Margherita, 24th June: A Buddhist monk in Margherita has turned the Margherita Buddha Vihar into a sprawling garden, showcasing thousands of varieties of flowers, fruits, and medicinal plants.
Established in 1974 and situated 3 kilometers from the Margherita railway station, the Buddha Vihar now features a diverse collection of plants, thanks to the efforts of Ven. Gyanowada Bhikkhu, the head monk. Bhikkhu developed an interest in plantation at the age of 20 when he became a monk, and since his arrival at Margherita Buddha Vihar in 2002, he has dedicated himself to cultivating the garden.
The monk has planted over 100 varieties of orchid flowers, 1000 varieties of other flowers, and numerous fruit trees, including banana, jackfruit, jamun, litchi, guava, tamarind, custard apple, chikoo, kaji lemon, and dragon fruit. Additionally, the garden boasts more than 100 varieties of medicinal plants.
Ven. Gyanowada Bhikkhu emphasized the importance of plantations in mitigating the effects of intense heat and encouraged PhD students in botany to visit the garden for their thesis work.