Down the memory lane with Vijay Thiruvady

Vasudha Zora | NT

Bengaluru: While Bengaluru may have turned into a bustling silicon valley from its earlier avatar of being a pensioner’s paradise, certain pockets in the city continue to exude a timeless charm of the bygone era.

One such place happens to be Lalbagh Botanical Garden, a sprawling 240-acre green space that came into existence over 200 years ago. To help visitors know about the rare and exotic plants and trees dotting the garden, botanist Vijay R Thiruvady conducts Green Heritage Walk on behalf of Bangalore Walks.

“The aim is to curb misinformation and acknowledge the true realities established by people of the past. People who have no clue about nature or plants or their historic significance can have a kickstart at these walks and truly allow themselves to gain something,” Thiruvady said.

An inimitable storyteller who keeps the audience engaged about the trees and history of the city, Thiruvady has also published two books Lalbagh-Sultan's Garden to Public Park and Heritage Trees- In and around Bangalore, and is a valued member of the Bangalore Environment Trust. Bangalore Walks organized the first weekly walk in 2005 and the organization recently crossed a milestone of 750 weeks.

Barring the pandemic period, these walks have been regularly conducted. Over 30,000 people from all over the world have joined these walks that familiarise them with the city’s rich history, culture, and discoveries.

Thiruvady has been associated with the walks from the beginning and now at 81, he is the senior-most person involved in these walks. Many eminent personalities such as Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy, late actor Girish Karnad, historian Ramachandra Guha, and former diplomat Nirupama Rao have joined Thiruvady’s walks.