The Jayaprakash Narayan Biodiversity Park, popularly known as JP Park, was opened in 2006 by the Chief Minister of the state of Karnataka, H.D.Kumaraswamy. The foundation stone was laid by a previous Chief Minister, Ramakrishna Hegde, but development was delayed and it was more than a decade before the project was completed.

The park boasts of 20,000 varieties of plant species, 60,000 flowering plants and shrubs and 5,000 medicinal herbs. The park has three grooves called Pavithra Vana, which will have mini grooves called Nakshatra Vana, Rashi Vana and Navagraha Vana. Apparently, each star in the zodiac constellation has a particular plant/tree ascribed to it. The groove would have plants of every star, rashi, planted. In the deepest corner however, was a school of full grown and vivacious Indian Magur fish, fighting for the grains of food thrown at them by children. The park also had some winged visitors with the common myna, white cranes, snowy egrets etc. being a common sight.

The park administration has left no stone unturned in adding attractive structures and concepts to this park.  From pretty Gazebos, to a stone park, bamboo garden to life size dolls of farmers, labourers and cattle, all in keeping with Jaya Prakash Narayan’s ideology.

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