Human creations have often been subjected to duality following
the dual nature of the world that surrounds us. Matter and
energy, body and soul, physical and spiritual subsistence
have been the priorities while creating or developing any
entity. The city of Mumbai is one good example that substantiates
the assumption. The architectural structures of Mumbai stand
for materialistic development, the spiritual part left to
gardens and together the constitute the duality at par in
Mumbai.
In the landscape of Mumbai, dominated by giant structures
there are some spaces painted in rich green and very much
like a mesh. These rich green interwoven spaces represent
Mumbai gardens. The gardens of Mumbai as in imagination contain
trees which are tress in every sense, grass fields as green
as can be, flowers that represent all colors of the spectrum,
butterflies fluttering, bees buzzing and old people who have
seen most of the world. Kamala Nehru Park, Ferozeshah Mehta
Garden, Horniman Circle Garden are the forms in which they
exist in Mumbai. The gardens of Mumbai provide solace and
a time out from the hustle and bustle of city. The gardens
are well maintained and often greater contribution is from
the locals. Some gardens in Mumbai have special attraction
within their premises. Kamala Nehru Park has "Old Woman's
Shoe", Ferozeshah Mehta Gardens provide beautiful sunsets
and Horniman Circle Garden has Asiatic Library as prime attraction.
The gardens of Mumbai provide a healing touch and that is
the best part
Hanging Gardens
Also known as Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens, the Hanging Gardens
were built in 1880 and renovated in 1921. These gardens are
popularly known as Hanging Gardens, because of their location
on the slope of a hill. The terrace garden looks south from
Malabar Hill towards Colaba, and affords a panoramic view
of the city or a breathtaking sunset. It is built over three
reservoirs, which store 30 million gallons of water pumped
here for cleaning before being supplied to the town.
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Sanjay Gandhi
National Park
This large protected area of forested hills on Mumbai's
northern outskirts is best known for the 109 Kanheri
Caves which line the side of a rocky ravine in the centre
of the park. They were used by Buddhist monks between
the 2nd and 9th centuries as viharas (monasteries) and
chaityas (temples). The most impressive is cave 3, the
Great Chaitya Cave, which has a long colonnade of pillars
and a 5m (16ft) high dagoba (pagoda) at the back of
the cave. There's also a Lion Safari Park inside the
park.
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Kamala Nehru Park
At the top of Mumbai's Malabar Hill where the elite have built
their plush modern palaces is Kamala Nehru Park, the hangout
of the bourgeois middle class. It has little to offer by way
of entertainment, apart from a "Old Woman's Shoe"
relegated to a distant corner, but the view of the city is
spectacular and unmissable. For most Mumbaiites, Kamala Nehru
Park is to Mumbai what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris -- a vantage
point that casts a proud eye on the entire city.
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