Mumbai Mania

Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivali is a great place to visit, you get your space there, breathe some fresh air and just unwind. Myself and Clyde decided to do just that on my birthday last month and also visit Kanheri Caves, the ancient Buddhist caves within the confines of the park.

We had seen some beautiful pictures of Kanheri Caves on the Net, so we both were excited to go there this time. Unfortunately a pretty bizarre incident at the park ruined the plan.

We paid the entry fees, which is Rs 90 for two people and the car, so glad to see the park empty, since it was a weekday. Suddenly on reaching closer to Kanheri Caves we were stopped by a guard, who checked our entry ticket. We thought that was routine, but as we moved the car ahead, he called us back.

He checked the rear end of the car and the back seat. Now we had kept two beer cans on the back seat to have it on our journey. The guard saw that, and immediately said that its not permitted. We were willing to give it to him, but he insisted that we come with him to the park office and pay a fine of Rs 500. Fine for carrying beer cans, we explained in total disgust.

Utterly pissed off, we asked him where is that mentioned, that guard thinking we couldn't read Marathi said on the back of our ticket. I read it, nothing was mentioned, then Clyde went to see the signboard close by, again no mention of it.

We both have been to national park before, and have seen hordes of people parking their car next to the stream, playing loud music ruining the calmness of the place, and drinking. No one has stopped them, and we weren't even drinking. This guard acted smart, tried to sit in the car with us, but Clyde stopped him, and then he even put his hand to take the car keys away. Clyde accelerated and reversed full speed, yes, we got out of there. Well, we thought this guard would inform someone over the phone to stop us near the main exit, but nothing of that sort happened.

We concluded that he was trying to make quick bucks, has something so bizarre happened to you at National park. We have a friend who is pretty well-versed with the park, he was shocked to hear something like this. So that incident really got our adrenaline pumping, and we never saw Kanheri caves.

However, on our previous visit to Sanjay Gandhi National Park, we had taken few pictures, which shows the diversity in flora and fauna at this place. This was the closest we got to Kanheri caves the last time we went there.