About Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP):
- It is located near Borivali in the northern part of Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- In the early days, the park was known as Krishnagiri National Park. However, in 1974 the name of this park was changed to ‘Borivali National Park’ and in 1981 to ‘Sanjay Gandhi National Park’.
- The Kanheri Caves in the center of the park were an important Buddhist learning center and pilgrimage site sculpted by Buddhist monks between the 9th and the 1st centuries BCE.
- They were chiseled out of a massive basaltic rock outcropping.
- Caves feature viharas, stupas, prayer halls, and other structures of old-style Buddhist architecture.
- There is a Jain Temple with three huge carved idols situated on the way to the caves.
- Besides, the park also has two lakes, namely Tulsi Lake and Vihar Lake, the deer park, the lion safari, and the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi.
- Flora:
- Kadamba, teak, karanj, shisam, and species of acacia, ziziphus, euphorbia, flame of the forest, red silk cotton and a number of other varieties of flowers.
- Karvi, or karvy, a flowering plant that flowers once in seven years, can be found in the park.
- Fauna:
- Leopard, sambar, chital, barking deer, rusty spotted cat, hyena, common palm civet, small Indian civet, Indian crested porcupine, Indian hare, Indian flying fox, common langur, and bonnet macaque.
