By Deepika Thadani

December 13, 2014

The Udaan Biodiversity Park–the first, and currently only, biodiversity park in the city–is situated in the middle of a busy residential area near the airport in Viman Nagar. It opened on 21st September, 2012, before which it was a barren, two-acre plot.

Beyond the recreation offered by the walking track and play ground, the park’s main purpose is education. Many plants and trees indigenous to Maharashtra are on display here and each contains a sign in both English and Marathi detailing the species name, background, and uses. Park supervisors hope to offer lectures and educational tours of the park in the future. A waterfall, a rock garden, and a huge fish pond with a fountain all endow the park with a sense of tranquility.

Children’s play area. Photo by Deepika Thandani.

The recording begins with the peaceful sounds of the waterfall. In this small and unique section of the park, the waterfall is almost the only sound that can be heard. Soon, the rush of the water gives way to the shuffling of feet, the voices of passers by, and finally, screaming kids, thus marking our arrival at the children’s play area. Here, kids run around on gravel stones and play on the swings and slide. A mother yells to her son in Marathi, “go up!” Prominent, too, are the sounds of honking cars and rickshaws. Not a single sound of the falling water can be heard.