Turning from ugliness to beauty
<p>Peek closely at the undergrowth. Overturn a small rock here or there… listen to the bees buzzing around flowering trees. Catch a glimpse of a herd of chital that disappear at the sound of your footsteps on the dry summer forest floor. Sigh at the beauty of the crimson flowers of the Indian coral tree in spring, or soak in the dramatic emerald transformation of the landscape in the monsoon…</p>
<p>To experience a thriving forest in the heart of one of the most populated and polluted metropolises is not a blessing to take lightly. Spanning from Goregaon in the western suburbs to Mulund and Thane to the east, and extending all the way to the Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary on its northern edge, this 103 sq. km. verdant piece of the Western Ghats is an emerald haven for Mumbaikars..</p>
<p>The deliciously named strawberry and cream lilies emerge at the onset of the monsoon in the park, bent as if burdened by the worries of a rapidly encroaching city. The insatiable thirst for land not only erodes the edges of the park but periodically turns its gaze towards the protected forest.</p>
<p><strong><span style="font-size:12px;">Photo: Yogesh Patel.</span></strong></p>
