that feels that parks have not upgraded and kept up with the times, besides being ill maintained and uninteresting.

Most neighbourhoods in Pune boast of a neighbourhood park, and are perceived to be 'green', but visiting the place seems to be limited to families with little children. The younger generation does not seem to connect with these spaces at all. Could it be because these parks have nothing interesting to offer to that age group, and hence are not on their mental maps? And if it is so, should we rethink their role and relevance to the urban fabric and make them more accessible through design?

One recalls here the transformation of Saras Baug, originally a lake with a Ganpati temple, reduced to a mosquito infested city dump and rejuvenated as a popular public park. Also noteworthy are the transformed 'Nalla parks' at Osho Ashram and Bhandarkar road. Maybe, now is a good time for undertaking a transformation of all our parks and gardens, so that they become more ecologically and socially relevant. If we could redesign our parks to become more accessible and interesting, they could easily replace malls and multiplexes as a default setting for recreation, especially for the younger generation.

photo credits: Advait Ukidve

Swimming in the lakes, or sauntering along the river banks is now just a 'green' memory. So is cycling down tree lined roads. The apathy that citizens as well as the policy makers have shown towards our natural resources is alarming. Haphazard planning, encroachment, dirt, littering, insensitive use of space and lack of basic facilities are making these spaces less appealing, hence less frequented and abused. So how do we turn things around?

Can the city afford to lose touch with this layer of green? Can the city be so mindless as to squander away the resources that nature has so generously offered it ? The reassuring fact is that all (especially the younger generation) feel that we must protect and preserve these resources for the future. Most Punekars would like contribute to this process not in terms of money, but by participating in activism and awareness drives or maybe just planting trees in individual capacity. This pro- active trend in thinking is very encouraging, especially in the younger generation, the decision makers of tomorrow.

Apart from the architect community, there is a rising number of non architects who desire to be a part of the planning and design process. Is it time then, that the authorities took a 'people participatory' approach and included the people's perspective as an important input for decision making ?

Pune must reconnect with its greens, both mentally and physically. We cannot and must not stop visiting our hills, rivers, lakes and parks because we find the dirt and chaos disgusting. What is out of sight, remains out of mind. Could we change from a 'human centric' to a 'nature centric' model of development? If we could value our Landscape simply for 'being' there, instead of judging its value according to how 'useful' it is, we can bring about a sea change in our attitude towards Landscape and its place in the city fabric.

It is time citizens became pro active and contributed, not just in individual capacity, but as a part of the decision making process. It is also time that we 'stewards of the built environment' came out of our individual shells and played a more meaningful role in ensuring that we conserve and enhance the abundant natural resource that we are blessed with. The future of Pune's landscape would then be in safe hands!

Green memories

What do I remember of the Pune that was, some thirty - thirty five years ago? When we used to spend our summer and Diwali vacations at our Aaji's place in Pune? It was of course, time well spent in the company of aunties and uncles and cousins. Family outings and picnics made the days enjoyable and the city was a backdrop to all these happy events.

I definitely remember walking down tree lined Karve Road to the Lakdi Pul over the river. I remember looking down at fish and water snakes swimming in the water below! Yes, our very own Mutha was a river that had water .... and life!

I remember the fountain in front of the University main gate, where we kids would splash around as our parents sat around the edge, enjoying our antics. Where were the cars and the scooters then? How could a spot so beautiful turn into the monstrosity that it is today???

I remember our picnics at the Sambhaji Park. A visit to the aquarium, followed by a good deal of time spent looking at the city model put up right next to it, was such an exciting event for us kids. The Park was a very formally laid out affair, and we had our home made Bhel on the lawns there. The two elephant statues near the steps to the lower level were a challenge and one could consider oneself to be grown up once we could mount the elephants without any help from parents or siblings. The aquarium and the city model are in poor condition today, definitely not worth a visit. And there is a monstrous multilevel car park standing where there used to be a vibrant Bhel - Pani puri place.

Baneshwar was a quiet picnic spot faaaar away from the city and so was Khadakwasla. One had to take a city bus to reach there. Rickshaws were not affordable, and hardly anyone owned cars and scooters back then. But the journey was as enjoyable as the destination. Does that hold true today?

Parvati was a ritual, and the Symbiosis Tekdi overlooking the 'Khind' was exciting as well. One can hardly climb the Symbiosis Tekdi today without first encountering the endless stream of vehicles on the busy wide road that cuts through the hill.

I remember well, the river edge near my Aaji's place. There was water, and greenery .... and  place for cattle from the neighbouring dairy to bathe. Do the cows walk down that road any more? They can't! Their pathway is now a narrow concrete lane choc-a-bloc with traffic wanting to reach the road in the river bed.

I seem to have lost all the backdrops of my memories to Time!!!! and Development .... whatever that means!!!!

Blue turned Green

Green is not always the right colour!
Especially when it is a lake turning into a hyacinth filled water body!

Pashan lake, that once upon a time was a source of fresh water, is today a victim of the rapidly spreading hyacinth that is known to devour healthy water bodies. A sad story, that repeats itself in most of the places where apathy has won over common sense.

