Hanging Gardens, Mumbai

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Like so much of what I saw in India I had little idea what to expect at the Hanging Gardens of Mumbai.
I remembered the fanciful, artistic impressions of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in childhood Biblical picture books but knew nothing of those here.
My inadquate guide book contained no illustration or description but our energetic Parsi guide provided us with all the detail we could absorb.

She was a woman in her early 60's with degrees in English, foreign languages and science (and , also had ,she said - a husband, totally resistant to moving with the times and undertaking domestic duties while she was at work!).
From her we learned about the declining Parsi population of Mumbai - which has the largest percentage of all the Parsis in India, and about their beliefs and religious practices.

The Gardens are officially named Ferozeshah Mehta Gardens, in honour of a famous lawyer and politician. I'm afraid I cannot now recall more about this man - about whom our guide was unusually, refreshingly outspoken (on all topics), but had the feeling she thought he was a colonial lackey because he had accepted a Knighthood.

The gardens were created on the side of Malabar Hills in 1880 on terraces above the city resevoirs. We arrived fairly early in the morning immediately after our first walk around the busy streets of Mumbai. The freshness and beauty of the gardens were like coming to an oasis in the desert. The colours in the beautiful flower beds were augmented by the beautiful saris worn by a group of Indian women visiting at the same time as us.
Topiary has been developed into a high art form here and the fantastic animal shapes of the hedges are a sight to behold.
If a city walking tour leaves you feeling a bit jaded head up here to recover!

Also known as the Ferozeshah Mehta Gardens, they are built over 3 reservoirs, which store billions of gallons of water for cleaning before they are pumped to the thirsty city of Mumbai.
Perched at the top of Malabar Hill, on its western side, just opposite the Kamala Nehru Park, these terraced gardens, also known as Ferozeshah Mehta Gardens, provide lovely sunset views over the Arabian Sea. The park was laid out in the early 1880s over Bombay's main reservoir, some say to cover the water from the potentially contaminating activity of the nearby Towers of Silence.

This weekend again I went on a quest for searching a new destination in Mumbai. I had heard a lot of praises about Hanging Gardens thus in the evening I got into my car rolled over the windows and set out for exploring these beauteous vistas. Perched at the top of Malabar Hill in Mumbai it is also known as Ferozeshah Mehta Gardens. Entry in the park is free and as I entered it I could watch Mother Nature in her most blissful self. Situated close to Arabian Sea the garden provides a beauteous view. Truly!!! Sunset has never been more spectacular. This park also is decked with numerous hedges that are carved into the shapes of animals. Walking barefoot on the green grass or simply watching kids playing cheerfully this place is meant for purely relaxing and chasing away the fatigue of the monotonous life.

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The Hanging Gardens, which are also known as Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens after a famous barrister, are located just above Kamala Nehru Park at the top of Malabar Hill. These gardens were laid out in 1881 over Bombay's main reservoir. Some people claim that these gardens were laid to prevent the water from getting contaminated by the activity of the nearby Parsi Towers of Silence. These gardens are terraced and a unique feature of the garden is that the hedges are cut into different animal shapes.

The hanging Gardens is on Malabar Hills where the main water reservoir for the city is located. The reservoir has been covered over with grass as protection from pollution and sabotage. People can be seen enjoying themselves and jogging round the area.
unfortunately it was dark when we arrived there, so no photographs were available.

Just across the road is the Kamala Nehru park. It has a children's playground, and a Japanese bonsai garden, as well as local trees. From the park there is a good view of the bay- except we were there at night.

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Built in tiers atop the Malabar Hill Reservoir (some say to protect the water supply from debris scattered from the nearby Parsi Towers of Silence, a site where Zoroasterian dead are, according to their custom, left out for vultures) - therein lying the meaning of ‘Hanging Gardens’ - the Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens are an extremely popular meeting and picnicking spot for locals in a city starved for open, green spaces. There is a viewpoint from where you can look across the Back Bay towards the Fort and the heart of South Mumbai which could be very impressive on that rare clear day. It was more depressing when I visited with horrific smog minimizing the grandeur.

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Situated on top of the Malabar Hill, these gardens were laid out in 1881. Also known as Sir Pherozashah Mehta Gardens, but more popularly known as Hanging Gardens. because of its location on the slope of a hill. Built on reservoirs that supply water to Mumbai the way up to the gardens from Marine Drive is by Walkeshwar Road and Ridge Road. . The gardens are popular with local residents for their early morning or late evening walk.

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Pherozshah Mehta Gardens (also spelt Ferozeshah Mehta Gardens) are more commonly known as the Hanging Gardens or even Kamala Nehru Park – all gets a bit confusing but they are all one in the same. The gardens were laid out in 1880 on the top of Malabar Hill over the reservoir which contains 80 million gallons and supplies Mumbai with its water. There is the thought that this was also to cover the water from the possibility of being contaminated from the nearby "Towers of Silence".

Perched at the top of Malabar Hill, on its western side, just opposite the Kamala Nehru Park, these terraced gardens, also known as Ferozeshah Mehta Gardens, provide lovely sunset views over the Arabian Sea. The park was laid out in the early 1880s over Bombay's main reservoir, some say to cover the water from the potentially contaminating activity of the nearby Towers of Silence.

This is a great view of Bombay. You can see the entire stretch of Marine Drive and its coast, the high rise buildings at Nariman Point and Cuffe's. There is a coffeshop there. Have some beer here (Kingfisher beer is not good though) and enjoy the view.