Horniman Circle Gardens In Mumbai

In South Mumbai, Horniman Circle Gardens represent a green territory amidst the soaring buildings. This large park sprawls in an area of 10,101 sq m, in the Fort district. It is encircled by the office complexes lodging the leading banks of India. Horniman Circle Garden overlooks the prominent landmark of the city, the Asiatic Society of Bombay. Designed on the lines of London’s Park Crescent, the garden has a neoclassical porch, with a small park, well planned walkways and rows of trees. Horniman Circle Gardens is a huge park of Mumbai, which sprawls over an area of 10.101 sq m. It is located in the Fort District of South Mumbai. The park is situated amidst premier banks and was initially known as Bombay Greens.

Horniman Circle Garden dates back to the 18th Century, when it was laid down with the purpose of providing an open space to the locals living in the walled city area. Since the garden has been planted with trees of every season; it blossoms with lush greenery throughout the year. Horniman Circle Gardens in Mumbai is a mega park in the Fort District of South Mumbai. Encompassing an area of 10.101 sq meters, the Horniman Circle Gardens is surrounded by premier banks. Primarily known as Bombay Greens in the 18th Century, Horniman Circle Gardens was meant to be an open space in the middle of the Walled city. With well laid out walkways, the Bombay Greens had trees planted all around. Later the whole complex was renamed as Elphinstone Circle after the then Governor, Lord Elphinstone.

Lord Elphinstone and Sir Bartle Frare, the Governors, supported the idea of Charles. In 1869, the restoration work was started and it was completed in 1872. The garden was festooned by an ornamental fountain that was located in its heart. Later, deco iron pipes design, a piece of modern art replaced the fountain. After country's independence in 1947, the area was christened Horniman Circle Gardens after Benjamin Horniman, who was a pro-freedom editor of the 'Bombay Chronicle'.

In the pre-independence era, the garden was a preferred hangout of the Parsi community. Every evening, a band used to perform there. One of the most dynamic urban design settlements in Mumbai, Horniman Circle gardens has numerous novel structures from the British Colonial period. Nowadays, the laudable works of restoration by Horniman Circle Garden Trust and Horniman Circle Association are maintaining this vestige of the former times.