Chira campus tour
What is Chira?
Chira stone, also known as laterite or jambha stone, is a reddish, porous, naturally occurring building block formed from weathered iron and aluminum-rich rocks. It is widely used in coastal and tropical regions of India like Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka for load-bearing walls, compound walls, and rustic architecture
Living fossils:
What are living fossils-
A living fossil is a living plant or animal that looks almost the same as its ancient ancestors from millions of years ago.
Types of trees in chira meadows
STARFRUIT TREE
The botanical name for starfruit is Averrhoa carambola. It belongs to the family Oxalidaceae.
Star fruit originated in tropical Southeast Asia, specifically the region encompassing the Malayan archipelago, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. Because it has been cultivated since ancient times, finding true wild trees is rare, making its exact localized native spot difficult to pinpoint
Star fruit, also called carambola, is a juicy tropical fruit with 5 to 6 ridges that forms a star shape when sliced. It is native to tropical Southeast Asia and India, and has a crisp, juicy texture with a sweet-tart flavour
TAMALPATRA/ DALCHINI
The botanical name of tamalpatra is [Cinnamomum tamala] commonly known as the Indian bay leaf or tejpat. It belongs to the family Lauraceae
ORIGIN- Tamalpatra (Indian bay leaf) originates from the mountainous regions of northern India and the Himalayan foothills. Botanically named Cinnamomum tamala, it belongs to the Lauraceae family and is native to a broad belt stretching across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and parts of Southwest China
Tamalpatra is the Indian bay leaf (or tejpatta), an aromatic leaf from the Cinnamomum tamala tree used widely in cooking and traditional healing. It differs from the Mediterranean bay leaf by having three distinct veins along the leaf and a strong smell and taste like cinnamon and cloves
MIRI PLANT
The botanical name of miri (black pepper) is Piper nigrum
ORIGIN- The miri plant (known as black pepper or Piper nigrum) is native to the Western Ghats of India, specifically the Malabar Coast (which is present-day Kerala).
The miri plant, or kali miri plant, is the black pepper vine (Piper nigrum), famous for producing the world-common pungent spice. It is a climbing woody perennial native to South India.
SUPARI TREE
scientifically known as Areca catechu
ORIGIN- The supari plant (Areca catechu), also known as the betel nut palm, originates from tropical South and Southeast Asia, including regions like Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
The supari tree, is a slender, tall palm tree that produces the areca nut, widely known as the betel nut or supari. It is native to tropical Asia and heavily cultivated for its economically and culturally significant seeds.
COCONUT TREE
scientifically named Cocos nucifera
ORIGIN- The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) originated in the coastal regions of the Indo-Pacific, with primary genetic and archaeological evidence pointing to two distinct historical origins: South Asia (the Indian Ocean sector) and Southeast Asia (Malesia)
A coconut tree, is a large palm tree known for its tall, slender trunk, large feather-like leaves, and versatile hard-shelled fruit. It is the only living species in the genus Cocos and belongs to the family Arecaceae.
BHERLI PALM
scientifically called as Caryota urens
ORIGIN- The Bherli palm (scientifically known as Caryota urens) is native to the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, including countries like India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Malaysia.
The bherli palm—known locally in Marathi as bherli-maad (भेरली माड)—is a large, fast-growing evergreen palm tree native to India, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar, famous for its unique fish-tail-shaped leaves and its use in making toddy and jaggery
FOX TAIL PALM
Scientific Name: Wodyetia bifurcate,
ORIGIN- The foxtail palm (Wodyetian bifurcata) originates from the remote, rocky Cape Melville region of Queensland, Australia
The foxtail palm is a striking tropical tree known for its bushy, fluffy fronds that look like a fox's tail, its smooth gray trunk, and bright green crown shaft. Native to Queensland, Australia, it grows up to 30 feet tall and produces large oval red-orange fruits
INSULIN PLANT
The botanical name for the insulin plant is Chamaecostus cuspidatus
ORIGIN- The insulin plant is native to South and Central America, specifically eastern Brazil. Botanically known as [Chamaecostus cuspidatus] (synonym Costus igneus or Costus pictus), it belongs to the family Costaceae.
