Flower power saves old forts

MUMBAI: Fort conservation is a hobby for Bhayander resident Shridutta Raut who spends his weekends visiting forts in and around Mumbai. Raut, 33, an accountant,

MUMBAI: Fort conservation is a hobby for Bhayander resident Shridutta Raut who spends his weekends visiting forts in and around Mumbai. Raut, 33, an accountant, tries to make the environs of the forts greener while indulging in his amateur interest in archaeology.

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In the past 10 years, Raut’s 20-member volunteer group, called Kille Vasai Mohim , has worked on forts at Mahim, Shirgaon, Kelve, Janjira, Worli and Vasai. They also revive degraded forests around the fort with saplings and shrubs.

“We plant saplings that can grow into large trees and cover a large area,” said Raut. The volunteers select species such as scarlet flame, laburnum, bread-fruit, mango, ashoka, copper pod and gulmohar. To boost biodiversity, they add shrubs like West Indian jasmine (ixora), lemon, curry leaves and lantana.

“While there is a lot of archaeological information available, the forts are hardly maintained,” said Raut. “In 2006, we began our research and identified more than 50 forts across Mumbai, Thane and Palghar but most of them were run down.” Visitors deface walls with crayons or chalk, destroying centuries-old engravings on the walls.

Raut also discovered a solution to the question, “What to do with the tonnes of floral waste generated after festivals?” Paint made from organic materials is used to beautify the forts. Every month, the group collects about 150kg of floral waste , including the karvi flower that blooms once in eight years. During the festive season, the quantity increases to 300kg. “Petals are mixed with gum from banana stems or ladyfingers and made into a paste. We add waste collected from rice factory to make paint,” said Raut.