Old garden gets second chance at glory
DC says district administration is taking all possible steps to provide facilities in the orchard
PHOTO: FILE
BHAKKAR:
The famous souvenir food of Bhakkar, the Basra date, has finally been prepared in Dilkusha Bagh for the current season.
A sprawling ground for Basra date palm trees, the Dilkusha Bagh, constructed right between the trade route of Indus River in the north-west of Bhakkar by Mughal Emperor Jehangir’s daughter Mehr-o-Nisa, is a shadow of its former self.
There are five kinds of palms planted in the old date orchard which is around 400 years. The Basra palm trees, run by the Bhakkar District Council, are a favourite not only within the country, but also abroad. A large number of citizens come to the district to purchase these fruits and palms to send them to their friends and relatives as gifts.
Dilkusha Bagh is a major attraction for citizens. However, the condition of the garden has deteriorated over the years due to the apathy of the local administration. Swings installed for children are rusting away and walking tracks lie in a dilapidated state. Once there was a throne in the garden which has now transformed into a mound of sand. The fountains are also in shambles.
If the existing palms in the orchard are given timely water, proper spraying and maintenance, they can become good sources of revenue and public recreation. The district administration needs to pay attention to these palms if it wishes to obtain revenues worth millions of rupees from the garden.
At present, there are hundreds of rare palm trees in the orchard that provide energy-filled dates to the public. The beautiful environment serves as a huge attraction for those visiting the region especially for the fruit and trees.
The palm fruit in the garden is so famous that people look forward to its fruit ripening up all year round. There are crowds of purchasers who want to order the harvest in advance. People buy these rare palm trees and its fruit on a very limited scale. It is then tucked away in refrigerators and feasted upon till supply runs out.
Deputy Commissioner Asif Ali Farrukh tells The Express Tribune that the district administration is taking all possible steps to provide facilities in the orchard. “We are also trying our best to renovate the garden in order to provide the best atmosphere for these rare palm trees. In this regard, we have also taken services from the Agriculture Department,” he says.
The DC adds that experts of the Agriculture Department will submit a report after a survey and practical steps will be taken to improve the gardens. “Work is also underway to protect the rare breed of palm and to make it even better.”
He further says that the department is trying to make the most out of the soil which is for the breeding of palm trees. “More of these rare palm trees will be planted here so that both the green beauty of the garden and the revenue can be possibly increased.”
Published in The Express Tribune, August 3rd, 2019.
The famous souvenir food of Bhakkar, the Basra date, has finally been prepared in Dilkusha Bagh for the current season.
A sprawling ground for Basra date palm trees, the Dilkusha Bagh, constructed right between the trade route of Indus River in the north-west of Bhakkar by Mughal Emperor Jehangir’s daughter Mehr-o-Nisa, is a shadow of its former self.
There are five kinds of palms planted in the old date orchard which is around 400 years. The Basra palm trees, run by the Bhakkar District Council, are a favourite not only within the country, but also abroad. A large number of citizens come to the district to purchase these fruits and palms to send them to their friends and relatives as gifts.
Dilkusha Bagh is a major attraction for citizens. However, the condition of the garden has deteriorated over the years due to the apathy of the local administration. Swings installed for children are rusting away and walking tracks lie in a dilapidated state. Once there was a throne in the garden which has now transformed into a mound of sand. The fountains are also in shambles.
If the existing palms in the orchard are given timely water, proper spraying and maintenance, they can become good sources of revenue and public recreation. The district administration needs to pay attention to these palms if it wishes to obtain revenues worth millions of rupees from the garden.
At present, there are hundreds of rare palm trees in the orchard that provide energy-filled dates to the public. The beautiful environment serves as a huge attraction for those visiting the region especially for the fruit and trees.
The palm fruit in the garden is so famous that people look forward to its fruit ripening up all year round. There are crowds of purchasers who want to order the harvest in advance. People buy these rare palm trees and its fruit on a very limited scale. It is then tucked away in refrigerators and feasted upon till supply runs out.
Deputy Commissioner Asif Ali Farrukh tells The Express Tribune that the district administration is taking all possible steps to provide facilities in the orchard. “We are also trying our best to renovate the garden in order to provide the best atmosphere for these rare palm trees. In this regard, we have also taken services from the Agriculture Department,” he says.
The DC adds that experts of the Agriculture Department will submit a report after a survey and practical steps will be taken to improve the gardens. “Work is also underway to protect the rare breed of palm and to make it even better.”
He further says that the department is trying to make the most out of the soil which is for the breeding of palm trees. “More of these rare palm trees will be planted here so that both the green beauty of the garden and the revenue can be possibly increased.”
Published in The Express Tribune, August 3rd, 2019.