Situated near Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum, Maharashtra Nature Park comes across as a breath of fresh air. Said to be the Green Lung of Mumbai, the Mahim Nature Park provides Mumbaikar a very pleasant escape from the pollution-ridden life of the city. Being fine abode to several species of flora and fauna, the park is visited mostly by nature lovers.

This educational park was the brainchild of Shanta Chatterji, a busy corporate lawyer and the chairperson of World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
The thought struck her in 1976. One day while passing through the Bandra-Kurla junction, she was struck by the different varieties of birds that flocked the creek. The awesome sight of those migratory birds did the needful. On further inquiry she realised that the area was host to 55 species of birds.

A peepal tree stands guard at the entrance of the park. “It is the life giving tree so it is at the entrance,” explains Chatterji. A few metres away is an area earmarked for medicinal plants found in various parts of India. It is awesome to see such a variety in one place. Further down there is an area where fruits and vegetables are grown.

A place has been earmarked for bird watchers near the creek from where they can watch the various species. The best time to watch the birds is the crack of sunset, when one can see them flocking together. One can also take a leisurely stroll on ‘Shantipath’, a walkway that runs through the entire length of the park.

Right in the centre of the park is a sun-shaped building, which houses amongst others an amphitheatre, a library, an audio-visual room, etc. Anyone can borrow books as well as audio-visual tapes for further reference. The audio-visual room is currently being set up. The building also boasts of a mural called the ‘web of life’, painted by the well-known painter from Delhi, Mr. Krishan Khanna. ‘The web of life’ has paintings of the earth, sun, fire, moon and space. ‘The core of our existence,’ is how Chatterji sums up the mural.

The park is best visited in the months of October to February-March

The Maharashtra Nature Park has the following facilities for conducting the educational activities:-

• Audio-Visual hall
• Exhibition hall
• Activity spaces for conducting various activities like nature games, drawing or painting competitions
• Open air Amphitheatre
• Library of more than 500 books on nature and Environment related topics
• Nursery for growing and sale of plants

Presently Maharashtra Nature Park has the following sections:-

• Education Centre
• Nursery
• Wooded Area Section
• Medicinal Plants cultivation Section
• Palm Section
• Fruit Tree Section
• Vegetable Section
• Aquarium
• Bird Observation Point
• Vermicomposting demonstration Project.

Maharashtra Nature Park is conducting following activities:

• Nature Trail
• Nature Games
• Study of Medicinal Plants
• Bird Watching

Address:
Bandra Sion Link road,Opp. Dharavi Bus Depot, Mumbai-400016

Telephone:
2407 7641, 2407 9939

Timing:
10 am to 5 pm