Mumbai: The City of Dreams

Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the bustling financial capital of India and one of the world's most populous cities. Located on the western coast, this vibrant metropolis is a captivating blend of tradition and modernity. Mumbai is often called the "City of Dreams" as it's the epicenter of the Hindi film industry, Bollywood, and a hub for aspiring actors and artists.

The Gateway of India, an iconic arch overlooking the Arabian Sea, stands as a symbol of the city's rich history. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a stunning example of Victorian Gothic architecture. Mumbai is a city of contrasts, with luxury skyscrapers and sprawling slums existing side by side. It's a melting pot of cultures and traditions, offering a diverse culinary experience with street food, fine dining, and a thriving café culture.

The city's coastline is adorned with beautiful promenades, including Marine Drive and Worli Sea Face, where locals and tourists gather to enjoy the sea breeze and stunning sunsets. Mumbai's rich cultural heritage is evident in its numerous museums, art galleries, and historic sites. It's also a shopper's paradise, with everything from street markets to high-end boutiques.

Tourist Places in Mumbai

Dhobi Ghat

A unique feature of Mumbai, the dhobi is a traditional laundryman, who will collect your dirty linen, wash it, and return it neatly pressed to your doorstep. The "laundries" are called "ghats": row upon row of concrete wash pens, each fitted with its own flogging stone. The clothes are soaked in sudsy water, thrashed on the flogging stones, then tossed into huge vats of boiling starch and hung out to dry. Next, they are ironed and piled into neat bundles. The most famous of these Dhobi Ghats is at Saat Rasta near Mahalaxmi Station where almost two hundred dhobis and their families work together.

Elephanta Caves

Located nine kilometers by sea from the Gateway of India, are the Elephanta Caves. The Caves are characterized by rock temples carved out of two hills that emerge from the center of the island. It is said that the Portuguese named this island after the stone elephant they found here. At Elephanta, you can see the cave shrine of Lord Shiva, which belongs to the sixth century, and a massive three-headed sculpture representing Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer.

Gateway of India

The Gateway of India - a 26 mt. triumphal Archway designed Century to commemorate the visit of King George and Queen Mary to India in 1911 - is Mumbai's most famous landmark. Ironically, when the Raj ended in 1947, this colonial symbol also became a sort of epitaph: the last of the British ships that set sail for England left from the Gateway. Behind the arch, there are steps leading down to the water. Here, you can get onto one of the bobbing little motor launches, for a short cruise through Mumbai's splendid natural harbor.

Hanging Garden

Perched at the top of Malabar Hill, on its western side, just opposite the Kamala Nehru Park, these terraced gardens; also known as Ferozeshah Mehta Gardens, provide lovely sunset views over the Arabian Sea. The park was laid out in the early 1880s over Bombay's main reservoir, some say to cover the water from the potentially contaminating activity of the nearby Towers of Silence.

Kala Ghoda Art District

The Kala Ghoda Art District, covering roughly 2 square kilometers, drew its name from a huge statue of King Edward VIII astride a black horse (Kala Ghoda in Hindi) that once graced the center of the main thoroughfare. Beginning from the Regal Cinema (behind the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai), this hub of culture is home to a heady mix of quaint restaurants, museums, educational institutions, cultural organizations, theatres, and art galleries, making it comparable to many international art districts.

Kamla Nehru Park

Perched on the top of Malabar Hill, Kamala Nehru Park is essentially a vantage point that presents a panoramic view of the glittering city - Mumbai. It extends to 3,300 sq m in the most luxurious and posh residential area of the Bollywood city of India. The park was christened after Kamla Nehru, who was the wife of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India. A park is a pleasant place with foliage all around and well-maintained green lawns.

Kanheri Cave

A small trip of about four miles will take you to the famous Kanheri Caves a must-visit excursion spot of Mumbai. The caves are believed to have been carved out by Buddhist monks between the 2nd and 9th centuries and have many interesting facts related to them. An unusual feature at Kanheri is the number of open benches cut out of rocks. Almost all the caves have benches in their verandahs or frontcourts. Sit down on one of these and with the evening breeze that comes from the sea refreshing you, you realize their purpose at once.

Mani Bhawan

A memorial dedicated to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. He used to stay at House No.19 called Man Bhavan, from time to time between 1917 and 1934. He was arrested here in 1932 and taken off for one of his many prison terms. The building now contains a pictorial gallery, a 20,000-volume research library, a film and recording archive and a set of the diorama on the Mahatma's life.

Marine Drive

Built-in 1920, Marine Drive runs along the shoreline of the Arabian Sea from Nariman Point to the foot of Malabar Hill. It passes Chowpatty Beach along the way. It's one of Mumbai's most popular romantic spot and the sunset view is amazing. Tourist brochures are fond of stating it as the Queen's Necklace, because of the dramatic curve of its streetlights at night.

Prince of Wales Museum

Prince of Wales Museum is the erstwhile name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya of Mumbai. In 1905, George V laid down, the Prince of Wales himself, who came on a visit to India its foundation stone. George Wittet, an architect, designed the splendid structure. The construction work was concluded in 1914, but Lady Lloyd inaugurated the full-fledged museum in 1923. Art, Archaeology and Natural History are three exclusive sections in the museum. It houses some of the finest collections, ranging from ancient Indus Valley relics to the artifacts from the Gupta and Maurya Periods.

Sanjay Gandhi National Park

Sanjay Gandhi National Park is acclaimed to be an exclusive and largest park in the world to be located within city limits. The bustling forest of the park is abode to almost 800 species of flowering plants, 284 species of birds, 5,000 species of insects, 36 types of mammals, 50 kinds of reptiles, and 150 species of butterfly. It also has numerous endangered species of plants and animals. It has the distinction of comprising Atlas moth, which was discovered here and known to be the world's largest moth.

Tower of Silence

A peculiar site to visit in Mumbai is the Tower of Silence. Mumbai has a large number of Parsi populations. The Parsis have the custom of leaving their dead in the open. These particular places are called "Towers of Silence", where the vultures come to eat the dead. For the Parsis, this is regarded as the final act of charity. Mumbai's Towers of Silence have virtually disappeared today. Only a handful remains that attract a considerable number of tourists every year.