Rani Bagh 150 Years

Description

 Mumbai is a city starved of green open public spaces. However, amidst the crowds and traffic in the locality of Byculla lies a haven of peace and beauty, Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo— popularly known as Rani Bagh. Opened to the public in 1862, the botanical garden then named Victoria Gardens was set out in the Renaissance axial planning style, a design element preserved to this day. Several imposing monuments, and in 1890 a small zoo, were introduced to augment the grandeur of the botanical garden. Spread over 53 acres Rani Bagh is home to an astonishing 853 plant species that provide a thriving habitat for a variety of birds, insects and small mammals. The classic layout style facilitates the vital interface between the public and the over 100 internal gardens with more than 3,000 trees. Even today, the wide pathways that radiate in all directions comfortably accommodate the crowds of daily visitors whose number goes up to 30,000 on holidays! A unique city jewel where a living symbiotic relationship has been crafted between natural and built heritage, Rani Bagh has been accorded Grade II-B heritage status in the Schedule of Heritage Regulations for Greater Bombay, 1995 and has the added dimension of being Mumbai’s vital green lung, its largest green open public space and its sole heritage botanical garden. This book celebrates 150 years of the botanical garden’s existence. The chapters present various facets of Rani Bagh through the eyes of writers who cherish the garden for all the joys it has given and continues to shower on Mumbai’s citizens, of all ages and from all walks of life. The garden’s early history, planning and design, which are of continuing relevance , are related here in interesting detail, along with tributes to its enduring legacy that has enriched the lives of people in the city over 150 years. A substantial chapter provides a tantalizing taste of the botanical wealth to be experienced in Rani Bagh, while another features the fascinating denizens of this rich habitat. The book ends with an account of the recent struggle to preserve the garden’s unique natural and built heritage for future generations.