Yadavindra Gardens

Garden in Pinjore, Haryana, India

Yadavindra Gardens, also known as Pinjore Gardens, is a historic 17th century garden located in Pinjore city of Panchkula district in the Indian state of Haryana. Panchkula city is nearby it. It is an example of the Mughal gardens architectural style, which was renovated by the Patiala dynasty Sikh rulers. The garden was built by Fidai Khan.

The garden in the city of Pinjore on the Ambala Shimla road, near the ancient 8th century open air archaeological museum site of Bhima Devi TempleComplex, is from Chandigarh, from UNESCO World Heritage Kalka–Shimla Railway and from Delhi. It is approachable by road, rail and air from all parts of the country.

It was built in the foothills of Himalayas as one of the Mughal gardens summer retreat for the Aurangzeb (r. 1658–1707), who then had his capital at Lahore, by his foster brother and architect Muzaffar Hussain. He was known as Nawab Fidai Khan Koka and was also Aurangzeb's master of ordnance. He had also supervised the construction of Badshahi Mosque (1671–73) of Lahore. It was built during the early days of Aurangzeb's rule but the accurate date is not known. Since the time of Shah Jahan, mughals reserved the pavilions with Balustered columns supporting the cusped arches only for the use of emperor and his immediate family, hence, it was likely built for Aurangzeb's personal use as summer retreat. In 1775, the Maharaja of Patiala Amar Singh bought it from the King of Sirmur State Jagat Prakash. English author painter C. M. Villiers Stuart, who resided in the gardens for a time, included a description in her book on "Gardens of the Great Mughals" (1913). She wrote:

"A quaint story still survives, how, when at length the work was finished, and Fadai came in state to spend his first summer there, his enjoyment of the garden and its beauties was short lived; for the Rajas quickly frightened him away. In the districts round Pinjor, and in fact all along the foot of the Himalayas, occasional cases of goitre are to be seen; so from far and wide these poor people were collected by the wily Brahmins, and produced as the ordinary inhabitants of the place. The gardeners all suffered from goitre; every coolie had this dreadful complaint; even the countrywomen carrying up the big flat baskets of fruits and flowers to the zenana terraces were equally disfigured. The ladies of the harem naturally were horrified; it was bad enough to be brought into these wild outlandish jungles, without this new and added terror. For the poor coolie women, well instructed beforehand, had told how the air and water of Pinjor caused this disease, which no one who lived there long ever escaped. A panic reigned in the zenana; its inmates implored to be removed at once from such a danger; and finally, Fadai Khan had to give way, and take his ladies to some other place less threatening to their beauty. Had it been the terrible Emperor himself instead of his foster brother, the cunning Rajas would have met their match. But Fadai Khan, thoroughly deceived, rarely came back to visit his lovely gardens, and the Rajas and their fields were left in peace for a time." This stratagem led to the abandonment of the garden by Mughals. Part of the walled outer enclosure of the abandoned garden was demolished in 1793 to build a road. The garden, covered with wild overgrowth, came under the territory ruled by the Maharaja of Patiala during the 19th century British Raj, who used the garden terraces to grow roses for making attar perfume for the maharaja. The Maharaja Yadavindra Singh (1914–74) of the princely state of Patiala restored the garden to its former splendour. In recent times, it has been renamed as Yadavindra Garden in his memory, used as a setting for filming Bollywood movies.

Built in a similar style to Shalimar Bagh in Kashmir, the garden has been laid in seven terraces, with the main gate of the garden opening into the highest first terrace, which has a palace built in Rajasthani–Mughal style. Punjab Agricultural University (Ludhiana), and Indian Agricultural Research Institute (Modipuram, UP). The popular varieties in the competition are Alphonso, Amrapali, Chaunsa, Dasheri, Langra, Malda, Malika, Ramkela pickle variety, Ratol, Totapuri and many more. haryana Kesari (for entries from Haryana), Hind Kesari (for entries from other parts of India) and Aam Kesari (for entries any part of the world) titles are awarded with winners shield and certificate. A splash of festivities and colours of Harynavi cultural extravaganza make this event far more popular, this attracting mango enthusiasts from all spheres of life. During the day students from different schools perform various competitive cultural programs, such as dance, music, rangoli, etc. In the evening, artistes from the North Zone Cultural Centre present a colourful cultural programme of folk songs and dances, such as Haryanvi music and dance, Punjabi music, Folk dances of Punjab, Himachali folk dances and Indian classical dance.

Pinjore Heritage Festival, a two day winter festival held every year in the last week of December, showcases exquisite cultural heritage of the state and region with cultural performances, dance and music competitions, craft bazar, food court and evening performances. The garden is decorated with lights, cutouts, platforms, decorated gates and illuminations.