Horticulture Branch « Archaeological Survey of India

Horticulture Branch

The gardens maintained by the ASI are of two categories:

those pertaining to monuments which had gardens around them as a part of their original design, and
those, usually not as elaborate, which are intended to beautify monuments originally without the appendage of gardens.

Under the first category come the monuments erected by the Mughuls, who were renowned for their love of ornamental gardens and orchards. In such cases, traces of the old flower-beds and alignment of water-channels, both for decoration and for irrigation, are in many cases still extant.
Such monuments include Humayun’s tomb, Safjarjung Tomb, Red Fort at Delhi, Bibi-ka-maqbara at Aurangabad, the palaces at Pinjore, Akbar’s Tomb, Sikandara, Itimad-ud-daula’s Tomb and Ram Bagh at Agra and above all, the Taj at Agra. The maintenance of the gardens attached to these monuments is indeed a difficult task, for any new lay-out has to fall in line with the original design and must be in consonance with what the master-builders had in mind. The maintenance of these ornamental gardens is a necessity, second in importance only to the maintenance of the monuments themselves, for without them the monuments are incomplete. In other cases, e.g. the Qutb and Lodi monuments at Delhi, the gardens are primarily intended to provide a setting for the monuments and to make the surroundings attractive. While a greater freedom in their lay-out may be allowed here than in the preceding category.
In many cases, where the landscape is dry and rugged, the environment is developed through raising lawns and a few trees and hedges. For those monuments which are within or near large cities and attract a large number of visitors, more ambitious gardens are generally planned, but not losing sight of the fact that it is not the objective of archaeologists to provide public parks. In either category, caution is taken against modernising the gardens.

Horticulture Branch
Near East Gate, Taj Mahal, Agra
(Code – 0562)

HORTICULTURE BRANCH, HEADQUARTER AT NEW DELHI
JURISDICTION:- ALL OVER INDIA

Name/Email	Phone/Fax
Dr. Vasant Kumar Swarnakar Director (Horticulture), Horticulture Branch, Archaeological Survey of India, Dharohar Bhawan, 24-Tilak Marg New Delhi-110001 E-mail : dirhor[dot]asi[at]gmail[dot]com	Phone: 011 – 24647505, 24647507

HORTICULTURE DIVISION No.-I, HEADQUARTER AT AGRA
JURISDICTION:- Uttar Pradesh, Uttranchal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra

Name/Email	Phone/Fax
Shri. P.K.Chaudhary Dy. Superintending Horticulturist(I/C) Archaeological Survey of India, Horticulture Division No.-I Eastern Gate Taj Mahal AGRA- 282001 E-mai I.D. :- horagr[dot]asi[at]gmail[dot]com	Phone: – 0562 – 2330257 Fax:- 0562 – 2230586

HORTICULTURE DIVISION No.-II, HEADQUARTER AT NEW DELHI
JURISDICTION:- Delhi,Daman & Deu,Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir

Name/Email	Phone/Fax
Shri. V.P.Mohod Dy. Superintending Horticulturist Archaeological Survey of India, Horticulture Division No.-II, 6th Floor, GPO Complex, D Block, INA NEW DELHI- 110023 E-mai I.D. :- hordel[dot]asi[at]gmail[dot]com	Phone: – 011- 24651395 Fax:- 011- 24647377

HORTICULTURE DIVISION No.-III, HEADQUARTER AT MYSORE
JURISDICTION:- Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilnadu & Telangana

Name/Email	Phone/Fax
Shri. Vipin Negi Dy. Superintending Horticulturist Archaeological Survey of India, Horticulture Division No.-III 4th Main road, Hebbal II stage, Near Samkanti Circle, MYSORE- 570017	Phone No.: – 0821 – 2303411 E-mai I.D. :- hormys[dot]asi[at]gmail[dot]com

HORTICULTURE DIVISION No.-IV, HEADQUARTER AT BHUBANESWAR
JURISDICTION:- Orrissa, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, North – East States

Name/Email	Phone/Fax
Shri. S.C.Meena Dy. Superintending Horticulturist Archaeological Survey of India, Horticulture Division No.-IV Puratattava Nivas, Toshali Plaza Appartment, Satya Nagar, BHUBANESWAR – 751002 E-mail : horbhu[dot]asi[at]gmail[dot]com	Phone: – 0674 – 2341761

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