BHUBANESWAR: Situated at the west bank of Bindu Sagar in Old Town, Ekamravan, a medicinal , provides a breath of fresh air to the locality. The area used to be a dump yard and open public toilet in 2007.
The state government decided to turn the place into a medicinal plant garden and public park in 2006. The project, which was completed in three years, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in 2009.
The Forest Department has provided a touch of heritage to the garden. It features inscriptions dedicated to Hindu gods and goddesses on raised platforms. The masterpiece was created by sculptor artists and the historical Buddhist site Lalitgiri. It houses more than 240 varieties of plants like Tulsi, Aloevera, Basil, Bhargi, Manjuati, Swetachita, Pasarani, Dayana, Biribiri.
Forest Range Officer and site in-charge Ashok Mishra told Orissa POST that the land was an open toilet which released a pungent smell into the surrounding. He said, “People were even hesitant to take this road. The Forest Department established the garden to impart the knowledge of various medicinal plants to the people. We aim to preserve these plants in the locality. The local people can play a huge role in their preservation. We also aimed to popularise the cultural heritage of Odisha through this garden.”
Hari Kurushna Dash, a local resident and Ayurvedic shop owner said, “Ekamravan is very useful to us. I visit this garden regularly to purchase Ayurvedic plants. These natural herbs help to curb various diseases.”
Jacobs, a tourist from Europe said, “Many of these plants are found in Europe. However, we did not know their medicinal value. The visit taught me the essentiality of these plants.”
Supervisor Biranchi Narayan Sahoo said, “Approximately 50 people visit the garden every day. They come here both to enjoy and buy medicinal plants. The price of these plants starts from Rs 10. The entry fee per person is Rs 2.”
Rakesh Mahanta, OP