Jijamata Udyaan, also known as Victoria Gardens and the Byculla Zoo, is a zoo and garden covering 50 acres located at
Byculla
Byculla (ISO: Bhāykhaḷā; pronunciation: ʱaːjkʰəɭaː is an area of South Mumbai.
Location
Byculla is neighboured by Nagpada and Mumbai Central and Mahalaxmi on the west; Agripada, Jacob Circle on the north-west: Chinchpokli to t ...
, in the heart of
Mumbai
Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. It is the oldest public garden in Mumbai.
After Indian independence, it was officially renamed after
Jijamata, the mother of
Shivaji
Shivaji I (Shivaji Shahaji Bhonsale, ; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680) was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle dynasty. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the Sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the ...
, the first
Maratha
The Marathi people (; Marathi: , ''Marāṭhī lōk'') or Marathis (Marathi: मराठी, ''Marāṭhī'') are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are native to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-A ...
emperor; the original name remains popular.
In 1835, the British administration granted a large plot of land in
Sewri
Sewri (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''Śivdī,'' Help:IPA/Marathi, iʋɖiː is a locality along the eastern edge of South Mumbai, in Maharashtra, India. It is also the name of a Sewri railway station, railway sta ...
to the Agro Horticultural Society of Western India for a botanical garden known as Victoria Gardens, after
Queen-Empress Victoria. That land was later acquired for a European burial ground.
In 1861, construction of a new garden was commenced on 33 acres in the Mount Estate, Mazgaon (now included in Byculla). The flora from Sewri garden was transferred to this new garden named Jijamata Udyaan, which was formally opened to the public by
Lady Frere on 19 November 1862. Agro Horticultural Society of Western India continued to maintain Victoria Gardens until 1873 when the society's end led to the municipal corporation taking over the garden's upkeep. In 1890 the garden was extended by 15 acres especially for the zoo.
The garden is the only green space in Mumbai that features
Palladian
Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...
style architecture.
It houses the
Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, a staff building in Greco-Roman style erected in the memory of Lady Frere, an equestrian statue of
King Edward VII
Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910.
The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...
made of black marble (originally installed near the
University of Mumbai
University of Mumbai is a public state university in Mumbai. It is one of the largest university systems in the world with over 549,000 students on its campuses and affiliated colleges. , the university had 711 affiliated colleges.
It was est ...
) and the
David Sassoon clock tower.
Gallery
File:Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum JEG1857.jpg, The statue of King Edward VII of England, originally installed at '' Kala Ghoda''
File:Clocktower byculla zoo.jpg, David Sassoon clock tower, situated at the entrance of the gardens
Dr._Bhau_Daji_Lad_Museum,_esterno_01.jpg, Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, the oldest museum in Mumbai, situated in the garden premises
References
External links
Central Zoo Authority, Government of India
{{Tourist attractions in Mumbai
Parks in Mumbai
Zoos in Maharashtra
1861 establishments in British India
Educational organizations established in 1861
Zoos established in the 19th century