THE GARDENS OF KANDAVAPRASTHA 235 



Almost everything Indian may be traced back 

 to the Mahabharata or Ramayana — if not further 

 still — and both these great epics show the national 

 Hindu feeling of close harmony with nature and 

 love for all created things. There are constant 

 references in these poems to flowers and gardens, 

 and a garden or forest grove forms the back- 

 ground in nearly every scene. As a rule these 

 landscape pictures are somewhat vague and 

 shadowy, but a description in the Mahabharata, 

 translated by Professor Joret in his book, Les 

 Plantes dans Vantiquite et au moyen age, of the 

 pleasure-grounds surrounding Kandavaprastha, 

 the capital of the Pandavas, is more definite. 

 The gardens were " ornamented in all seasons 

 with flowers and fruits." Among the various 

 trees and plants mentioned are the mango, asoka, 

 champaka, nag-champa, sal tree, palmyra tree, 

 skrew pine, bignonia, coral tree, and oleander. 

 All kinds of birds frequented the gardens, which 

 " re-echoed to the cry of the peacock and the 

 song of the kokila " — Indian cuckoo. " The 

 walls of the pavilions shone like mirrors. There 

 were numerous arbours covered by creepers, 

 charming artificial hillocks, lakes filled to the 

 brim with clear water, fish ponds carpeted with 



