Exploring Mumbai - The City Of Dreams
+
+
+ Mumbai, formerly Bombay, city, capital of Maharashtra state, southwestern India. It is the country’s financial and commercial centre and its principal port on the Arabian Sea. + Located on Maharashtra’s coast, Mumbai is India’s most-populous city, and it is one of the largest and most densely populated urban areas in the world. + It was built on a site of ancient settlement, and it took its name from the local goddess Mumba—a form of Parvati, the consort of Shiva, one of the principal deities of Hinduism—whose temple once stood in what is now the southeastern section of the city. + It became known as Bombay during the British colonial period, the name possibly an Anglicized corruption of Mumbai or perhaps of Bom Baim (“Good Harbour”), supposedly a Portuguese name for the locale. + The name Mumbai was restored officially in 1995, although Bombay remained in common usage.
+Mumbai is the birthplace of Indian cinema—Dadasaheb Phalke laid the foundations with silent movies followed by Marathi talkies—and the oldest film broadcast took place in the early 20th century. + The city is also home to the Marathi film industry, which releases films in the Marathi language. Mumbai also has a large number of cinema halls that feature Bollywood, Marathi and Hollywood movies. + Mumbai is home to the Marathi-speaking Koli people, who are the original inhabitants of the seven islands of Mumbai. The Koli dance is a popular folk dance, and the music that accompanies it is played with a string instrument called tumbi. + The city is also home to the Marathi-speaking Koli people, who are the original inhabitants of the seven islands of Mumbai. The Koli dance is a popular folk dance, and the music that accompanies it is played with a string instrument called tumbi. + Mumbai is home to the Marathi-speaking Koli people, who are the original inhabitants of the seven islands of Mumbai.
+
The Gateway of India is one of India’s most unique landmarks situated in the city of Mumbai. The colossal structure was constructed in 1924. Located at the tip of Apollo Bunder, the gateway overlooks the Mumbai harbor, bordered by the Arabian Sea in the Colaba district. + The Gateway of India is a monument that marks India’s chief ports and is a major tourist attraction for visitors who arrive in India for the first time. At one point of time, this monument represented the grandeur of the British Raj in India. + The total construction cost of this monument was approximately 21 lakhs and the whole expense was borne by the Indian government. A favorite spot for tourists, nowadays, this monument attracts vendors, food stalls and photographers galore. + Another popular activity here is to take a motorboat ride from the Gateway of India to Mandwa, a scenic beachfront town about 20 minutes from Mumbai.
+
Marine Drive is a 3.6-kilometre-long boulevard in South Mumbai in the city of Mumbai. The road was constructed by late philanthropist Bhagojisheth Keer & Pallonji Mistry. It is a 'C'-shaped six-lane concrete road along the coast, which is a natural bay. + The road links Nariman Point to Babulnath and Malabar Hill. Marine Drive is situated over reclaimed land facing west-south-west. A promenade lies parallel to this road. Marine Drive is also known as the Queen's Necklace because, if viewed at night from an elevated point anywhere along the drive, the street lights resemble a string of pearls in a necklace. + In 2012, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai announced that the entire road would be resurfaced, 72 years after it was originally laid. The official name for this road, though rarely used, is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Road. The promenade is lined with palm trees. At the northern end of Marine Drive is Chowpatty Beach. This is a popular beach famed for its Bhel puri (local fast food). Many restaurants also line this stretch of the road. Further down this road lies Walkeshwar, a wealthy neighbourhood of the city, also home to the Governor of Maharashtra.
+
Juhu Beach is one of the most famous beaches in Mumbai. It may be accessed from the suburbs of Vile Parle, Santacruz and Andheri. Many tourists make it a point to visit the beach when they come to Mumbai, as it is a relatively uncrowded free space in the city, although it does get crowded in the evenings and weekends. + Juhu Beach is located in the central suburb of Mumbai. It is one of the most visited beaches in India. It is situated on the shores of the Arabian Sea in Juhu suburb. It stretches for about 6 km up to Versova. The beach is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, Versova to the north, Santacruz and Vile Parle to the east, and Khar to the south. Juhu Beach is a popular tourist attraction throughout the year and is also a sought after destination for shooting films. The beach generally gets more crowded on weekends and public holidays. The food court at its main entrance is famous for its 'Mumbai style' street food, notably bhelpuri, pani puri and sevpuri. Horse pulled carriages offer joyrides to tourists for a small fee while acrobats, dancing monkeys, cricket matches, toy sellers vie for tourist's attention. The beach is also a popular spot for watching aircraft as planes from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport usually take off directly over the beach towards the sea.
