The Major Pradeep Tathawade Udyan located in the heart of Karvenagar is one of the most popular green spots in the western part of the city.
Named after Major Tathawade, who laid down his life fighting militants in Poonch district of Jammu in June 2000, the three-acre garden was opened to the public on October 31, 2002.
As soon as you enter the park, you see an impressive statue of the late Major Tathawade. To your left is a 250-metre-long jogging track.
Those who wish to relax and admire the serene beauty of the garden can sit on the sprawling lawns.
On the right-hand side of the park is a play area for children with slides and swings for mischievous tiny tots.
Another attraction at the garden is a Pakistani tank from the Indo-Pak war of 1971. The tank was gifted to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) by the Indian Army.
A small yoga centre located in the middle of the garden is a treat for yoga enthusiasts, while a small pond with a variety of small fish sets this garden apart from the others. Children can be seen glued to the pond, trying to catch a glimpse of their favourite marine life.
“There is a group of people, who regularly visit the garden to practise yoga in the mornings and jog in the evenings. We have put up information boards near every plant that give you information about the plant, in Marathi,” Yuvraj More, gardener of the park said.
The park is dotted with triangle palm, ficus, bougainvillea, alstonia, foxtail palm, golden bamboo, tomentosa commonly called as yellow kanchan and red and white Nerium trees.
Blessed with lush green lawns, a cluster of trees and comfortable sitting arrangements, the park is a haven for meditation, especially for the senior citizens. The PMC has appointed four cleaners who keep the garden clean by mowing the lawns and trimming the plants.
“We have tried our level best to maintain this garden. However, we lack the manpower to keep the toilets clean,” said PMC’s assistant garden superintendent (trees), Preeti Sinha.
Prajakti Awade, a regular visitor to the park, told DNA, “I jog at the park every day. My gym instructor also accompanies me and helps me warm-up and stretch. This garden offers a peaceful environment which is not to be found anywhere else.”
Another visitor Rajeshwari Mane told DNA that she comes to the park every weekend to spend some quality time with her husband.
“This garden offers a tranquil atmosphere after a hectic week. The play area for children and the lush green lawns are well-maintained.
Different flowering plants and trees provide some fresh air to breathe. The only drawback of the park is that there are no food stalls outside the garden.”
