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Cubbon Park, officially known as Sri. Chamarajendra Park, is an historic park, located in the heart of city in the Central Administrative Area.  The Park is accessible from M.G. Road, Kasturba road, Hudson Circle and Ambedkar Veedhi (Road). The motorable roads which run through the park are allowed for light motor vehicles only. It is closed on every Monday and Second Tuesday of the month. All locations of the park are accessible through walking paths. The Park is open to the public at all times but the roads are closed for traffic from 5 A.M to 8 A.M every day. The Dancing Musical Fountain, commissioned recently, is the most advanced dancing fountain located in the LRDE premises on the Raj Bhavan road; the only one of its kind in India with a visual facility. It uses a unique binary control concept to obtain three distinct levels for each of its form. It provides high versatility in programming as well as in playback to various India and Western musical themes. Regular shows are conducted at the Dancing Musical Fountain, LRDE. Two shows are organized everyday from 7.00 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. and 8.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. each lasting for half an hour. Originally created in 1884, when Major General Richard Sankey was the then British Chief Engineer of Mysore state, it covered an area of 100 acres (0.40 km2) and subsequent expansion has taken place and the area reported now is about 300 acres (1.2 km2). It has a rich recorded history of abundant flora and fauna plantations coupled with numerous impressive and aesthetically located buildings and statues of famous personages, in its precincts. This public park was first named as “Meade’s Park” after Sir John Meade, the acting Commissioner of Mysore in 1884 and subsequently renamed as Cubbon Park after the longest serving commissioner of the time, Sir Mark Cubbon. To commemorate the Silver Jubilee of Sri Krishnaraja Wodeyar’s rule in Mysore State, in the year 1927, the park was again renamed as Sri. Chamarajendra Park, in memory of the 19th Century ruler of the state Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar (1868 – 94) during whose rule the park came into existence. The landscaping in the park creatively integrates natural rock out crops with thicket of trees, massive bamboos, with grassy expanse and flowerbeds and the monuments within its limits, regulated by the Horticulture Department of the Government of Karnataka. The predominantly green area of the park has many motorable roads, and the well laid out walking paths running through the park are frequented by early morning walkers and the naturalists who study plants in the tranquil natural environment. Cubbon Park is under the control of the Department of Horticulture. The Deputy Director of Horticulture (Cubbon Park) is responsible for the administration and maintenance of the park.

Lush greenery welcomes any visitor entering Cubbon Park through any of the approaches. Rich in plant wealth, many indigenous and exotic botanical species are found here. The park has about 68 genera and 96 species with a total of around 6000 plants / trees growing in its locale. Development works are taken up only on scientific and technical basis, with a view to maintain the park in its original splendor. Planting of species is done after identifying the barren patches. Indigenous species such as Artocarpus, Cassia fistula, Ficus, Polyalthias etc., and exotic species such as Araucaria, Bamboo, Castanospermum australe, Grevillea robusta, Milletia, Peltophorum Schinus molle, Swietenina mahagoni, Tabebuia sp. etc., can be seen. In addition, many ornamental and flowering trees both exotic and indigenous are found in the park. Grevillea robusta (silver oak), having the distinction of being the first oaks introduced to Bangalore from Australia are still found in Cubbon Park adjacent to the tennis pavilion.

Many official and public buildings are located within and along the periphery of the park. The High Court Buildings, Indira Priyadarshini Children’s Library, City Central Library, Government Museum, Art Gallery, Aquarium, YMCA, Yuvanika- the State Youth Centre, Century Club, Press Club, Jawahar BalBhavan, Tennis Pavilion and a number of other offices are located in the park, few of them offering amusement and sports facilities. The part of the park developed on symmetric lines with terraces on either sides of the central promenade, which is the focal point from the Museum building to the central hall of the High Court, forms the formal gardens. The terrace garden developed in the gradient from the Attara Kacheri towards the East is a beautiful sight to see. Located in this garden is the bandstand constructed during the early part of this century. The Sheshadri Iyer Memorial Hall – now the City Central Library building is an artistic structure worth seeing. Located in front of the Library is the rosary, a spectacular area for any visitor to see. Many beautiful lawns are found in the park’s expanse. The Ringwood circle, lotus pond and bamboo grove nook are worth seeing.

Photos of Cubbon Park:

• Park entrance:



• Park entrance:



• Cubbon Park:



• Queen Victoria statue: Unveiled by George Frederick Ernest Albert, Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and York on 5th february 1906



• Queen Victoria statue:



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