India 2018 (part I): Mumbai 1

Mumbai, Maharashtra:

Chaitya Hall of the Kanheri Caves

After a gap of more than a year, work finally brought me to India again.

On previous visits to India, I had always tried to avoid the megacity of Mumbai due to its size, hot and humid climate, smog, and general craziness. Fortunately, I did not make this mistake again and instead took the chance to explore India’s most populous city with a friend. Straight after my arrival, we visited one of its landmarks: the Haji Ali Dargah situated on a tiny islet in the Arabian Sea and only reachable during low tide. Furthermore, we went on a guided walk through the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, which protects around 104 km² of forest in the northern part of town. This national park is inhabited by a plethora of animals including a large number of elusive leopards, but it is hard to actually spot wildlife here (apart from the almost omnipresent monkeys). The nicest thing of the visit was to escape the urban jungle and instead enjoy the solitude of the woods. Furthermore, the park encompasses the Kanheri Caves which include sculptures and reliefs carved in the hard basalt rocks and dating from the 1st century BC to the 10th century AD.

Bandra-Worli Sea Link

view towards Haji Ali Dargah at low tide

Haji Ali Dargah

the causeway towards Haji Ali Dargah

Haji Ali Dargah

view across the sea

Mumbai scenery

view back towards the city

Haji Ali Dargah

entrance to the Mahalakshmi Temple

Mumbai

entrance to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park

Sanjay Gandhi National Park

ant nest

old leopard droppings

slightly younger leopard droppings

fresh leopard droppings

remains of a Sambar Deer killed by a leopard

Sanjay Gandhi National Park

termite hill

communication array

Tulsi Lake

Mumbai encroaching on the park boundaries

Sanjay Gandhi National Park

abandoned building in the park

Sanjay Gandhi National Park

skyscrapers of Mumbai in the distance

Sanjay Gandhi National Park

reaching the Kanheri Caves

Kanheri Caves

agama

Kanheri Caves

Sanjay Gandhi National Park

Kanheri Caves

ancient relief

Kanheri Caves

Bonnet Macaque

young Bonnet Macaque

Bonnet Macaques

Bonnet Macaque

entrance to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park

After this short, but interesting layover in Mumbai, I continued my trip to Shillong in Meghalaya to meet a colleague for some office work – and a superb day trip into the countryside!