<p>Countless, perhaps. Actually, the only place in India that has followed this example is Malampuzha near Palakkad (aka Palghat) in Kerala.<br /><br />Spread over less than one acre, this small but wonderful garden is also designed by Nek Chand, though not made under his direct supervision. The rock garden is at Malampuzha, a little village at the foothills of the Western Ghats, which takes its name from River Malampuzha. <br /><br />As with its elder and much larger sibling in Chandigarh, the uniqueness of the Palakkad Rock Garden is not just its artistic merit but the fact that all this beauty was created with waste or discarded material. Here, the artistes were provided with waste material, most of which was sourced from in and around Palakkad.<br /><br />Broken and discarded pieces of rock, bottles, cans, bangles, glass bottles, tiles, rocks, pebbles, parts of electrical fittings, foundry waste pieces, discarded streetlights, broken plumbing fixtures, cast-off pots, bitumen drums, industrial slag, waste fuse carriers formed the raw material. All this was fused with a huge amount of creativity to create this little gem called Palakkad Rock Garden. It took about one-and-a-half-years to build and was thrown open to public in 1996. <br /><br />I remember Chand telling us when we met him during our Chandigarh visit: “Nothing is really waste material. You can put most things discarded by an average person to good use if you are intelligent, resourceful and imaginative.” Illustrating this belief are both gardens, where all kinds of everyday mundane objects have become means of creating this amazing and aesthetic work. <br /><br />The Palakkad Garden makes for an interesting trip, designed as it is like a giant labyrinth with undulating walls. Journeying down passages, which suddenly open out into courtyards, we would be surprised by the beautiful and unusual sculptures and motifs on the walls. Enhancing the whole experience are the colourful wall mosaics. The entry courtyard is dedicated to Mahabali, the celebrated king of Kerala, once upon a time. The next courtyard takes an ascending path to a circular gallery with a moat and tableau of sculptures with ducks and geese, all colourfully done. Other areas feature snakes, elephants and birds, which you would typically encounter in India, with a surprising inclusion of a kangaroo. <br /><br />The first courtyard is followed by over a dozen large and small courtyards, all thematically designed. So, one is dedicated to music — with musicians and various musical instruments, both of the stringed and percussion variety; another has the mother and child, and yet another is about Kerala theatre and dance. There are many examples of local craft and a few corners are dedicated to gods and goddesses. Over 400 statues dot this garden, linked by rock-encrusted, meandering paths. <br /><br />At one point, you encounter an enormous statue — a man holding aloft a boulder, who forms the entrance to one of the inner courtyards. Beside him is a huge wall made of waste fuse carriers. These were products of a nearby electrical factory, which revealed manufacturing defects and so were cast away. Here, with the use of cement, mortar and some creativity, they were turned into an arresting wall! <br /><br />Considering how tourist-savvy Kerala is and how well the state’s tourism department has marketed it as a tourist destination, it is rather surprising that the Palakkad Rock Garden has not received the attention it deserves. Now in its renovated state, it is a must-visit. <br /></p>
<p>Countless, perhaps. Actually, the only place in India that has followed this example is Malampuzha near Palakkad (aka Palghat) in Kerala.<br /><br />Spread over less than one acre, this small but wonderful garden is also designed by Nek Chand, though not made under his direct supervision. The rock garden is at Malampuzha, a little village at the foothills of the Western Ghats, which takes its name from River Malampuzha. <br /><br />As with its elder and much larger sibling in Chandigarh, the uniqueness of the Palakkad Rock Garden is not just its artistic merit but the fact that all this beauty was created with waste or discarded material. Here, the artistes were provided with waste material, most of which was sourced from in and around Palakkad.<br /><br />Broken and discarded pieces of rock, bottles, cans, bangles, glass bottles, tiles, rocks, pebbles, parts of electrical fittings, foundry waste pieces, discarded streetlights, broken plumbing fixtures, cast-off pots, bitumen drums, industrial slag, waste fuse carriers formed the raw material. All this was fused with a huge amount of creativity to create this little gem called Palakkad Rock Garden. It took about one-and-a-half-years to build and was thrown open to public in 1996. <br /><br />I remember Chand telling us when we met him during our Chandigarh visit: “Nothing is really waste material. You can put most things discarded by an average person to good use if you are intelligent, resourceful and imaginative.” Illustrating this belief are both gardens, where all kinds of everyday mundane objects have become means of creating this amazing and aesthetic work. <br /><br />The Palakkad Garden makes for an interesting trip, designed as it is like a giant labyrinth with undulating walls. Journeying down passages, which suddenly open out into courtyards, we would be surprised by the beautiful and unusual sculptures and motifs on the walls. Enhancing the whole experience are the colourful wall mosaics. The entry courtyard is dedicated to Mahabali, the celebrated king of Kerala, once upon a time. The next courtyard takes an ascending path to a circular gallery with a moat and tableau of sculptures with ducks and geese, all colourfully done. Other areas feature snakes, elephants and birds, which you would typically encounter in India, with a surprising inclusion of a kangaroo. <br /><br />The first courtyard is followed by over a dozen large and small courtyards, all thematically designed. So, one is dedicated to music — with musicians and various musical instruments, both of the stringed and percussion variety; another has the mother and child, and yet another is about Kerala theatre and dance. There are many examples of local craft and a few corners are dedicated to gods and goddesses. Over 400 statues dot this garden, linked by rock-encrusted, meandering paths. <br /><br />At one point, you encounter an enormous statue — a man holding aloft a boulder, who forms the entrance to one of the inner courtyards. Beside him is a huge wall made of waste fuse carriers. These were products of a nearby electrical factory, which revealed manufacturing defects and so were cast away. Here, with the use of cement, mortar and some creativity, they were turned into an arresting wall! <br /><br />Considering how tourist-savvy Kerala is and how well the state’s tourism department has marketed it as a tourist destination, it is rather surprising that the Palakkad Rock Garden has not received the attention it deserves. Now in its renovated state, it is a must-visit. <br /></p>