Pashan lake, one of the largest lakes in Pune, is a natural resource Pune should be proud of! The large expanse of water, the view of hills in the background, the birds who make the lake their home all come together to make it a invaluable part of the city's geography.

There is of course an attempt made to "beautify" the lake. The edge is defined and there is a path that goes all around, so it is possible to take a morning walk or a leisurely evening stroll around the lake. A part of the pathway overlooks the densely packed dwellings of Sutarwadi on one side. A part of the pathway is beautifully green with vegetation on either side. It is a longish stretch and unless you choose a time of the day when there are a lot of people, it can feel quite lonely and unsafe.There is a garden / play area of sorts attached to it, and Pashan lake is definitely a frequented place.

But could it be more than what it is?

I will begin by listing a few simple things that may add value:

1. Removal of the green weed.
2. Improvement of water quality
3. Adequate security
4. Improved edge design
5. A few resting places along the pathway

Do add more of your own, let's make this a comprehensive input list. 

You could use the comments section on this blog to give your inputs.
Or write a small article of your own and mail it to ukidvemanjusha@gmail.com

If you haven't visited Pashan lake recently, do take the opportunity this weekend. 

Let's take some time out of our busy schedules to reconnect with our Landscape!


Photo credits: Advait Ukidve

Parvati - the place with hundred steps

I would like to begin this blog's journey from a personal piece of memory! With my connection with the Greens of Pune ... Merawala Green!

There is something very fascinating about a place that becomes more than a place, a part of your childhood, a patch in the quilt of your life. I have had an inexplicable connect with the Parvati hill since my childhood, and the same is expressed in words in an essay I wrote for the LA Journal essay writing competition on 'A sense of place' held in July 2010. The essay was subsequently published in the LA Journal issue and won the first prize too! (for more on Landscape Journal, visit www.lajournal.in

Copyrighted graphic created by manjusha ukidve/2010. Do not copy without the author's permission

Parvati - The place with hundred steps

The first thing one remembers about Parvati is climbing the steps - wide and easy at first, turning into high and narrow challenges towards the top of the hill; and for a breathless child of eight, unending fun. Parvati was the place with the steps and the temples, where one went to, as a ritual, on a visit to grandma's place in Pune. That too, at the break of dawn.

An exciting climb that would leave one breathless, culminating into a viewing point from where you could visually embrace the whole city (or so one thought, at that age) was what Parvati was about. One remembers racing to the top of the hill, ahead of cousins, counting the steps on the way, making and breaking records. (Trivial though it may seem now, climbing hundred steps without pausing to rest was an achievement to beat all other achievements at that age). The step count would always vary from day to day and from person to person. It would be many years hence that we would give up figuring out who came closest to the actual number - hundred and three. Surprisingly, the step counting routine continues even today, both in form and in spirit. It is with a great feeling of nostalgia that one sees one’s children doing the same thing with the same excitement and enthusiasm on a visit to the hill temple. People change, but the place remains, creating a rich backdrop for experiences and weaving them into memories.

Standing tall in the midst of the dense urban fabric, Parvati hill was and is, an inseparable part of every Punekar’s life. Well known for the Dev deveshwar temple, which is one of the oldest heritage structures in Pune, it is also one of the most popular public spaces in the city. A space where history and culture are woven into the rich spatial fabric, a space where the most mundane activities become ‘experiences’ for the visitor, Parvati possesses a very unique ‘sense of place’.

To most hardcore Punekars, Parvati is simply the best ‘morning spot’ in Pune. For, it is at this time of the day that the ‘tekdi’ or hillock is at its best. The fresh breath of dawn, the chirping of the birds, the cold black stone under your bare feet, the calmness that pervades the atmosphere two hundred and fifty feet above the city and most importantly, the people who enliven the space, climbing up and down with vigour, going through their daily exercise regimen - all create a cheerful ambiance. The enthusiastic step climber is rewarded, on reaching the top, with a magnificent panoramic view of Pune. As one stands on the paved terrace, the whole city arrives on the scene, looking fresh in the morning air. It is from here that one really comes to know the city - its rivers and hills, its roads and bridges, its open spaces and buildings. The concrete and glass facades that are the face of modern Pune, Mandai (the vegetable market built during the British times) and the Shaniwar wada, the greatest relic of the Peshwa era that has stood witness to the growth and prosperity of the city, all make up the view, merging into the urban fabric of nameless buildings, yet standing out and asserting their identity.

One remembers the house spotting game that would immediately start all those years ago, all of us kids trying to locate grandma’s house in the dense jungle of structures on the other side of the river (compared to the city of today, it must have been a mere settlement thirty years ago!) And the feeling of discovery and happiness every time one found it, sitting amongst the greens and the grays of the city. One wonders now, why it means so much, finding a place amongst the whole milieu and naming it as ‘your own’. Maybe it is about the eternal search for oneself, and the realization and confirmation of one’s identity, or just finding one’s place in the scheme of things.

