| Finally
In Mumbai |
| India's
Financial And Commercial Capital |
| By Rajdeep Bhattacharjee |
| May 2005
It was early
Sunday morning when my Air India flight landed at the Chattrapati Shivaji
International Airport and I was excited to be finally in the city that
never sleeps! The sheer chance to explore the city that is always on the
move, a city that is so different from any of the other cities in India
made me excited. Arguably, the most modern city in India, Mumbai is the
commercial & financial capital of India.
I was lucky
to secure a home stay invitation from a Maharashtrian family from Mumbai
and I booked a Taxi for Borivili which took INR 225. |
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| As I was leaving
the Airport behind on my way to Borivilli, I had an early morning glimpse
of the Mega polis.
I spent the
first day interacting with the Sarode family and where I got the first
glimpse of a common Maharashtrian family and it was indeed an enriching
experience.
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Mumbai of today
was once a cluster of seven islands, the custody of which was handed over
to King Charles II in 1661 as part of a dowry when he married Princess
Catherine de Braganza of Portugal. |
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| In the last
few decades, Mumbai has transformed itself from a simple city to a mega
polis with thriving markets, endless opportunities in the labor market,
business houses, ultramodern housing system which helped attract millions
of people from different parts of India and abroad to live and be a part
of Mumbai. The city's culture is very cosmopolitan and its trendy atmosphere
is infectious.
Marathi is
the official language although English and Hindi are widely spoken and
understood. The presence of Fast Food outlets on almost every road speaks
about its fast paced life. Pau Bhaji, Bhel Puri and Kababs are some of
the most readily available foods, but the people of Mumbai seemed to prefer
Bada Paws (a kind of burger). Mumbai is also the seat of the Hindi Film
Industry, known as Bollywood, which produces the largest number of films
every year in the world. |
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Offshore
Resources Gallery
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| Since it is
one of the favorite destinations amongst travelers in India, the city has
exclusive boutiques run by some of India’s most famous fashion designers,
as well as large ethnic markets, mini bazaars and all kinds of shopping.
Some of the
most interesting places to visit while in Mumbai are:
Mahatma
Jyotiba Phule Market (Crawford Market)
A busy market
area, famous for having some of best fruits and vegetable products in India.
Seasonal fruits are always a good buy here. Best recommended in the morning
hours.
Jehangir
Art Gallery
This gallery
is a showcase for contemporary art, located near the Prince of Wales Museum.
Artist's Plaza, just outside the gallery is a good place to buy Indian
paintings. Open daily from 11am to 7 pm. |
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| Prince
Of Wales Museum
If you are
interested in seeing Victorian architecture in India, this museum is the
best place to visit. Designed by George Wittet and completed in 1923, it
is one of India's finest museums of artefacts, paintings and sculptures
- the collection spans across many time periods of India's rich history.
Open daily except Monday between 10.30 am to 6 pm.
Gateway
Of India
Built to commemorate
the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to India in 1911, this too was
designed by George Wittet and is one of India’s most famous monuments.
The Taj Mahal Hotel just behind the monument has added real beauty to the
entire area.
Elephanta
Caves |
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Offshore
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| 9km from the
Gateway of India lies the seventh-century rock-cut temples of Elephanta,
which were once known as Gharapuri, or the Fortress City. Today it is a
World Heritage Site that attracts thousands of visitors from around the
world for its scenic beauty and sculptured panels.
Getting
there: Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation has offices near
the Gateway of India and they sell round-trip tickets. Boats usually leave
every half-hour from 9 am to 2 pm from Apollo Bunder and between 1 pm and
5 pm from Elephanta Island.
How To Get
There?
Mumbai is
one of the India’s main international gateways with major international
airlines connecting this mega polis with the rest of the world. There
is a foreign exchange counter inside the arrival hall. Also available inside
the hall is the Government of India's tourist office, a prepaid Taxi booth
and a hotel reservation counter.
Jet Airways
connects Mumbai from almost all parts of India making it one of the easiest
destinations to arrive to from anywhere within India. It is also connected
with major trains from all cross India, enabling travelers to arrive without
any hassle.
Accomodation
in Mumbai
Salvation
Army Red Shield Hostel (91 22 22841824) on the Mereweather Road is
the cheapest place to stay while in Mumbai.
Apollo Guest
House (91 22 22045540) is on the Colaba Causeway and has clean rooms.
Hotel Prosser’s
(91 22 22841715) on the Henry road and is one of the few options to look
for in the Colaba area.
Shelley’s
Hotel (91 22 22840229) and Harbor View Hotel ( 91 22 22821089),
Garden
Hotel 9 91 22 22841476), YMCA ( 91 22 22025053 ) are some of the mid
range price options to look for in Colaba.
There is
no shortage of hotels in Mumbai and you can always find the one that suits
your budget. If you are interested for a home stay, contact the Government
of India's Tourist office at the airport. You can also go to the
Indian embassy in your home country for details.
Changing
Money
The American
Express Travel Services office near the Regal Cinema in Colaba is the best
place to exchange foreign money. Thomas Cook on D N Road can also exchange
money.. Foreign exchange counters are also available at the arrival hall
of the international airport.
It was an wonderful
experience being in Mumbai and I look forward to visiting the city for
a longer stay in the coming years as the real thrill of the city is visible
only when you are here for few weeks and not for just a few days.
I wanted
to share more about my first trip to Mumbai, but I have no option other
than to switch off my laptop as the Jet Airways flight is ready to take
off for Delhi.
Will be with
you next month from New Delhi…
Till then,
keep exploring….
The following
are Rajeep's previous articles for the magazine:
Rajdeep Bhattacharjee
is a Travel Writer and can be contacted at rajdeep@ecotourism.cc |
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Article
Index ~ India
Index ~ |
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