A visit to JP Park

The pretty pink canopy of bouganvilla at the park entrance

The OH and I might never have ventured to explore the Jai Prakash Narayan Park (popularly known as JP Park) if not for the BIL, who loves gorging on the yummy chaats from the stalls that surround it. Oh, yes, the park has a horde of stores outside, selling everything from straight-off-the-stove jalebis and samosas to different kinds of chaats, corn and cotton candy. I am so glad we found this park!

The park, nestled in a quiet lane in Matthikere, is not one of the best known parks in Bangalore. It is no Lal Baugh or Cubbon Park, but it does have a charm of its own. In fact, it is so neat, well-maintained and pretty that I often wonder why it is not as popular as the other parks in the city!

The big golden statue of Mr. Narayan outside the park and the canopy of pink bouganvilla at the entrance are its identifiers for the passersby.The park is quite big, spread across 85 acres, with beautiful landscaped lawns, divided into different sections. Wide, well-built lanes and an adequate number of stylish lamps all over the garden make walking through it a good experience.

Separate areas have been constructed for exercising and yoga.

The yoga place

There are beautiful statues spread across the park, most depicting rural life in Karnataka.

Statues of farmers working their fields – so life-like. aren’t they?

The farmer’s wife supporting her husband in his daily chores

A couple of oxen. When I noticed them the first time I visited this park, I actually thought there were two oxen standing inside the park!

A happy farmer family

This is the statue that I loved the most in the park – that of a farmer gazing at the sky in the hope of rain….

A modern family of three, where the mother is probably showing the park to her child…

There is a rock garden and a musical fountain, too.

The rock garden – an area made out of bits and pieces of colourful tiles. One of the parts of the park that I loved the most.

The little bamboo forest inside the park. At least, I am assuming that this is bamboo!

There is also a natural lake, full of huge catfish, eager to eat the goodies that visitors offer them. This is where I had my first sight of catfish, and I was amazed to see the large creatures opening their mouths wiiiiiiiiiide and jostling amongst themselves for every bit of the food.

The natural lake inside the park

Hundreds and hundreds of huge, hungry catfish in the lake

The catfish gobbling up the little treats that visitors offer to them

The garden has a football court, volleyball ground, kabaddi ground and a 1,000-seater amphitheatre, though most of these are still under construction. What’s more, it has ample parking space and free entry.

We loved the park at first sight, and since our first visit a few months ago, it has become one of our favourite go-to spots in the city.

Did you enjoy touring the place with me?