The wild side story

Enter the grounds of the Peshwe Park, and the dense greenery gives you a great sense of relief. On a sunny day, it serves as a respite from ...

Enter the grounds of the Peshwe Park, and the dense greenery gives you a great sense of relief. On a sunny day, it serves as a respite from the humidity and dry heat outside. A perfect place to spend a happy hour, the green expanse with shaded lanes and a small lake does not have too many artificial trappings. The park tries to preserve the natural look.

According to historical records, the park served as a shikharkhana for the Peshwas eons ago hence the name Peshwe Park. Decades later, the shikharkhana was converted into a zoo and a recreation spot by the Pune Municipal Corporation but it has still retained its serene charm, although today it lies in the heart of the city, behind the famous Saras Baug.

The eight acres of the park provide shelter to a variety of birds and animals 8211; 17 species of wildlife 112 animals in all and 27 species of birds a total of 95 birds. As one enters the park, a signboard says 8211; if you are called an animal, please accept it as a compliment, because animals are8230;well, better than humans in many ways. Point to ponder over, all right!

The park is open to the public from 8 am to 12 noon and from 3.30 to 6.30 p.m. During the monsoons, the rush of visitors is reduced but through the year, there is a steady stream of eager beavers who come to see the ferocious leopards bare their teeth,the monkeys who entertain with their antics, or our feathered friends who stare dolefully out of their cages.

According to Sanjay Adhav, assistant supervisor of the park, 8220;The white tiger, one male and two female white tigers, are specialities with us. We also have a white peacock and an female orangutan called Bini,8221; whose facial contortions provide great amusement to the visitors. The people are also fascinated by the deer, bucks, yellow tigers, the elephant and colourful birds.

Says Dr P N Wagh, caretaker of the animals, temporarily in charge of the zoo, 8220;The entire set-up functions like clockwork, so I don8217;t find it onerous. I find the atmosphere here quiet and serene.8221; He is there every morning to check that during the animals8217; mealtime at 12.30 p.m, beef, fruits and vegetables reach them accordingly. Otherwise the animals tend to create a bit of a stir. A sizeable staff of cooks and cleaners mans the kitchen.

It is not only the animals in the park who attract the children, the chug-chug of the toy train also draws them like a magnet. A huge playground for kids atop a small hillock houses this little train called the Phulrani, which consists of an engine and three little bogeys. One can imagine why the children are reluctant to leave the vicinity.

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The Peshwe Park has featured in newspapers in recent times for the wild misdemeanour of some of its in-house tigers. Murders and rivalries, the animal kingdom has its share of them, despite the hype of the zoo being a peace-loving zone. There is also talk of the park being shifted to Katraj, but that is still in the planning stages. However, till then, Peshwe Park is here to stay.