Psyche, the soul of Baldah

Baldah Garden in Dhaka's Wari is one among the few green spots in the city. Founded by the late

Zamindar Narendra Narayan Chowdhury in 1909, the arboretum had a rich collection from some 50 nations.

The garden is managed as an annexe of the National Botanical Gardens in Mirpur. The flora include over 600 species along with near-extinct ones.

Narendra Narayan divided the garden in two sections and named one after the Greek goddesses of Psyche, goddess of soul, and the other after Cybele, goddess of nature.

The Psyche section has some rare and exotic flowering plants including Amazon water lily, gustava, dhoop, vujpattra, bhootnag, kanaklata, bichitra bakul and more.

This section has various kinds of cacti also. An employee of the garden Reazul said cactus grows in hot climates and so special arrangements are made to ensure adequate heat for the plants.

Reazul showed the soft-barked vujpattra and said, "The bark of this tree was used as paper in the past."

Prothom Alo's camera captured pictures of the local and exotic species of plants in the garden recently.

Photo: Nusrat Nowrin
Photo: Nusrat Nowrin

Proper heat is ensured in the house for various kinds of cacti.

Photo: Nusrat Nowrin
Photo: Nusrat Nowrin

 Cacti are seen in the Baldah Garden. 

Photo: Nusrat Nowrin
Photo: Nusrat Nowrin

The bark of a vujpattra tree. The bark of the tree is soft and thin. 

Photo: Nusrat Nowrin
Photo: Nusrat Nowrin

New species of flowering plants have been planted in the garden, including the beautiful white flower. 

Photo: Nusrat Nowrin
Photo: Nusrat Nowrin

Amazon water lily is quite an attraction of Baldah Garden. In this picture a tiny dragon fly perched on an Amazon water lily bloom in the Baldah Garden. 

Photo: Nusrat Nowrin
Photo: Nusrat Nowrin

An Amazon water lily bud floating amidst leaves in a pond of the garden. 

Photo: Nusrat Nowrin
Photo: Nusrat Nowrin

The monsoon greenery of the Psyche section, Baldah Garden is soothing to the eyes of the weary city dwellers.

Photo: Nusrat  Nowrin
Photo: Nusrat Nowrin

Bhootnag blooms and leaves in the Psyche section of Baldah Garden.

Photo: Nusrat Nowrin
Photo: Nusrat Nowrin

An employee of the Baldah Garden displays a leaf of bichitra bakul. The colour of the bakul leaves changes with time. 

Photo: Nusrat Nowrin
Photo: Nusrat Nowrin

Two birds perched on a bichitra bakul branch in the arboretum.

Photo: Nusrat Nowrin
Photo: Nusrat Nowrin

The sundial of the Baldah Garden is one among its historical structures.