+
The Haji Ali Dargah is a mosque and dargah (tomb) or the monument of Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari located on an islet off the coast of Worli in the southern part of Mumbai. Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari was a kind Sufi saint with a wealthy merchant from Uzbekistan. He was a popular saint of Muslims and Hindus. The Haji Ali Dargah is one of India's most famous and prestigious landmarks situated about 500 yards from the Mumbai shoreline in the middle of the Arabian Sea off Lala Lajpatrai Marg. The structure was erected on a set of high rising rocks and was given its present day shape in the early 19th century after the Trust was legally formed as an entity in 1916. The Haji Ali Dargah is managed by the Haji Ali Dargah Trust, a public charitable trust registered under the Maharashtra Public Trust Act. + The Haji Ali Dargah is a mosque and dargah (tomb) or the monument of Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari located on an islet off the coast of Worli in the southern part of Mumbai. Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari was a kind Sufi saint with a wealthy merchant from Uzbekistan. He was a popular saint of Muslims and Hindus. The Haji Ali Dargah is one of India's most famous and prestigious landmarks situated about 500 yards from the Mumbai shoreline in the middle of the Arabian Sea off Lala Lajpatrai Marg. The structure was erected on a set of high rising rocks and was given its present day shape in the early 19th century after the Trust was legally formed as an entity in 1916. The Haji Ali Dargah is managed by the Haji Ali Dargah Trust, a public charitable trust registered under the Maharashtra Public Trust Act.
+
The Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shri Ganesh. It is located in Prabhadevi, Mumbai, Maharashtra. It was originally built by Laxman Vithu and Deubai Patil on 19 November 1801. It is one of the richest temples in Mumbai. + The temple has a small mandap with the shrine for Siddhi Vinayak ("Ganesha who grants your wish"). The wooden doors to the sanctum are carved with images of the Ashtavinayak (the eight manifestations of Ganesha in Maharashtra). The inner roof of the sanctum is plated with gold, and the central statue is of Ganesha. In the periphery, there is a Hanuman temple as well. + The Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shri Ganesh. It is located in Prabhadevi, Mumbai, Maharashtra. It was originally built by Laxman Vithu and Deubai Patil on 19 November 1801. It is one of the richest temples in Mumbai. + The temple has a small mandap with the shrine for Siddhi Vinayak ("Ganesha who grants your wish"). The wooden doors to the sanctum are carved with images of the Ashtavinayak (the eight manifestations of Ganesha in Maharashtra). The inner roof of the sanctum is plated with gold, and the central statue is of Ganesha. In the periphery, there is a Hanuman temple as well.
+
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) formerly known as Victoria Terminus is a historic railway station and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India which serves as the headquarters of the Central Railways. The station was designed by Frederick William Stevens according to the concept of Victorian Italianate Gothic Revival architecture and meant to be a similar revival of Indian Goth (classical era) architecture. The station was built in 1887 in the Bori Bunder area of Mumbai to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The new railway station was built to the south of the old Bori Bunder railway station. It is one of the busiest railway stations in India, serving as a terminal for both long-distance trains and commuter trains of the Mumbai Suburban Railway. The station's name was changed from Victoria Terminus (with code BB) to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (woth code CSTM) in March 1996 in honour of Emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire. In 2017, the station was again renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (with code CSMT). + The station is also a stop for several UNESCO World Heritage Site listed trains including the Deccan Odyssey, India's first luxury tourist train. CST is the headquarters of the Central Railway zone of Indian Railways. The station is designed in the High Victorian Gothic style of architecture. The building exhibits a fusion of influences from Victorian Italianate Gothic Revival architecture and classical Indian architecture. The skyline, turrets, pointed arches, and eccentric ground plan are close to classical Indian palace architecture. The station stands as an example of 19th-century railway architectural marvels for its advanced structural and technical solutions. The CST was constructed using high level of engineering both in terms of civil and mechanical engineering. The building was designed by Frederick William Stevens, a consulting architect in 1887-1888 for the princely sum of 16.14 lakh (US$24,000), including the cost of the building and the railway station. Stevens earned the commission to construct the station after a masterpiece watercolour sketch by draughtsman Axel Haig. The final design bears some resemblance to St Pancras railway station in London. GG Scott's plans for Berlin's parliament building had been published four years before, and also has marked similarities to the station. The station took ten + years to complete, the longest for any building of that era in Bombay. This famous architectural landmark in a Gothic-revival style was built as the headquarters of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway. Since then, the station came to be known as Bombay VT. The original platforms were from 1-9. The original building is still in use to handle suburban traffic and is used by over three million commuters daily. It is also the administrative headquarters of the Central Railways. The station was built in 1887 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The new railway station was built to the south of the old Bori Bunder railway station. It is one of the busiest railway stations in India, serving as a terminal for both long-distance trains and commuter trains of the Mumbai Suburban Railway. The station's name was changed from Victoria Terminus (with code BB) to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (woth code CSTM) in March 1996 in honour of Emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire. In 2017, the station was again renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (with code CSMT).
