Prez opens 'Nakshatra Vatika' at Rashtrapati Nilayam

A 'Nakshatra Vatika', decorated with plants representing various stars, was today opened by President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Nilayam Gardens here.
The garden, which was opened through the planting of an Ashoka sapling, will in total comprise 27 plants. It will be completed in six months' time.
A Herbal Garden already exists at the Nilayam Gardens and the 'Nakshatra Vatika' will be the second specialised garden within the complex, according to a release from Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The Presidential residence in the national capital has within its premises Nakshatra, Herbal, Cactus, Spiritual and Bonsai Gardens apart from the famous Mughal Gardens with its large collection of roses.

According to Hindu astrology, every human being belongs to one of 27 stars (Nakshatras) marking the 27 or 28 divisions of the sky which the moon crosses during its monthly cycle.
Each Nakshtra is identified by its prominent stars and associated with a zodiac sign. It is believed that each constellation of the zodiac is associated with a tree.

The 27 Nakshatras and nine planets correspond to each other and each constellation of the zodiac is associated with a tree.
"These trees are of high medicinal, social, aesthetic and economic value," the release added.
The plants include poison nut, amla, fig, jamoon, bamboo, peepal, banyan, wild mango, elephant apple, pine, black dammar, sita asoka, kadamba, neem, mango and ippe.