Sanjay Gandhi National Park is aptly termed as the ‘lungs of the city’ as it provides most of the oxygen to the pollution-ridden city. This park initially was very small in area but in the early 1960s all the surrounding forests were included and made into one area, thus making it a 104 sq. km wide forest which we see today.
The Park is rich in flora and fauna. What I heard from the locals is that it has a special flower named Karvy (Karvi in Marathi) which blooms once in every eight years. No doubt, nature has many surprises in store for us!
When I reached the park, they charged Rs 50 from me as a security deposit for the plastic bottle I was carrying. This was a great environment-friendly initiative by the authorities and I think this should be done in all the national parks across the nation.
I was very excited for the tiger safari. So, I spent Rs 61 to get myself booked for one. They made us sit in a caged bus covered from all sides. When I got inside, I saw tigers roaming in cages even inside the caged area. Although lions were kept in the open but, a lion out there appeared dead as if it was tranquilised. Hey, this was not what I had expected !
After finishing my so-called “tiger quest”, I went to see the other attractions in the park: a lake where people were boating. It was a beautiful lake with lotus flowers on one side. A great picnic spot for families! Then, there was a toy train which hovered around the conserved area with a small station in between. A perfect delight for children !
Walking in the park was a delightful and refreshing experience as it purified me from inside.
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