NAULAKH BAGH

 

The Naulakh Bagh

Parallel to Melvisharam (Near Ranipet), on the northern banks of the Palar River, there is a garden named ‘Nau Lakh Bagh’, meaning “Garden of Nine Lakh Trees,” believed to have nine lakh trees.

Over the years, people from Melvisharam and nearby places keep visiting this garden. Most of the Visharamian would have visited this place at least once in his lifetime. During our school holidays, along with our friends, we would walk about 2 km across the Palar River to reach this fascinating garden. I still remember the joy of eating guava, cashew and other fruits with our friends.

The garden is under the management of the Department of Horticulture, Government of Tamil Nadu. In 2016, a bridge was laid across Palar between Melvisharam and Naulakh. Since then, people frequently visit this place for morning and evening walks. This bridge also connects Melvisharam with Thengal, SIPCOT, and Ranipet.

On searching the history of this garden, I came to know a series of information which I would like to share in this article.

Naulakh is the 18th‑century garden established by one of the Nawabs of Arcot. Local legend states that when Arcot was first occupied by the Mughals, the trees were cut down for the construction of the Nawab’s palace. The birds that were deprived of their nesting places flocked to the palace and tormented the Nawab with their plaintive cries until he appeased them by planting extensive trees. The above information is recorded in The History of Leather Industries in Vellore District published by Ambur tanners’ Association.

`One of my teachers shared similar information about the creation of Naulakh Garden, with a little difference. He said that the Nawab ordered the construction of a summer palace; as a result, the trees were cut down and the palace was about to open, but the Nawab fell ill. He was given the best treatment by the royal doctors of that period, but there were no fruitful results. Finally, he approached a sufi saint who warned him, saying, “As you have destroyed the lives of birds, Almighty Allah has destroyed your peace.” Immediately, he repented for his sin. The saint advised him to compensate for his sin by creating a new garden. The Nawab selected this place and started planting saplings. As the plantation gradually progressed, the Nawab also recovered from the illness.

After reading the above information, I was curious to know the name of the Nawab who created this vast and beautiful garden and the year it was established. With my little knowledge I guessed that it should be Nawab Sadathullah Khan. Because, it was during his reign peace prevailed in Arcot and it was a centre for socio-cultural and political development. Soon after his death, political unrest and war of successions lead to the siege of Arcot by the British in 1751.

In 2022, I read an article titled ‘Chronogram-The Art of Writing Time’ published in The Hindu on August 25, 2016, in which renowned historian Mr. S. Kombai Anwar writes,

“When Saadathullah Khan, the new Nawab of Arcot created a beautiful garden in his capital city Arcot, and was looking for a suitable name, Jaswant Rai presented him with the name ‘Humayun Bagh,’ meaning ‘Auspicious Garden.’ The Nawab was very impressed and mighty pleased as he also understood that his chronicler had offered him much more than a name.

Keeping the climatic conditions of Arcot in mind the Nawab ordered for trees from Telengana to be planted in the garden. Once the work was done, he was equally keen to have a worthy name for his royal garden. That was when Jaswant Rai pleased him not just with a name but a skilfully composed ‘Chronogram’ which, when carefully read, also revealed the year of its (Garden) creation in the Islamic calendar of Hijri as 1113 (corresponds to 1701 CE).

In 1702, Nawab’s companion Begum Sahiba died and a year later, the Nawab built another garden of the same dimension as the Humayun Bagh. Jaswant Rai called the new garden as the ‘Nau Jahan Bagh,’ which when read as a chronogram, revealed the year of opening the garden as 1115 A.H (corresponds to 1703 CE).”

             The aforementioned article of Kombai Anwar Sahib gave me hint to trace the history of the Naulakh Bagh based on its name. To decipher the name of the Naulakh Bagh I sought the help of Janab K. Ehsan Ahmed Sahib of Vaniyambadi, an IT professional and also an expert in decoding Urdu and Persian Chronograms. Along with the Naulakh Bagh he also cracked the two gardens mentioned by Kombai Anwar Sahib. The findings are given below: 

                                              

From the chronogram, the date 1115 Hijri is derived, corresponding to 1703 CE, which marks the establishment of Naulakh Bagh.   It also gives clue that along with Nau Jahan Bagh and Humayun Bagh, the Naulakh Bagh was also created by Nawab Sadathullah Khan who was the then subedar of Arcot. Even as subedar of Arcot, he took keen interest in adorning the city.

A brief introduction to Nawab Sadathullah Khan would be worth mentioning here. His original name was Sayeed Konkani. He was deputed to the Carnatic region during the reign of Zulfikhar Khan, under whom he served as the Bakshi (Paymaster). In 1700, he received the rank of Mansabdari. Zulfikhar’s successor, Dawood Khan Panni, appointed Sayeed as the Diwan of Arcot (1700-1710) making him responsible for collecting tributes from Trichy and Tanjavur. He also served as the Subedar of Arcot and held several other important positions. 

 From 1710 to 1732, he ruled Arcot as its Nawab. His cabinet consisted of experienced ministers like Dakhini Rai and Lala Jaswant Rai. He shifted the capital from Gingee to Arcot. During his reign, many Sufi saints migrated to Arcot, transforming the city into a center of learning. He also contributed to architectural development and the establishment of gardens. One of his notable contributions was the construction of the Pachai Kal Masudi, also known as the Jamia Masjid of Arcot. The Jamia Masjid of Gingee and the Jamia Masjid at Saidapet, Chennai was also built by him. In 1714, he established the town of Ranipet in memory of wife of Raja Deisingh.

Present status of Naulakh Bagh

 As mentioned in the beginning, the garden is under the maintenance of Department of Horticulture, Government of Tamilnadu.  It is also a centre for innovative methods of cultivation. Saplings are sold at a cheaper rate to promote plantation. School students visit this place as part of their extra-curricular activity. At present, the garden is organized into three distinct sections, each serving a unique agricultural purpose:

1. Upper Garden

Primarily dedicated to the cultivation of coconut. It features an impressive collection of 50 distinct varieties of coconut trees, making it one of the most diverse coconut plantations in the region.

2. Fruit Garden

A rich repository of tropical and subtropical fruit species. This section includes multiple varieties of mango, along with cashew, guava (notably the rare Chittidar Guava and Pink Guava), sapota, jackfruit, pomegranate, fig, amla, lemon, sattugudi (sweet lime), and dates.

3. Lower Garden

The largest and most expansive part of the estate. Primarily devoted to the cultivation of oil-seeds.

Conclusion

Naulakh Bagh stands as a vital contributor to the regional horticultural economy. It serves as a major supplier of fresh fruits, nuts, and oil-seeds to the markets of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, The Naulakh Bagh, spread over a vast 1,697 acres, is not only a horticultural hub but also a vital ecological asset. Its expansive green cover plays a key role in maintaining environmental balance. Alhamdulillah, I thank Janab K. Ehsan Ahmed Sahib for decoding the chronogram. I also thank Janab Kombai Anwar Sahib for his valuable article on the chronogram. Similarly, I express my gratitude to the Horticulture officers of the Naulakh garden for sharing valuable details on the current plantation of the garden.

MOHAMMED SADATHULLAH 

MELVISHARAM