Margaret Alva, Governor of Rajasthan formally inaugurated the Herbal Park at Shilpgram today on the first day of her four day visit to the city. She also visited Saheliyon ki Bari.

The Herbal Park, started a year ago, has 50 plant species each with a unique medicinal property.

Margaret Alva did a lot of shopping from the shops of craftsmen after reaching Shilpgram at 5:45 in the evening and watched a tribal dance and a puppet show. She especially adored the Leheriya saaris, native to Rajasthan.

Prior to her visit to Shilpgram, Alva went to Saheliyon ki Bari on a personal visit at 4 pm, where she toured the entire garden with her husband in a golf cart. “I have seen a lot of gardens at a lot of places but never such a conceptual garden,” Alva said about Saheliyon ki Bari.

Earlier in the day, she was given a warm welcome by top administrative officers at the Maharana Pratap Airport upon her arrival this morning at 11. She is accompanied by her husband, Niranjan Alva.

Alva was received by Dr. Subodh Kumar Agrawal, Divisional Commissioner; Hemant Gera, District Collector; T.C. Damor, Inspector General of Police; Shailendra Dashora, Director WZCC; Furqan Khan, Addl. Director WZCC; Madhu Mehta, District Head; Rajni Dangi, UMC Chairperson and O.P. Gill, Vice Chancellor of MPUAT.

From the airport, the caravan of the Governor, amid tight security reached Circuit House where The Guard of Honor was given to Alva. She updated herself on the rainfall and the state of lakes of Udaipur from the District Collector and the Regional Commissioner.

In her four day visit to Udaipur, Margaret Alva will head a joint meeting of the Governing Body and Executive Board of the West Zone Cultural Center at Anand Bhawan tomorrow on 19^th July at 11am. An Inspection of the Literature Academy at 5:50 pm on the same day is also in her schedule.

Photos By: Sayeed Ahmed