Saramsa Garden

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Newly installed fountain at Saramsa

Saramsa Garden (a.k.a Ipecac Garden) was established in year 1922 by Forest Department. Bhim Bahadur Pradhan who was the Forest Manager during 1922-1954 nurtured this garden and his pet project with intense involvement in introduction of plants. His interest in botany, floriculture and horticulture besides being accomplished forester largely helped in this pursuit.

Initially established with the main purpose of growing different fruits like pineapple, guava, varieties of oranges and litchie for the residence of erstwhile British political Officer and the Palace, the Garden developed into a main center of introduction of fruits. "Chini Champa" the local variety of banana was famous during those times. Every week, a well decorated full basket laden with fruits locally called Dati had to be sent to British Residency and the Palace.

Brij Lal Subba, the gardener during those times, was sent to Saharanpur for training in fruit cultivation. His descendants worked for three generations. This practice of growing fruits continued till 1940 when the Forest Department introduced Ipecac from Zohore in Malaysia for medicine (considered very effective against emetine. The cultivation of ipecac continued till 1970 from whence, it's cultivation was no more profitable due to scarcity of thatch of shade, depletion fo source of jungle manure, high cost of labour and emergence of synthetic materials. Though cultivation of ipecac was discontinued to be known as Ipecac garden is still famous today.

In 1995, this garden was converted into a garden for growing different types of orchids. Majority of the plants that we see growing in the garden at present were introduced from 1974 till 1980. During 1990, this garden was converted into full fledged recreational garden for picnickers.