It is here, with the city spread out in front, that one first connects with the past, tracing the route from Shaniwar wada to Parvati in one’s mind - the route that the Peshwas and their Sardars would have covered on horseback in the times past, on their way to the hill that held a key position in their military and political strategy. It is along this route that the Peshwa women, decked in their traditional finery, would have been carried in ‘palkhis’ to visit the hilltop temple. It is from here that the Peshwa would have watched the battle of Khadki, here at the foothills that the Angres and the Scindias, Sardars of the Maratha Empire would have camped, when they visited the city with their armies. It is here that the young Shrimant Nanasaheb Peshwa would have brought the ‘khadawas’ (footwear) of  his mentor Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, as a mark of reverence and respect, after the latter’s demise. It is here, that he would have spent the last years of his life mourning the loss of a brother and a son in the battle of Panipat, a battle that changed the course of Maratha history. The temples and the museum at the top of the hill stand witness to that glorious period of the Maratha rule and recount tales of lives led and lost. Standing in the temple enclave one almost feels like a voyeur, looking at the scenes of the past through the windows of the present. A whole world comes alive in front of the mind’s eye, generating a feeling of awe and pride, putting you above your own self, and at the same time humbling you with the grandeur of the past.

Time stretches further back, as one admires the ‘Dashavtara’ paintings on the wall near the temple of Lord Vishnu, a little distance away from the main temple. One remembers being seated in the paved court of the temple and told tales of the ten avatars of lord Vishnu, - the same tales that are retold today to the next generation. The rich thread of Indian mythology woven into the folds of the architectural fabric makes the physical space much more than what it is.

Parvati is a place which is a ‘setting’ and ‘an object in the setting’ both at the same time – a place from where you can see, and a place itself to be seen. You can see almost all of the old city, and a little beyond that, from the ‘sajja’ (balcony) and the top of the stone walls. And wherever you may be in Pune, you could always fix your spatial coordinates by looking out for the temple on the hill. Whatever the time and the place, the hill would always occupy an important place in the physical and the socio cultural backdrop of the growing metropolis.

Parvati is a place that is much more than the sum of its parts. It is a whole sequential experience, with something for each one who visits its precincts - something to see, something to do, something to remember. For the kids, it means freedom to run berserk, in an environment parents find ‘safe’, a space that offers challenge and excitement and a boundless possibility of exploration. A place where you can challenge yourself to conquer the hill, and then run down recklessly, experiencing the changing rhythm of the steps as you go down, reveling in the momentum of your feet that refuse to stop till the last step is reached, and watching the people on the steps and the cows on the slopes climb up in slow motion. It is a place to play hide and seek, a place to taste adventure walking atop the high walls, a place to see the little birds and insects go on about their daily lives under the trees that dot the hill slopes. For the fitness conscious, it is a healthy way to begin the day, a habit that holds on even in their ripe old age. (Pune boasts of septuagenarians who ‘do’ the steps a record number of times a day, inspiring others to follow.) For youngsters and families, it is a place to socialize, meet friends, and spend time far away from the maddening crowd that the city has become today. It is a place where you can be ‘alone’ without being ‘lonely’, a place where you can literally be above the urban din and just sit and stare at the life spread out before you. A place where you can ponder, reflect, contemplate in peace or just ‘be’. Many a Punekar has come back refreshed in mind and body after spending a quiet evening on the hill.

After all, what does it take for a space to become a place?

A space that connects with and responds to its surroundings becomes a ‘place’ related to its immediate physical setting. Like Parvati, that dominates its context by being an important marker in space and time - by being physically ‘in the midst of’ and yet ‘above’ the urban sprawl, by belonging to the past and the present both at the same time.

A space that becomes a setting for daily activities and turns them into events is remembered as a ‘place’. For many who visit Parvati, climbing the steps every morning is more of an opportunity to meet contemporaries, share experiences and find comfort in each other’s company, than a daily regimen of exercise. It is the fulfillment of a socio psychological need, made possible by the harmonious built environs.

A space that feeds not just the senses, but the spirit succeeds as a place. It is not just the views within and without, or the smells and sounds of nature, or the refreshing air that make Parvati an interesting experience. The spirit of the place is born out of its relationship with the past and its relevance to the present coexisting parallel in space and time.

A space that bonds with people, Parvati has, for many years now ‘been there’ for those who frequent it. Companion to the loner, confidante in sorrow and in joy, silent witness to many a relationship, the hill temple has been a faithful friend to many.

A space that inspires feelings and emotions like Parvati does – adventure, freedom, excitement, comfort, security, peace, pride, reverence and admiration, becomes a setting for a plethora of experiences. And experiences, when they become personal, turn into memories.

It is this potential of creating stories, experiences and memories that turns spaces into ‘places’, that makes Parvati the place it is – the place with hundred steps.

Pune - Merawala Green

Hello!

Pune - Mera wala Green is an attempt to compile stories of the 'green' connection that Punekars have with their city. It will put together memories, experiences, opinions, views, pictures and wishlists related to the Landscape of Pune, shared by followers of the blog.

Contributions are welcome at ukidvemanjusha@gmail.com. They will be published on the blog (if relevant to the overall theme) with due credits given to the contributor.

I hope Punekars will show enthusiasm for this blog and help it grow!