"Vriksh | Tree of Life | Gond Style.

My mother suggested The Tree of Life for my next art piece and as I searched for inspiration, I realised that the Mumbai Mangroves are the perfect embodiment seen in nature of this unique spiritual idea.

The Mumbai Mangroves form an ecosystem of their own - they are home to many species of birds, butterflies, crabs and fish to name a few. They are also home to migratory flamingos that make an annual visit, adding to the colorful biodiversity of the region. In addition to this, these wonderful mangroves store upto 4 times as much carbon as the average other forests and act as a natural buffer against coastal erosion and flooding.

Sometime ago, I stumbled across stories of the receding Mumbai Mangroves that were being cut down to make way for urban development. As an architect, I’m well aware of how urban development often clashes with natural topography and landscape. However, the rapid depletion of these Mangroves is worrisome. They will make Mumbai more susceptible to nature’s fury amidst climate change."

- Rohini Jadhav | @rohini_sketches