WATCH: Visitors enter the pond at Sunder Nursery, treat it like swimming pool amid rains; Instagram video goes viral

Hindustan Times

3 days ago

You've probably seen it by now — a viral video on Instagram of visitors gleefully splashing around in the pond at Delhi's iconic picnic spot, Sunder Nursery. This effectively turned the tranquil heritage park into a makeshift swimming pool. Kids diving in, adults cheering, and the serenity of centuries-old Mughal landscaping completely drowned in the chaos. A screengrab (inset) of visitors entering and splashing about in the heritage pond of Delhi's Sunder Nursery. (Photo: Sanchit Khanna/HT; Screengrab: Instagram/ayyanjaved_1820)
It all came to light when Ayyan Javed, Instagram user and Delhi University alumnus shared the video on the social media platform. It was past sunset, as someone in the background can be heard saying, 'Yahan dekho — idhar paani kam hai, log zyaada hain!'
The captioned of the post reads, 'SWIMMING POOL IN SUNDER NURSERY 🤓 Note : just to give awareness regarding to keep the place clean and pretty dont mess way to deep 💐'
Since being posted on June 30 (Monday), it has garnered over 325k views, 4.5k likes, 388 comments, and 25.3k shares. Watch the video Let's be clear
Sunder Nursery isn't some farmhouse party venue or a neighbourhood tub. It's one of the capital's most cherished green lungs, a UNESCO-adjacent haven of art, biodiversity, and history. And yet, here we are, watching it turn into a #summerfun backdrop for social media clout.
The caption of the viral post tries to pass off the video as 'awareness' — but dunking into a historical water body isn't a lesson in civic sense. It's the reason why we can't have nice things.
While some Instagram users simply commented 'jaahil log', others elaborated on why it's a problem: 'Adults acting like toddlers is literally Jaahiliyat on peak😑😑👎🏻👎🏻Now the ticket price will increase & restrictions too📈📈 Dilli ke logon ko free ki cheez or saaf jagah ki qadr nhi hoti‼️🤡'
Another wrote, 'This is exactly why tickets are mandatory, to maintain discipline and preserve such beautiful spaces. Sadly, there's still a lack of awareness among people. While security is present, it ultimately comes down to individuals being responsible and respectful towards public spaces like Sundar Nursery. We all need to understand the purpose of these places and use them mindfully.'
One user rued, 'Civic sense zero, individual responsibility in negative numbers! And when things go wrong or something is bad! blame government! Wow mere deshvaasiyon.' Where do we go from here?
Many have pointed out the obvious: if such misuse continues, the authorities will clamp down with new restrictions — stricter entry rules, maybe even closures.
And the people who suffer won't be the ones chasing views. It'll be the regulars — quiet reading club members, kids out on picnics, youngsters on dates, and families who come to breathe in a cleaner Delhi for a few hours.
Sunder Nursery is not a swimming pool or an amusement park. It's not even just a park. It's a living, breathing piece of the city's cultural fabric. Let's start treating it with the respect that it deserves. For more, follow @htcity.delhijunction