Layers of Mumbai: Concrete River

The least known layers of Mumbai are its two extensive forests - the mangroves along the tideline and a Sanjay Gandhi National Park higher up in the city's north. Mumbai is one of the few cities with a National Park within its boundaries. It is also home to around 40 leopards that have adapted to life in a forest surrounded by a densely populated city. As the city expands, it slowly eats away the forest from all sides. A forest acts like a large sponge that collects the rain that pours down on the city every year during the 3-month long monsoon. It also has three lakes, one of which supplies a part of the potable water the city lives on. The dams are built on the small rivers that drain this park into the estuaries supporting mangrove forests. Once the rivers trickle down from the park, they are squeezed into narrow channels by concrete walls, which they sometimes break with disastrous consequences. It is only a matter of time before the concrete slowly makes its way to the river’s source, and the lush green forests will turn bone dry and grey with concrete. And when that happens, where will the leopards go? Multiple layers of the city come together in one frame to form a sandwich called Mumbai. Here, the past and present of the city's national park come together with ample signs that indicate the future. This NFT collectible includes original image and a special edition digital zine - Mumbai Paused Zine 04 - The Colour Issue.