By Shradha Chettri and Shweta Sharma
New Delhi, July 17 (IANS): Call it a garden of reformation, or just an island of tranquility, but the reform-minded authorites of Tihar Jail, said to be one of the largest in Asia, have created what they call a "celestial garden" to spread "positivity" among hardened criminals.
The Nav Grah Vatika, situated right next to the semi-open jail that houses 48 inmates, most of them lifers, has nine species of plants and trees, based on the nine planets in Hindu philosophy.
“When the planetary alignments of a person is not right, they indulge in wrongdoing. So this garden is an attempt to spread the right vibrations and positivity in the complex,” Tihar Jail spokesperson Sunil Gupta told IANS.
The plants and trees in the garden where planted at an auspicious time and in a particular direction to attract divine energies.
“The vibrations travel up to 200 metres and this positive energy will help the inmates and others feel at peace,” Gupta added.
Each planet has a particular symbol, with dedicated plants which also have medicinal value, explained Gupta.
The nine plants in the garden are Apamarga (Mercury), Indian fig tree (Venus), Bastard Teak (Moon), Khair (Mars), Peepal (Jupiter), Khari (Saturn), Bermuda Grass (Dragon Head/Rahu) and Cotton grass (Dragon Tail/Ketu). At the centre of the garden is the Sun, which is represented by the Milkweed plant.
“The peepal and the fig tree have great significance in the Hindu religion and culture. Likewise, all the other trees and plants have their own significance,” Gupta added.
According to Gupta this will also be an important step towards promoting and encouraging tree plantation.
The plants, on elevated platforms and in different shapes according to the symbol of the planet, are further decorated with white stones and colourful paint.
The Sun is a circle with spikes, Mercury is an arrow, Venus a star, Moon a square, Mars a triangle, Saturn a bow and Jupiter a rectangle.
“The vatika will protect the vaastu from the malefic effects of the nine planets and remove vaastu dosh (flaws),” Gupta said.
Peepal (Jupiter) faces north, Apamarga (Mercury) northeast, Indian fig tree (Venus) east, Bastard teak (Moon) southeast, Khair (Mars) south, Bermuda Grass (Dragon Head) southwest, Khari (Saturn) west and Cotton grass (Dragon Tail) northwest.
The garden was inaugurated on July 10 by Delhi Chief Secretary S.K. Srivastava.
“There is a designated starting point from where people can take a round of the park. They can also sit on the benches placed here,” R.S.Meena, in-charge of the semi-open jail, told IANS.
The garden is further decorated with plants all around and even the designated path is well cemented with white stones along the way.
"The inmates of the semi-open jail clean the garden every morning and water the plants," added Meena.
The authorities also plan to construct a similar garden inside the Tihar court complex.