The word, Amara is drawn from the Sanskrit word, Amar, meaning eternal or timeless. Amara located in the heart of Thane, is an attempt at offering a perfectly balanced life amidst a lush 40-acre urban oasis.

Within this green expanse is a two-acre private forest, with over a thousand trees. At the centre of this urban forest is a 75-year-old Banyan tree, considered to be one of the richest sources of oxygen. The complex has been designed in a way that several old trees have been preserved. The biodiversity within and around includes trees and herbs such as Wild Sage, Spanish Cherry, Weeping Fig, Gulmohar, besides a host of indigenous trees such as Banyan and Mango.

The urban forest was inaugurated on May 19, 2019, with nature-bound activities such as forest walks, introduction to the trees in the forest, as well as butterfly spotting. Residents planted a few fruit trees such as Bor, Jamun, Rai Amla, Amla, Mango and Ramphal. A tree house within this urban forest doubles up as a meditation centre, and resting corners have been created across the expanse.

The site of the urban forest is a paradise for birdwatchers, who can track birds such as Red Whiskered Bulbul, Barbet, Green Bee Eater, Paradise Flycatcher, Red Munia and Sunbirds. The private forest is also home to several species of butterflies, many of them on the verge of extinction such as Plain Tiger and Blue Tiger.

The Lodha Belmondo community is now on Instagram

Lodha Belmondo, a 100-acre luxury riverside resort, has become the ‘Ultimate Weekend Home’ for many families over the last few years. Belmondo’s residents have become its greatest advocates by posting several beautiful images of the development on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. The official Instagram handle @lodha_belmondo showcases the ‘#LifeAtBelmondo’ moments captured and shared by the residents on Instagram.

The genesis of the page can be traced back to the time when residents began posting photographs of the beautiful time they have had across Belmondo - from the pool area to the golf court and the basketball court, or while bonding with nature at the riverside and within the green expanse. The Instagram account features photographs of residents cruising down the river. To promote the Instagram page and get residents to post more, the #LifeAtBelmondo Wall was installed at Club Belmondo, as a unique testimony by the residents showcasing Belmondo’s grandeur through images captured by them.

As a part of developing this unique community, Belmondo has hosted several interesting events for the residents. At the Masterclass event the in-house chefs — Chef Sameer Shah and Chef Akhil Ranjan prepared a Quinoa Salad and a Risotto, while explaining the concept of farm-to-fork that is practiced at Belmondo. A Dazzling Night Of Star Gazing’ had the experts talk about the basics of stargazing and constellations, followed by a stargazing session under the Belmondo sky. A guided nature trail introduced the residents to the fascinating flora and fauna near the Pavana River. The Belmondo Residents’ Golf Tournament had several residents participating, while a wellness session was conducted by the wellness experts at Belmondo —Serena Spa by Heaven on Earth.

Experiencing Palava

Spread across 4,500 acres, Palava has been ranked India’s no. 1 smart city^*. And in just nine years, the city has become home to over 1 lakh residents, making it the fastest growing new city in India. The multitude of world-class amenities offered and the sheer size of the city are conveyed in an avant-garde, life like manner to the residents and the potential customers with the aid of an innovative experience — Palava 9DX.

Real estate industry’s first 9D experience, it is a high-tech, immersive cinema experience designed to offer customers a sense of what ‘Life at Palava’ is like. The fancy gear used to offer this 9D experience, encompasses a personal VR screen combined with features such as sensor-equipped motion seats, mist, wind, fragrance, and much more that captivates the senses.

The life of the residents at Palava is as colourful as the city itself, where several events and festivals are hosted regularly. Residents meet, bond and have memorable experiences. Amongst them is Palava Tarang — the city's annual cultural fest. This year, over 7,000 residents and guests attended the two-day festival, which hosted scintillating performances by Kabir Café and Shahid Mallya, special acts by Chhota Bheem and friends, besides a slew of food trucks and stalls. Palava Corporate Challenge — Season IV was also held over two weekends, beginning April 14. The tournament saw over 70 corporates participating in sports such as football, squash, tennis and swimming. More than 500 players from corporates such as Reliance, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, J.P. Morgan and many more, battled it out in the qualifying rounds at the FIFA-standard football field and the Olympic Sports Complex in Palava. Deloitte and Willis Towers Watson took home the trophy for men and women’s football.

Staying true to its identity as a ‘Green’ city, Palava celebrated World Environment Day with much enthusiasm and fervour. Month-long activities included green walks and pledges, eco-friendly workshops, cleanliness and awareness drives.

The spirit of appreciating and conserving nature is embedded in the thoughts and actions of every Palavian and these activities helped spread the message clear and far.

^*Ranked by FLL in its Liveability Quotient — A Paradigm Shift in India’s Emerging Cities’ Report 2017.

Lodha Park celebrates community living

Historically, the world's most sought-after residences have always been located around great urban parks. Central Park in New York and Hyde Park in London are some of the most desirable neighbourhoods to live in, pulsating with vibrant life and activity. Lodha Park now brings the buzz and lifestyle of these landmark urban park neighbourhoods, to Mumbai. Set in the largest development in South Mumbai, this 7- acre park sits within a massive 17-acre development of a quality that India has never seen before. With 1,000 trees of different species and abundant nature, Lodha Park is a complete ecosystem unto itself.

The project is innovative in several ways. It is, for instance, so immense that it took almost two years to excavate 3.2 million cubic metres of the earth in multiple phases, and the mud excavated was enough to fill the Great Pyramid of Giza. It also has one of the world's largest foundation footprints with a combined raft slab of 35,000 cubic metres. Lodha Park is designed by WOHA, the internationally acclaimed, Singapore- based architecture firm.

You enter the residential development through a magnificent, air-conditioned entrance lobby. High-speed elevators take residents up to their luxurious abode. Every square inch of Lodha Park is designed to be functional and aesthetically pleasing. The 50,000sq.ft. Clubhouse at Lodha Park is inspired by the shape of a crystal, in a glittering blend of luxury- meets-grand architecture. The Clubhouse houses fitness facilities, where expert trainers follow a regimen created by Ramona Braganza, personal trainer to several Hollywood celebrities. The Clubhouse also spans a gourmet restaurant, elegant hospitality venues and a private theatre. Across Lodha Park, you will find several thoughtfully crafted spaces, where residents spend time with their families and neighbours.

Celebrating festivals together is a way for the community to bond. One of the last festivals to be celebrated was in March 2019. A ‘Phoolon ki Holi’ was played Vrindavan-style; flower petals were used instead of colours. The idol of Lord Krishna was showered with rose petals while the residents played with the petals of marigold, jasmine and chrysanthemums. This ancient tradition was revived in association with ISKCON. From the gardens of Vrindavan to the greens of Loda Park, Holi was celebrated the way stories mention Lord Krishna celebrating the festival of colours. The festivities included a spiritual discourse by Shri Nityanand Charan Prabhuji of ISKCON, a Bharatanatyam performance and concluded with Holika Dahan.