HYDERABAD: Soon, Hyderabad will boast of 17 Panchatatva Parks which are based on the five elements (Panchabhutas) —Prithvi (earth), Jal (water), Vayu (air), Agni (fire) and Aakash (sky).
While each of these five elements has its own properties, the parks would also have acupressure walkways. Called the ‘Panchatatva Walk’, it is a circular track made of eight components — 20-mm stone, 10-mm stone, 6-mm chips, river stone, rough sand, tree bark, black soil and water. The walkway will have hard and painful surfaces to smooth and relaxing patches, which not only improve blood circulation but also help cure many ailments.
The 17 Panchatatva Parks are coming up at JVR Park, Chacha Nehru Park, KBR Park, Butterfly Park, Dew Drop Colony, AHPB Colony, Dwaraka Colony (Gajularamaram), Krishna Kanth Park, Sainikpuri Park, Kakatiya Nagar, NGO Park, Teegala Krishna Reddy Colony, Chitra Layout, Alkapuri, Indira Park, Imliban Park and Kishan Bagh Park.The parks at Indira Park, Krishna Kant Park and Kakatiyanagar Park have been completed and are ready to be inaugurated, while the others would be ready soon.
The Additional Commissioner of GHMC’s Urban Biodiversity Wing, V Krishna, explained to Express how the Panchatatva Walk concept works. One would go through three stages of walking barefoot. The first stage is to walk on small-sized metal stones followed by smoother river stones. The next is on rough sand followed by small chopped wooden pieces. The third is on fine sand and ordinary fine red soil followed by soft black cotton soil. Finally, one steps into water.
The parks are being designed with an inner circle which has a walking track around it. The track is divided into eight equal parts and is filled with the components mentioned above.
The Panchatatva Walk would benefit senior citizens, and people suffering from knee and joint pains. It can help control insomnia, improve eyesight and the nervous system, and boost immunity.