The insulin plant is a leafy medicinal herb famous for its ability to lower blood sugar levels. It is widely grown in home gardens across India and used in traditional medicine to help manage diabetes
BANANA
The scientific name for the banana genus is Musa
ORIGIN- Banana plants originated in the tropical regions of Southeast Asia and northern Australia, with initial domestication occurring in Papua New Guinea at least 6,500 to 10,000 years ago. Nearly all modern edible varieties descend from two wild ancestors, Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana
A banana plant is a large herbaceous flowering plant (a giant herb), not a tree. Even though it looks like a tall tree, it does not have a hard, woody trunk
Flowers planted in chira meadows
PARIJAT
The scientific name of the parijat tree is Nyctanthes arbor-tristis
ORIGIN- The origin of the Parijat (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis) spans both botanical facts and Hindu mythology, where it is known as a celestial tree. Botanically, it is native to South Asia and Southeast Asia
The Parijat tree also known as night-flowering jasmine or Harsingar, is a sacred and ornamental shrub native to South Asia. It features fragrant white petals with bright orange-red centers that bloom at night and fall to the ground by morning
TAGAR
The botanical name for tagar depends on the plant context, referring primarily to Valeriana wallichii (also known as Valeriana jatamansi) in Ayurvedic medicine, or Tabernaemontana divaricata for the common ornamental garden shrub.
ORIGIN- Native to the temperate regions of the Himalayas (from Kashmir to Bhutan) and the Khasia hills
In English, the medicinal herb Tagar is called Indian Valerian, while the popular ornamental garden shrub with white flowers is known as Crape Jasmine or Pinwheel Flower
MOGRA
The botanical name of mogra is Jasminum sambac, commonly known as Arabian jasmine.
ORIGIN- Mogra (Jasminum sambac), also known as Arabian Jasmine, originates from tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia, specifically regions including India, Bhutan, and neighboring tropical areas. Despite its common English name, the plant is native to Asia rather than Arabia.
Mogra means Arabian Jasmine (Jasminum sambac), a popular and highly fragrant white flower native to South Asia. It represents purity, divine love, and traditional devotion
JAI
The Jai flower is called Arabian Jasmine or Common Jasmine in English. Its scientific name is [Jasminum sambac or Jasminum officinale].
ORIGIN- The Jai plant (commonly known as Jasminum auriculatum or Indian Jasmine/Juhi) is native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, including India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Andaman Islands
The Jai flower is a type of sweet-smelling white jasmine (Jasminum auriculatum), also widely known as Juhi. It is a small climbing shrub famed for its rich, soothing scent and use in traditional Indian garlands and prayers.
CHAFA(white)
Devchafa / Pandhra Chafa (Frangipani): Scientifically known as Plumeria, bearing smooth, waxy white or pink petals with a yellow center
ORIGIN- White Chafa (scientifically known as [Plumeria alba] or white frangipani) originates from the tropical and subtropical regions of Central America, the Caribbean (including Puerto Rico and the Lesser Antilles), and South America
The chafa flower is a regional Marathi and Konkani name for highly fragrant tropical and subtropical blossoms, most commonly referring to Frangipani (Plumeria) or Champak (Magnolia champaca).
Convergence hall
Why is our conference hall called as convergence hall?
Two people starting with different thoughts but ending up with the same opinion
Kanhoji Angre hall
Why is our hall called Kanhoji Angre hall?
Kanhoji Angre (1669–1729) was the legendary Sarkhel (Admiral) of the Maratha Navy who dominated the Konkan coast of India. He successfully fought against British, Portuguese, and Dutch colonial powers
Remained undefeated in naval battles throughout his career, forcing European powers to respect Maratha naval power and purchase sea passes
He was of Konkan and we have dedicated our hall to his memory
Samai
One unique handmade samai in our collection is with the base theme in indian mythology. It depicts goddess laxmi sitting atop her daitya or demon followers who in turn are seen riding their mounts, the dukkar or wild pigs. This is a special samai, it’s one of 3 in the entire world, done entirely by hand by a renouned artist and impossible to replicate