Love butterflies? Attend this two-day festival in Chembur to celebrate the winged creatures

An installation at the first edition of the Butterfly Meet in 2023

Dadar-based Dr Sanjeev Shevade struggles to pinpoint the exact moment his orthodontics practice gave way to his passion for nature conservation. A classic case of the butterfly effect, we assume. But what he does remember vividly, is growing up in a starkly different Mumbai. "We didn't only have more open spaces, but the citizens respected and took responsibility for the protection of these spaces," he recalls. These spaces were home to Shevade's favourite visitors, butterflies.

Amidst shrinking green cover in the city, the second edition of the Butterfly Meet in Chembur organised by Shevade's Vivant Untamed Earth Foundation and the BMC's (West) M Ward, will be equal parts nostalgia and future planning. "There are nearly 233 species of butterflies from diverse families in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region alone. This year, all our activities are centred on conservation of urban habitats for these butterflies. One of the highlights is our first-ever butterfly rally, where groups of children representing these families will educate visitors at Diamond Garden in Chembur," he reveals.

Blue Mormon, the official state butterfly of Maharashtra. Pic Courtesy/Sanjeev Shevade

The orthodontist is not alone in this endeavour. Enthusiasts from in and around the city like civil engineer-turned-artist Kishor Thakur, microbiologist Leena Pandharpurkar and architect Apurva Malgaonkar who has crafted an ode to the winged insects using nails and threads, will converge at the event. Young enthusiasts who have a knack for the crafts might want to sign up for the origami workshop by city-based collective Origami Mitra. "Taking the exhibition outdoors this year was a conscious decision taken in pursuit of reaching a wider audience beyond the usual naturalists and enthusiasts," Shevade remarks.

While the fun and games continue, those with a newfound passion for the insects can follow the team to the Alamu Hall near the garden where experts and scientists will dive deeper into timely discussions. Sometimes, the easiest questions are the most difficult to answer. A discussion that caught our eye answers one such question - why talk about butterflies in the first place? Shevade explains, "You might begin by studying butterflies. But they'll lead you to the flowers they pollinate. Then, you'll be drawn to the plants that host these flowers, and subsequently the trees. Studying butterflies is never merely about the butterflies."

Sanjeev Shevade

Is there hope for young Mumbaikars to see the butterfly population thrive in the city once again, we ask Shevade. "Absolutely. Conservation efforts can be as simple as planting a curry leaf, marigold, or lemon sapling in your backyard. We encourage people to build such micro-habitats across the city, essentially creating a butterfly corridor. Whether butterflies arrive or not also depends on how efficiently we curb climate change. But in any case, having the red carpet rolled out is a good start," he signs off.

Exhibition and activities
ON Today and tomorrow; 8.30 am to 5 pm (exhibition); 3.30 pm to 5 pm (activities)
AT Diamond Garden, VN Purav Marg, Chembur.
CALL 9372956558
ENTRY RSVP mandatory

Lectures
ON Tomorrow; 9 am onwards
AT Alamu Hall, Shree Ahobila Mutt Road, Chembur.
CALL 9372956558
ENTRY RSVP mandatory

Spot me if you can

Keep an eye out for these common species of butterflies in the city and its suburbs

Great Orange Tip butterfly. Pic/Nimesh Dave

Common Tiger butterfly. Pics/Anurag Ahire

Blue Tiger butterfly

Common Grass Yellow butterfly