Aravali Bio-Diversity Park, Gurgaon

I first discovered this impressive park last year, when I went to listen to the divine Sonam Kalra in concert.

These last few weeks have seen me re-acquainting myself with the park in a very different avatar.

I am training for a high altitude climbing trip in Ladakh next month, and since one of my fellow trekkers lives bang next door to the park, it has become our Sunday morning training ground.  Sunil and I meet at the park at 5.30 am and walk for several hours, all rucksacked and hiking-booted-up.

I can tell you, free, gratis and for nothing, that in the never-ending pre-monsoon heat and humidity, we are both seriously overdressed…

The park is huge, and since there has mercifully been no attempt to “prettify” it, what you have is kilometres of original vegetation – thorn trees and low scrubby bushes, with good paths winding through them.  It has a wild feeling to it, and certainly makes for more interesting walking, rather than – say – somewhere like Nehru Park in south Delhi (where we also train, by the way).  This Aravali land was apparently heavily mined, and you can still see the results of quarrying, but as nature takes over, that raw ugliness will soon disappear.

In the early mornings, the park feels safe. There are a couple of guards, and there are always gardeners doing their stuff- mainly watering the kikar trees – and there are enough people out walking, running, cycling, bird-watching – it’s all quite energetic, despite the searing temperatures.

Over the course of our walks we have seen nilgai, a jungle cat, a “dhaan” or rat snake, a mongoose, birds galore – last Sunday was bee-eater convention day, clearly.  We were told there was a litter of jackal pups last Sunday, too, but we couldn’t spot them.

There are stray dogs, but they don’t seem overly aggressive.  There are often herds of cows grazing.  All quite rural, considering the back drop is the tower blocks of Gurgaon.

A good parking area, otherwise no facilities at all.  No loos, no benches, nothing.  The open-air auditorium is there of course, very close to the entrance.

For those of you who live in Gurgaon – go use a great facility on your doorstep.

Dawn breaking over the park.

The open-air auditorium as it usually looks…

…and during the wonderful concert I mentioned earlier.  Magical.

“Soup for trees” always makes me smile

Nilgai

It may not be our ultimate goal, Mentok Kangri (all 6250 metres of it – help!!) but let me tell you that on a baking hot morning, this slope is a killer.

And here is Sunil acing it.

DLF Phase 3, Sector 24, Gurgaon, HR 122002

Free admission, by the way.