The Sanjay Gandhi National Park, popularly called the Borivili Park because of its proximity to the Mumbai
suburb, rises from an elevation of less than 30 mts. The
highlights of the Park are the several animal species like
the Hyena, Four-horned Antelope, Panther, Deer, Leopard
along with plenty avifauna, making it a birdwatcher's
paradise with over 274 species. Notified in 1974, the
Park's forest is a miraculously preserved dry and moist
deciduous woodland with streams that meander through
rugged slopes. Housed within the Park area are the Tulsi
and Vihar Lakes and the Kanheri Caves, 109 Buddhist caves
chiseled out of the volcanic rock dating back to the first
century B.C. The Park also has a Lion Safari Park
surrounded by a 6.5 mt high fence, housing the mighty
Lion. There is also the Crocodile Park where reptiles of
different sizes can be viewed. Another attraction is a
mini train that takes visitors on a 15-min ride along the
hills of the famed Gandhi memorial and passes over the
Deer Park.Hikers can also look forward to the Park with
its many trails, the most popular being the Ashok Van
Trail that winds through the thick forest to a dense
cluster of Ashoka trees. The Gaumukh Trail moves to an
open space of volcanic rock and the Kanheri Caves, while
View Point is the most taxing option up to the highest
point in the Park at about 490 mts.
LOCATION
Sanjay Gandhi National Park is located in Borivali, east
of the Thane district, at distance of 40 km north
from Mumbai. The park extends from the latitude 190°21' in
the North to the longitude 720°58' in the East. Mumbai is
the largest metropolis in India and located on the
Arabian Sea in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The
city is well connected to all parts of the county by air,
rail and road networks. Mumbai also has the highest number
of international flight connections in India.
CLIMATE
The climate of the park is pleasant during winter
(November-March) and hot during summer. The temperature is
on the rise from the month of March until the monsoons
break here in mid-June, and goes on till September.
October offers relief from the humidity and heat.
ATTRACTIONS
Flora
T
he forest cover in the park can be divided into two main
categories i.e. South Indian moist deciduous and Semi
Evergreen. These two types can be further classified into
four subcategories and they are moist teak-bearing forest,
mangrove scrub, southern moist mixed deciduous forest, and
western subtropical hill forest. The region has good
biodiversity and major trees and plants include kadamba,
teak, karanj, shisam, and species of acacia, ziziphus,
euphorbia, flame of the forest, red silk cotton and many
more varieties of flowers. During the monsoon, almost the
entire park is awash with the rainbow hues of the flowers
that bloom here and all over the Western Ghats.
Avifauna
The Sanjay Gandhi National Park is a paradise for the bird
watchers of Mumbai. Despite receiving the highest number
of visitors, the park has a large number of bird species
like jungle owlets, golden orioles, racket-tailed drongos,
minivets, magpies, robins, hornbills, bulbuls, sunbirds,
peacock, and woodpeckers. At many times, migratory and
resident birds like paradise flycatcher, kingfisher,
mynas, drongos, swifts, gulls, egrets, and herons have
also been seen here.
In total 251 species of birds have been
seen here according to the wildlife experts that include
water and land birds.
Wildlife
The park is known to sheltering wildlife right from the
time urbanization began in Mumbai. One can have encounters
with several of the species including spotted deer, black
naped hare, barking deer, porcupine, palm civet, mouse
deer, rhesus macaque, bounet macaque, Hanuman langur,
Indian flying fox, and sambhar.
One is surprised by the density of leopards in this park
despite its nearness to an urban settlement. One can also
encounter here a hyena or four horned antelope. Reptiles
have also made this park their habitat and one can see
crocodiles in the Tulsi Lake, and pythons, cobras, monitor
lizards, Russell's viper, bamboo pit viper and Ceylonese
cat snake here.
Kanheri
Caves
Kanheri or Kanhasela, as the two
inscriptions from the place have named it, is the biggest
Buddhist monastic establishment on the Konkan coast. It is
situated in the heart of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park
and is one of the better-known sites in Mumbai.
The architectural activity at Kanheri
began three centuries before Christ-almost immediately
after the introduction of Buddhism in this region. The
first simple caves were excavated during the reign of the
Satvahana kings who came to the fore after the
disintegration of the Mauryan Empire in India. In the
earliest period the caves were meant to shelter wandering
monks during the rainy season. At this time, vault-roofed
chaitya griha were in vogue. From the 1st century AD, the
caves appear to have been in occupation throughout the
year. The monks were provided with cells with stone
benches to sleep, along with accessories like a large
number of cisterns, refectories and even bathing
facilities. Food, medicine and clothing appear to have
been stored here. The huge chaitya griha is believed to
have been added during the reign of Gautamiputra Satakarni
(AD 106-130). Unprecedented in dimension and beauty and
the first of its kind on the Konkan coast, it began to
attract numerous monks and laymen alike. A large number of
donations appear to have been made by citizens, traders,
royal women, even foreigners (yavanas) from nearby cities
like Kalyan, Sopara and Thane.
However, the later part of the 3rd
century AD was the most active period for the Kanheri
establishment with numerous cells being added. There are
suggestions of it being a school, with 60 to 70 monks in
residence and had dining rooms with a capacity of catering
to 120 diners.
An unusual feature at Kanheri is the
number of open benches cut into rocks and benches in the
verandahs or frontcourts of almost all the caves.
PLACES
NEARBY
The Sanjay Gandhi National Park is a part of Greater
Mumbai and Mumbai is one of the largest metropolises in
the world and definitely the largest in India. The main
highlights of the city are the Gateway of India, Prince of
Wales Museum, Elephanta Island, Flora Fountain, Haji Ali's
Tomb, Kamla Nehru Park, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus,
Nehru Planetarium, Nehru Science Centre, and Marine Drive.
REACHING
THERE
By Air :The
nearest airport is Santa Cruz at a distance of 16 km for
domestic air travel. This airport is connected to almost
all the major Indian cities with regular flights.
The nearest international airport is
Sahar at a distance of around 20 km from the park.
By Rail
: Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) at a distance of
40 km is the nearest railway hub connected to almost all
the parts of India by regular trains. Borivali Station is
the nearest railway station connected to Mumbai CST and
Mumbai Central Railway terminuses.
By Road
: The park is connected to all parts of Mumbai and
other places in Maharashtra with very good road
connections. Buses ply on Sunday's and holiday's from
Mumbai to the Park. Chartered vehicles are available to
the park on all days from Mumbai.
STAYING
THERE
Four rest houses and two camp sheds are available within
the park area for the visitors to reside. One can contact
the wildlife authorities for bookings daily from 10.00 am
to 5.00 pm.
