Visitors at Agape Garden. Telegraph picture

Imphal, Nov. 24: An abode of peace, an oasis, a garden of Eden, wonderland — these are some of the observations made by visitors to Agape garden in Manipur’s Senapati district.

The visitors are not exaggerating. Set against a backdrop of blue hills, green valleys, waterfalls and meandering streams, the garden, developed on a hillslope at Ichum Kom in Sadar hills, 24km from here, is indeed an abode of peace for Manipuris tired of the endless cycle of violence and social unrest. “A nice place in strife-torn Manipur. An oasis in the desert,” wrote Anita, a student of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, who visited the garden with her colleagues on November 17.

Ranjita Khatri, a Class VIII student of V.M. Nazareth English High School, Gampizang, Senapati, was fascinated. “This is the greatest moment in my life. I love this place and want to be here among the flowers always,” she said, clicking away the blossoms on her cell phone.

People from all walks of life and age groups find the place enchanting, be it army officers, professionals or students. Families come here to soak in the peace and beauty enhanced by the surrounding Loiching hill range, the brook that meanders by and the hum of hill insects. Besides, good road connectivity makes it accessible. Today, the garden was alive with the laughter of a group of students as they roamed the place and took photographs. Members of Saikul, a self-help group, were also there.

Agape is not the only garden in the state but it has an advantage, as it is located next to Sadu Chiru waterfall, a popular tourist attraction. Whoever visits the waterfall makes it a point to visit the garden and vice-versa.

The garden derives its name from the Greek word Agape, meaning sacrifice for love. Its owner, Kamlun Telien Kom, 48, who hails from the locality, said, “I developed the garden because I wanted to do something for society and give people a place where they could forget their pain and suffering.”

He said Manipur was not a happy place to live in as it was rocked with disturbances all the time but people should work to make it a better place. “I want to give this advice to the younger generation with my deeds,” he added.

Kom plans to extend the garden from one to two hectares and develop a fountain and a children’s park inside it. He is a fine artist and knows how to design the garden. He also dreams of setting up a museum there as a tribute to the Kom community. “I want to collect and keep all the instruments, wares, clothing and weapons used by our forefathers in a museum. I don’t know whether I will be able to fulfil this dream in my lifetime,” he said, adding that the army had offered help to develop the garden.