Sanjay Gandhi National Park: An Escapade into Nature and Wildlife
The trouble with the world is that we work hard to live a better life, but in the pursuit, we disconnect with the little and beautiful nuisances of nature. Set to work and glued to a mechanized life, we rarely get out of the cocoon within which the days of our life get stuck to. However, it is not forever difficult to get out of the cocoon to see what is happening in the other unseen world. There are many destinations where you can head to in order to bring yourself close to the finest features of nature and share your time with the silent, yet communicative beings. One among such destinations is the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Maharashtra.
Location
Sanjay Gandhi National Park, earlier known as Borivali National Park, is located in Borivali, a suburb of Mumbai.
History
The area occupied by the park is home to Kanheri Caves, which served as a learning centre of people following Buddhism. These caves have been traced back to the 1st century, which implies that century before the concept of a government run national park was born; the area was serving as a habitat to several residents and wildlife in the vicinity.
Before India became independent, the park was known as the “Krishnagiri National Park”. Spread across an area of 20.26 square kilometres, the park went under expansion as the authorities administering the area acquired and merged the neighboring area, increasing the size of the park to 104 square kilometres.
The authorities named the park at Borivali National Park and continued to use this name until 1981, when Sanjay Gandhi, son of Indira Gandhi, lost his life in an air-crash. The park was dedicated to him and was renamed in the same year. The park has since been one of the most visited national parks of Asia, clocking around 2 million visitors on an annual basis.
Geography
The park is spread in the hilly areas of the suburb and touches several important parts of the city through its boundaries. The highest elevated surface of the park stands 480 metres tall, while the lowest elevation is measured 30 metres tall.
There are two lakes inside the park named Tulsi Lake and Vihar Lake. The greenery of the park is a boon to the town, as it aids in purifying the much polluted air of India’s commercial capital.
What to See
The national park is the habitat of several species of plants and animals. Many of these are endangered species. There are around 1000 species of plants, 40 species of mammals, 251 species of birds, 9 species of amphibians, 150 species of butterflies, 50,000 species of insects as well as many varieties of fish. The flora is dominated by Kadamba, Sesame, Karanj, Teak and flowering plants such as Karvi, red silk cotton, etc.
The mammals of the park include Chital, Muntjac, Bonnet Macaque, Asian Palm Civet, Indian Hare, leopard, hyena, etc. The reptiles found in the park include crocodiles, monitor lizards, cobras, pythons etc. Some beautiful and eye-popping species of butterflies can be spotted in the park. The beauty and lively essence of the park is further enhanced by the presence of birds including bulbuls, peacocks, minivets, kingfishers, hornbills, woodpeckers, robins and several other resident and migratory birds.
The flower of Karvi plant blooms once in a span of eight years and with these lavender colored flowers, much of the forest looks like it has been covered with a velvety blanket. A major attraction of the park is the Kanheri Caves. One of the earliest rock-cut caves of the Indian subcontinent, these are located inside the park and are surrounded by green forests. The caves were a learning centre for Buddhism followers and the detailed and beautiful carving of Buddha and Bodhisattvas inside the caves further enhance the beauty of this place.
The Krishnagiri Upavan area of the park is dedicated as a recreation zone for the visitors. Visitors can also go for rock climbing and hiking inside the park. Visitors must also see the Trimurti Jain Temple inside the park. Dedicated to Lord Adinatha and his two sons, this temple is frequented by the people belonging to Digambar sect.
Best Time to Visit
The sanctuary remains open from 09:00 a.m. to 05:30 p.m. The first session of the jungle safari begins at 09:00 a.m. and goes on till 01:00 p.m. The second session begins by 2:20 p.m. and goes on till 05:20 p.m. Visitors have to pay a certain fee for entrance, accessing the walking trails, caves, safari and boating facility at the park.
How to Reach
The entrance to the park is located at a distance of approximately one kilometre from the Borivali station. Borivali is one of the busiest junctions of the town and is easily accessible through local trains. Mumbai enjoys excellent connectivity with all the towns in the state, other states of India and foreign countries through an international airport. The international airport of Mumbai is located at a distance of around 18 kilometres from the park.
Location
Sanjay Gandhi National Park, earlier known as Borivali National Park, is located in Borivali, a suburb of Mumbai.
History
The area occupied by the park is home to Kanheri Caves, which served as a learning centre of people following Buddhism. These caves have been traced back to the 1st century, which implies that century before the concept of a government run national park was born; the area was serving as a habitat to several residents and wildlife in the vicinity.
Before India became independent, the park was known as the “Krishnagiri National Park”. Spread across an area of 20.26 square kilometres, the park went under expansion as the authorities administering the area acquired and merged the neighboring area, increasing the size of the park to 104 square kilometres.
The authorities named the park at Borivali National Park and continued to use this name until 1981, when Sanjay Gandhi, son of Indira Gandhi, lost his life in an air-crash. The park was dedicated to him and was renamed in the same year. The park has since been one of the most visited national parks of Asia, clocking around 2 million visitors on an annual basis.
Geography
The park is spread in the hilly areas of the suburb and touches several important parts of the city through its boundaries. The highest elevated surface of the park stands 480 metres tall, while the lowest elevation is measured 30 metres tall.
There are two lakes inside the park named Tulsi Lake and Vihar Lake. The greenery of the park is a boon to the town, as it aids in purifying the much polluted air of India’s commercial capital.
What to See
The national park is the habitat of several species of plants and animals. Many of these are endangered species. There are around 1000 species of plants, 40 species of mammals, 251 species of birds, 9 species of amphibians, 150 species of butterflies, 50,000 species of insects as well as many varieties of fish. The flora is dominated by Kadamba, Sesame, Karanj, Teak and flowering plants such as Karvi, red silk cotton, etc.
The mammals of the park include Chital, Muntjac, Bonnet Macaque, Asian Palm Civet, Indian Hare, leopard, hyena, etc. The reptiles found in the park include crocodiles, monitor lizards, cobras, pythons etc. Some beautiful and eye-popping species of butterflies can be spotted in the park. The beauty and lively essence of the park is further enhanced by the presence of birds including bulbuls, peacocks, minivets, kingfishers, hornbills, woodpeckers, robins and several other resident and migratory birds.
The flower of Karvi plant blooms once in a span of eight years and with these lavender colored flowers, much of the forest looks like it has been covered with a velvety blanket. A major attraction of the park is the Kanheri Caves. One of the earliest rock-cut caves of the Indian subcontinent, these are located inside the park and are surrounded by green forests. The caves were a learning centre for Buddhism followers and the detailed and beautiful carving of Buddha and Bodhisattvas inside the caves further enhance the beauty of this place.
The Krishnagiri Upavan area of the park is dedicated as a recreation zone for the visitors. Visitors can also go for rock climbing and hiking inside the park. Visitors must also see the Trimurti Jain Temple inside the park. Dedicated to Lord Adinatha and his two sons, this temple is frequented by the people belonging to Digambar sect.
Best Time to Visit
The sanctuary remains open from 09:00 a.m. to 05:30 p.m. The first session of the jungle safari begins at 09:00 a.m. and goes on till 01:00 p.m. The second session begins by 2:20 p.m. and goes on till 05:20 p.m. Visitors have to pay a certain fee for entrance, accessing the walking trails, caves, safari and boating facility at the park.
How to Reach
The entrance to the park is located at a distance of approximately one kilometre from the Borivali station. Borivali is one of the busiest junctions of the town and is easily accessible through local trains. Mumbai enjoys excellent connectivity with all the towns in the state, other states of India and foreign countries through an international airport. The international airport of Mumbai is located at a distance of around 18 kilometres from the park.
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