Kamla Nehru Park – Mumbai Shoe Boot House | Juta Ghar

“Built in 1952, Kamla Nehru Park (Also called ‘Old Women Shoe, Boot House, and Juta Ghar’) was a gift to the kids of Mumbai from Chacha Nehru. The name ‘Kamla’ was his wife’s name, which is why the park is called. Big Shoe House (Boot is called Juta in Hindi) is what it is still famously called locally.

Located at Malabar Hill in South Mumbai, It was one of the only playing gardens for kids a few decades ago, when Mumbai was called ‘Bombay’. This Facelifted park was closed for a few years and has now been open to the public since February 2018 with all new attractions like fish ponds, kids rhymes, lighting, new colors, and more.

As of 2023, Let us know more about Park timings, Entry Fees, Attractions, How to reach them, Places to see near them, and more.”

Attractions of Kamla Nehru Park

Do not get confused between the names ‘Kamla Nehru Park’ and ‘Hanging Garden’ as these 2 are different gardens adjacent to each other at Malabar Hills of Mumbai. In Fact this park is very much part of Hanging Garden, yet it is separate with its own identity and name.

One of the most historic and beautiful parks in Mumbai, Upon renovation, it has much more to give to school kids apart from its famous Marine Lines. (Queen’s Necklace View Point) has greenery with peaceful environment.

Since decades, this viewpoint and a small restaurant (No More Now) have been one of the major attractions of this park, which is about 4000 Square feet in area. For kids, it is always about the huge shoe House’ or boot House’. Hundreds of trees and plants provide enough shade inside for daily visitors, tourists, and citizens.

Bollywood songs like ‘Pehli Baar Mile Hai’ from the movie Saajan starring Salman Khan have been shot here, giving a glimpse of the old park looks of the 1990s. Adjacent, a few steps ahead, is the main Hanging Garden, Of which this park is part.

For adults, it is a place for leisure, a place to walk and relax away from city traffic and chaos. Monsoons bring in more greenery, a fresh breeze since the promenade area, and the chirping sound of birds with a pleasant and pollution-free climate in the surroundings.

Park After Renovation

Since March 2017, The park, along with the iconic lady shoe and boot house, has been closed for renovation, which again opened to the public in February 2018. The monsoons of 2016 and 2017 affected the structure of the Boot House, and so the authorities thought It was the correct time to renovate everything that was required, resulting in a complete makeover as seen.

As of 2020, Here is how the Large show looks:

The old color of Shoe House was yellowish, while the facelifted structure of the giant shoe looks stylish and blue. Many attractive themes and colors can be seen used around trees and plants; New lighting can be seen; and famous children’s rhymes can now be seen around the redesigned theme inside Kamla Nehru Park.

Nursery rhymes like ‘Twinkle Twinkle’ and ‘Baa Baa Black Ship’ now catch the attention of kids. One of the walls inside now has a night theme with artificial stars all around. A few Murals can be seen inside the amphitheater area. Below are some new things and all about Kamla Nehru Park’s face lift.

New Things Inside Park

• entrance is beautified with a brand new pond inside. Fountain near the entry gate with a variety of fish and lily flowers welcoming the citizens and tourists around the world

 
addition of a drinking water fountain inside along with a new theme-based fish pond that goes with an old Hindi movie song, ‘Machli Jal Ki Rani Hai’.

• The iconic Ashoka pillar also got a new facelift. Flowers should be arranged below the Ashoka pillar, which resembles our national flag.
• Talking about the main kids attraction, The old Lady Shoe (Boot House) got a brand new canvas style color with no structural changes (Just repairs as required).
• An Amphitheatre is now focused on playing kids songs, especially from Kindergarten poems, that will give a perfect feel of the children’s park in Mumbai.
• A brand new open space called the viewing gallery’ with more space and binoculars installed to have a perfect clear view of Chowpatty Beach and the Marine Lines Queen’s Necklace.
• A few new sprinklers in the green lawn area spread ample water to maintain the greenery and save lots of manual work done before.
• A really good step is a brand new foot-over bridge that will connect adjacent Hanging gardens so that visitors will not need to cross the road with kids.

Address, Entry Fee, Timings

Address : Dadi Sheth Wadi, Malabar Hill, South Mumbai, Nearest Railway Station being Charni Road in western railway Route.
How to Reach : Taxi from Charni Road Railway Station (West), Western railway Route.
Park Timings : 5:00 Am to 9:00 Pm, all 7 days (i.e Sunday open).
Entry Fees / Charges : Free.
Car parking : Road side, Outside Park.

More Parks and Places to See Near

1. Priyadarshini park : 10 to 12 minutes driving distance from Kamla Nehru Park is this famous Priyadarshini Park and Sports Complex at a distance of just 1.2 km, which is another beautiful garden location for adults and children.
2. Jain temple of Walkeshwar (Malabar Hill,Mumbai). In the same vicinity, For those interested in ancient art, spirituality, and temples
3. Banganga Water Tank. In the same area is this heritage sacred water tank, which one should not miss.
4. Parsi Tower of Silence For your information, it is next to Hanging Garden, But it is not a Tourist attraction, and entry is restricted to the Parsi community only.
5. Babulnath (Old Shiva temple) : Walk down the Malabar hills back towards chowpatty beach and a very old and famous Shiva temple is what you should visit once.

   It is one of the oldest and has still retained the original structures and looks after decades. Once also famous for many Bollywood film shootings. Girgaum Beach is another famous beach known for the Ganesh Festival in Visarjan.

6. Taraporewala Aquarium: Exactly opposite the beach is this fish aquarium, which was renovated a few years ago.

   If already visited, One must spend some time along the coastal of south Mumbai, famously called ‘Marine Lines’ and Nariman Point Promenade which is a peaceful sea shore with glowing street lights of the famously called ‘Queens Necklace‘.

More Parks in Mumbai & Suburban

• Sagar Upvan : Also called BPT (Bombay/Mumbai Port Trust) Garden, it is located at Colaba, 8 kilometers away, which takes about 28 minutes towards the south (take the Chowpatty Promenade Route). It is a botanical garden with a blissful experience.
• Pramod Mahajan Garden Kala Park : Located at Dadar (South Mumbai), 30 minutes driving distance from Kamla Nehru Park at about 9 kilometers distance, this park is known for its plantations and flowers.
• Nirvana Park : A beautifully maintained park with lush greenery, a pond, and fishes is located at Powai, Hiranandani Garden township, in a suburban location North of Mumbai. 1 hour and 30 minutes of driving distance, at about 35 kilometers.
• Mumbai’s National Park : Asia’s one of the biggest forest parks, with wild animals, flora and fauna, old caves, and everything one can expect in the jungle, including playing areas, streams, and safari options. 1 hour and 50 minutes of driving distance ahead on Nirvana Park on the Main Highway Route

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