Mumbai is the major commercial city of India. The name was changed from Bombay to Mumbai in 1995. Many Indians still call it Bombay. It is a very densely populated and chaotic city, of more than 20 million people. The traffic is terrible!
Most of the major economic institutions are based in Mumbai: banks, the stock market, large industrial corporations, insurance companies and one of India’s major ports. It is the most international and cosmopolitan city in India. It is also the one with the biggest contrasts: there are the extremely rich who like are ostentatious with their wealth and the extremely poor. They share the city. A city of extremes.
In Mumbai, you will find Bollywood, which is the Hollywood of India. It is the capital of Indian cinema, where they produce lots of movies, which are full of music, dancing and have basic storylines. The Indians love to go to the cinema. It is a very nice experience. If you have time, go and see a movie. As I wrote in my page on India I went to a movie with friends in Kolkata, and thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the people constantly getting up to dance. I did too! However, I left before the end of the movie, which lasted 3 hours.
Start your Mumbai visit at the great and imposing Gateway of India. Although it was built to commemorate the visit of King George V in 1911, it was not finished until 1924. The architect was George Wittet. It was there that the ships going to India berthed, until the aeroplane took away their business. Today you can see fishing boats and boats that can take people to the Elephanta Island.
When I was in Bombay (as it was then) the first time I took a ferry across the Arabian sea to go and visit the Elephanta Island. It was a very strange visit. The weather was already horrible on the way to the Island, all grey so that you could only see in few metres. I made friends with a nice young American guy and we started talking. When we arrived at the island it started raining. Nevertheless, we visited the caves there, in the darkness, whilst outside it poured with rain. When it was time to go back the weather was worse. The boat moved more and more in the rough sea and as it did so the music was got louder and louder, presumably to distract us. I was thinking that if something happened to the boat and I drowned in the Arabian Sea nobody would have known where I had disappeared. We passed close to some tankers (waiting for work outside the port). They looked like phantoms in the darkness. I have to say that it was not a nice experience. Fortunately, we were talking and I had a nice time with Charles. With good weather it is a very nice trip to do. You can visit of the caves and the Temple of Shiva.
The contrasts in this city are many. There are very expensive high-rise buildings. There are very poor areas.
In front of the Gateway of India is the traditional and beautiful Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. It is a jewel of the city. The original part of the hotel was completed in 1903. The more modern part of the hotel, the Taj Mahal Tower, was opened in 1973. That hotel was restored in 2008, following a terrorist attack. I would recommend staying in the older wing of the hotel. I really enjoyed my stay there. The rooms are big and beautifully decorated and the service is excellent, like in all the Taj Hotels.
From the back of the hotel you can go to the streets of Colaba Causeway, a nice area of expensive shopping.
Visit the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, formerly known as the Prince of Wales Museum, which was constructed in commemoration of the visit of George in 1905, when he was Prince of Wales. It is an excellent example of “British Raj” architecture and has a vast selection of Indian artefacts from India, Nepal, Tibet and other far eastern countries.
They are very beautiful buildings in the Gothic Victorian style in the Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil Marg (formerly Mayo Road) in front of the Maidan Gardens.
Visit St. Thomas Cathedral, constructed of which started in 1672. It was consecrated as an Anglican church in 1718. Its older cousin is St. Andrews Roman Catholic church, built by Portuguese Jesuits in 1575.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) is the main railway station in Mumbai. The British constructed the station in 1876. The station is an excellent example of high Victorian Gothic architecture and has many similarities to St. Pancras station in London. The station is one of the busiest in India. From here both long distance and local trains depart.
Visit Chowpatty Beach, which is the place where local people enjoy themselves walking in front of the sea, playing and relaxing. It is best to visit in late afternoon. This city really offers a lot to see and to do. Outside Mumbai you can visit Kanheri Caves in front of the Arabian Sea, where there are lots of Buddhist sculptures and carvings. Also worth visiting is Vasai (historically known as Bassein), where you can enjoy a very nice and peaceful day in the ruins of the Portuguese Fort.S
Shopping
It is an ideal city to shop (although I prefer Delhi) in the elegant shops of the more expensive hotels. Here you can find a variety of selected Indian goods, at high prices. However, it is much more fun to shop in the street markets. Along the Colaba Causeway (officially known as Shahid Bhagat Singh Road) at the back of the Taj Hotel is rated by many as the best shopping experience in Mumbai.
At the end of Colaba Causeway you reach the Bhuleshwar district, which has a market, the Bhuleshwar market, which is a big and colorful market of vegetables, fruits and spices. Nearby is the Crawford market where you will also find fruit, vegetables and the famous spices.
If you are looking for fabrics you will find them in Mangaldas market. In Mutton road (sometimes called Mutton street, also known as Chor Bazaar) you can find interesting objects, very decorative pieces, most probably new and antique objects from the colonies. I bought some very nice things at good prices. You have to walk around, there are lots of shops, that sell beautifully embroidered tunics, shorts and things for the house.
Hotels
Hotels are very good, and different range of prices: the Oberoi and the historic Taj Majal (described above), are among the best.
I had a funny and pleasant experience some years ago in a hotel in Mumbai. I didn’t book a room for the last night when I was leaving. The hotel very kindly extended my stay until 8.00 pm, although I did not need to leave to go to the airport until 12 midnight, since my flight was due to take-off at around 2.00 or 3.00 am. I went to check out, planning to hang around the hotel until it was time to go to the airport.
Whilst I was checking out I was aware that beside me there was a very elegant handsome Arab gentleman. I was telling the receptionist that I was leaving the room, which was a pity since it was so comfortable. When I had finished settling my bill the receptionist told me that I could stay in my room until I had to leave for the airport since it had been paid for by the gentleman. It was very kind of him. I went back to the room, locked the door and slept until I had to go to the airport. Nobody bothered me or knocked on the door.
Trains
You don’t know India until you have travelled on a train in the country.
The first steam train started in In India in the Victoria Terminus in Bombay in 1853. The British constructed trains to take their merchandise to the ports where they were put on ships to go to all parts of the world. Imagine what was it was like to travel in the trains in those times! What could be the impression for them to see the beautiful and exotic countryside! So wild, so colourful! The animals! A great contract with Europe. I had that impression 150 years later, when I was traveling by train in Tamil Nadu.
I arrived in the station with lots of pieces of luggage (as usual). There were many porters lifting them as if they were not big and heavy. I don’t travel with luggage with wheels, since they weigh too much – around 4 and 5 kg. I always travel with big thin black bags, that carry from 23 to 32 kg depending of the airline luggage allowance and have at least 2 or 3 more bags folded in the luggage in case I need them. You never know what you will find in a trip. The trains brought prosperity and transport for local people. They are always very full, inside and on their roofs. They are used as mobile hospitals, especially eye doctors move by train and stop in different towns around the country. People are already organized in lines from early morning to visit the doctor when he arrives. Many hundreds of thousands of people work for the Indian railways. You can also experience a number of luxury trains in India, like a 5-star hotel on wheels.
I consulted the very good National Geographic Traveler guide, that I recommend you for your trip! It helped a lot my trips with very good information and nice pictures.