At the 60-acre campus of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), its Vice-Chancellor Lt Gen (retd) Madhuri Kanitkar prefers to forgo the official vehicle and drive around in a battery-operated golf cart, styled like a Rolls-Royce, to see how the same spaces are being creatively reimagined and put to new use.
From a Goan shack-themed university canteen adorned with hanging, well-lit tokris, an open-air gym, and a Five Senses Garden — a space that was transformed after clearing the waste and constructing an Army-style water-bound macadam (WBM) road — the MUHS campus in Nashik reflects innovative thinking and eco-friendly development.
The V-C, who completes her tenure mid-October after having taken charge in 2021, recalled how the area, filled with dense overgrowth, was transformed bit by bit over time into a sensory garden.
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The MUHS campus in Nashik reflects innovative thinking and eco-friendly development. (Express Photo by Arul Horizon)
Reimagining the campus
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the campus had become overgrown and at times the ghanta gaadi (garbage truck) did not stop by regularly. While the waste had to be removed, roads were constructed.
“In the Army, we use WBM roads, a road construction method where crushed stone aggregates are mechanically interlocked by rolling, then bound together with binding material and water. So this WBM road was created, old non-solar lights were reused, and the sensory garden ‘Samvedna’ was developed around a stone quarry that was converted into a lake,” Kanitkar said.
A large jutting rock reminded the V-C of a tongue, inspiring the mouth and tongue section of the garden. The ‘taste’ garden was planted over three years, featuring trees like custard apple, Indian gooseberry, sweet lime, and others. Rainwater harvesting trenches were created using JCB and road rollers, and a ‘smell’ garden with a large nose sculpture now has the intoxicating fragrance of jasmine.
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A ‘smell’ garden was created with a large nose sculpture, which now has the intoxicating fragrance of jasmine. (Express Photo by Arul Horizon)
In the ‘hearing’ section, the gentle rustling of leaves and chorus of crickets create a soothing natural soundtrack. Visually, the garden comes alive with the vibrant colours of the rainbow, especially in the evening hours, giving the entire space a serene, resort-like ambience.
Since a leopard was once spotted at the varsity’s guest house, the walls were raised for safety, and dirty pits at the lowest points were transformed into lotus ponds. Even the natural rock face was also utilised for some fun activities. “Students visiting the garden can enjoy activities like rappelling and rock climbing, apart from boating over the weekends,” Kanitkar added.
In the ‘hearing’ section, the gentle rustling of leaves and chorus of crickets create a soothing natural soundtrack. (Express Photo by Arul Horizon)
Promoting sustainability, wellness
The entire makeover project is based on the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle, with minimal funding and a very minimalist approach. University employees take daily walks here to keep fit, inspired by the V-C and her husband Lt Gen (retd) Rajeev Kanitkar, an armoured corps officer who retired as the Army’s Quartermaster General in 2017.
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The V-C recalled how the garden evolved without a master plan. “The workforce included ten daily wage workers contracted through the engineering department to help build terraces and platforms using local stones without buying new ones,” Lt Gen Kanitkar said.
Visually, the garden comes alive with the vibrant colours of the rainbow, especially in the evening hours, giving the entire space a serene, resort-like ambience. (Express Photo by Arul Horizon)
While more beautification and construction works are underway, among the other highlights at the institution include a vibrant, peacock-themed main building, barcoded trees for educational use, a tranquil yoga hut and an Arogya Manav sculpture receiving its final touches at the university entrance and set to be inaugurated in September.
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