<p>While several <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbais-gsb-ganpati-mahaprasad-25000-devotees-served-daily-70-karnataka-cooks-prepare-food-round-the-clock-mandal-ready-for-maharashtra-fda-checks-23649312" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">sarvajanik Ganpati mandals</a> across Mumbai create elaborate sets around different themes during Ganeshotsav, Aarey-based naturalist and wildlife photographer Mahesh Yadav and his friends have chosen to turn their home decoration into a showcase of the city&rsquo;s wildlife.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/sep/Park-Ganeshotsav-2_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>The diorama depicts species found in and around <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai/mumbai-news/article/mumbai-sanjay-gandhi-national-park-tigress-bijalee-dies-at-18-after-age-related-health-issues-23650457" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP),</a> focusing on the biodiversity that exists alongside Mumbai&rsquo;s expanding urban landscape. It features several species, including leopard, and the relatively rare and elusive Brown Hawk-Owl.</p>
<h2>Raising awareness</h2>
<p>Yadav, along with friends Aashutosh Shrivardhankar, Shree Jadhav and Pradip Dalvi, hopes the display will draw attention to the wildlife that shares the city&rsquo;s landscape and encourage residents to understand these species better.</p>
<h2>In his words</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/sep/Park-Ganeshotsav-3_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>Mahesh Yadav &ldquo;I have been living in Aarey and observing its wildlife for years. Ganpati is a time when people come together, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to use the decoration to introduce people, especially children, to the wildlife that exists around us. These animals are part of Mumbai&rsquo;s landscape, and understanding them is important for coexistence.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Eco-friendly set</h2>
<p>The decoration follows an eco-friendly approach, using discarded cardboard boxes, paper straws, and cotton instead of plastic or other non-biodegradable materials. One of the creators told mid-day, &ldquo;It took around a month to conceptualise and complete the decoration.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>Leopard story</h2>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/sep/Park-Ganeshotsav-4_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>One section recreates the story of a leopard that entered a mall in Thane a few years ago, an incident that attracted considerable attention at the time. The episode highlights the increasingly visible interface between wildlife and the city&rsquo;s built-up areas. Rather than presenting the animals simply as intruders, the display places their presence in the context of Mumbai&rsquo;s changing landscape, where natural areas and urban development exist side by side.</p>

An Aarey home’s eco-friendly Ganpati decoration showcases Mumbai wildlife, including leopards and the elusive Brown Hawk-Owl

Aarey residents create eco-friendly Ganpati display showcasing Mumbai’s wildlife

‘Let me ride too’: Shih Tzu Vayu seeks permission for small pets on Mumbai Metro

Aarey naturalist and friends use an eco-friendly display to highlight wildlife around Sanjay Gandhi National Park during Ganeshotsav this year

Mumbai wildlife takes centre stage in Aarey home’s eco-friendly Ganpati decoration

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Ganeshotsav 2026

Home / Mumbai / Mumbai News / Article / Mumbai wildlife takes centre stage in Aarey home’s eco-friendly Ganpati decoration