Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan, or the Byculla Zoo as it is most well known. Formerly known as Victoria Gardens. It's a zoo and garden that covers over 52 acres in the center of Mumbai, India, in a neighborhood called Byculla. Formerly called Ranichi Bagh, the garden of Queens, Veer Mata jijabai Bhosale Udyan is now known by its current name. The Garden is the oldest public garden and open space in the Mumbai area, which is a significant fact. During the time when it was under British control, it was known as Victoria Garden. The Byculla zoo honoring Veer Mata jijabai Bhosale Udyan, the mother of Shivaji, was titled after her.
In honor of lady Frere, the garden is home to the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, housed in a Romanesque-style staff structure. It's constructed from a dark stone. The Kalaghoda and measures 75 feet in height David Sassoon Clock Tower can be found close to Mumbai University, English stones and beautiful tiles were used in the construction of this Italian-style building.
Jijabai Bhonsle (1598-1674), mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (1630-80), was honored with a park named Veermata Jijabai Bhonsle Udyan. She was also known as Veermata, Rastramata, and Jijau. Jijabai instilled the value of 'Swarajya' in her son, Shivaji, who grew up to confront the powerful Mughal Empire and establish the Maratha Empire. The bronze statues stand at about 9 feet in height. The statue was given a copper meghdambari (royal umbrella) in 2022 at a cost of 43 lakhs by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
The zoo in Mumbai, India, was established in 1851. Additionally, it is among India's oldest zoos. When the garden relocated to Byculla, it quickly gained in popularity. Beginning as a repository for exotic plants, herbs, and trees that the British had brought back from their colonies in Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Madagascar, China, Sri Lanka, India, and other places, the garden has since expanded to include a variety of native plant species. This zoo is home to a wide variety of exotic creatures, including lions, crocodiles, elephants, and more.
The zoo also has a wide variety of noisy birds.
Seven Humboldt penguins were just brought in from Seoul to join the other animals at the Mumbai Zoo. The garden has undergone extensive renovations, including the installation of a medicinal Garden former and a garden for the visually impaired.
The Mumbai Zoo park is home to about 3,000 different species of trees, herbs, and flowers. The Indian banyan, Tree of Heaven (native to Myanmar), and Crescentia Cujete, popularly known as Beggar's Bowl, were among the more than 800 species identified in a recent study. Rose of Venezuela, Cannon Ball, and Flame of the Forest (Palash, in Hindi) are just some of the flowering trees that can be found in this garden.
The area also features a butterfly habitat. There are about 500 species of birds and over 180 species of mammals at the zoo. The Frere Temple, dedicated to her memory, stands at the center of a garden's circular drive. The hours of operation of the Mumbai Zoo are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays are maintenance days, therefore it's closed then. The hours of the Mumbai Zoo Park are stable all year round with the exception of slight adjustments on weekends and public holidays.