+
The Global Vipassana Pagoda is a Meditation Dome Hall with a capacity to seat around 8,000 Vipassana meditators near Gorai, North-west of Mumbai, India. The Pagoda was inaugurated by Pratibha Patil, then President of India on 8 February 2009. It is built on donated land on a peninsula between Gorai creek and the Arabian Sea. The pagoda is to serve as a monument of peace and harmony. The Global Vipassana Pagoda has been built out of gratitude to Sayagyi U Ba Khin (1899 - 1971), Vipassana teacher and the first Accountant-General of Independent Burma, who was instrumental in Vipassana returning to India, the country of its origin. It is also built as a tribute to the Vipassana teacher S. N. Goenka (1924 - 2013), as well as to spread awareness about Vipassana. The Global Vipassana Pagoda complex is located amidst 13 acres of tropical gardens called the Global Pagoda Meditation Park. The foundation for the dome was completed on 21 November 2006. The inauguration stone was laid on 31 October 2008 by Pratibha Patil, President of India. It was inaugurated on 8 February 2009. The pagoda was built entirely through voluntary donations. The Global Vipassana Pagoda is built out of gratitude to the Buddha, his teaching and the community of monks practicing his teaching. Its traditional Burmese design is an expression of gratitude towards the country of Myanmar for preserving the practice of Vipassana. The shape of the pagoda is a copy of the Shwedagon Pagoda (Golden Pagoda) in Yangon, Myanmar. It was built combining ancient Indian and modern technology to enable it to last for a thousand years. The center of the Global Vipassana Pagoda contains the world's largest stone dome built without any supporting pillars. The height of the dome is approximately 29 metres, while the height of the building is 96.12 meters, which is twice the size of the previously largest hollow stone monument in the world, the Gol Gumbaz Dome in Bijapur, India. External diameter of the largest section of the dome is 97.46m and the shorter sections is 94.82m. Internal diameter of the +
+
Elephanta Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a collection of cave temples predominantly dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. They are located on Elephanta Island, or Gharapuri (literally "the city of caves") in Mumbai Harbour, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the east of the city of Mumbai in the Indian state of Mahārāshtra. The island, located on an arm of the Arabian Sea, consists of two groups of caves—the first is a large group of five Hindu caves, the second, a smaller group of two Buddhist caves. The Hindu caves contain rock cut stone sculptures, representing the Shaiva Hindu sect, dedicated to the Lord Shiva. The rock cut architecture of the caves has been dated to between the 5th and 8th centuries, although the identity of the original builders is still a subject of debate. The caves are hewn from solid basalt rock. All the caves were also originally painted in the past, but now only traces remain. The main cave (Cave 1, or the Great Cave) was a Hindu place of worship until Portuguese rule began in 1534, after which the caves suffered severe damage. This cave was renovated in the 1970s after years of neglect, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 to preserve the artwork. It is currently maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Elephanta Island, or Gharapuri, is about 11 km (6.8 mi) east of the Apollo Bunder on the Mumbai Harbour and 10 km (6.2 mi) south of Pir Pal in Trombay. The island covers about 10 km2 (3.9 sq mi) at high tide and about 16 km2 (6.2 sq mi) at low tide. Gharapuri is small village on the south side of the island. The Elephanta Caves can be reached by a ferry from the Gateway of India, Mumbai, which takes about 1 hour to reach the island. The cave is closed on Monday. The island is 2.4 km (1.5 mi) in length with two hills that rise to a height of about 150 m (490 ft). A narrow deep ravine separates the two hills and runs from north to south. On the west, the hill rises gently from the sea and stretches east across the +
+
KidZania Mumbai is an interactive indoor theme park that inspires, educates & empowers kids, helping them understand & manage their world better. KidZania is a privately held Mexican chain of indoor family entertainment centers currently operating in 24 locations worldwide, allowing children to role play adult jobs and earn currency. KidZania has received more than 68 million visitors since its opening, making it one of the fastest growing global edutainment brands in the world. KidZania Mumbai is an interactive indoor theme park that inspires, educates & empowers kids, helping them understand & manage their world better. KidZania is a privately held Mexican chain of indoor family entertainment centers currently operating in 24 locations worldwide, allowing children to role play adult jobs and earn currency. KidZania has received more than 68 million visitors since its opening, making it one of the fastest growing global edutainment brands in the world.
+
The Bandra–Worli Sea Link, officially called Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link, is a cable-stayed bridge with pre-stressed concrete-steel viaducts on either side that links Bandra in the Western Suburbs of Mumbai with Worli in South Mumbai. The bridge is a part of the proposed Western Freeway that will link the Western Suburbs to Nariman Point in Mumbai's main business district. The ₹16 billion (US$220 million) bridge was commissioned by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), and built by the Hindustan Construction Company. The first four of the eight lanes of the bridge were opened to the public on 30 June 2009. All eight lanes were opened on 24 March 2010. The sea-link reduces travel time between Bandra and Worli during peak hours from 60–90 minutes to 20–30 minutes. As of October 2009, BWSL had an average daily traffic of around 37,500 vehicles. The sea-link's website reported that in first eleven months since its opening, 8.33 million vehicles had used the sea-link. The sea-link has been featured in several Bollywood films, such as Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na, The Great Gambler, Kites, Don 2, Chennai Express, and many more. The Bandra–Worli Sea Link is a cable-stayed bridge with pre-stressed concrete-steel viaducts on either side that links Bandra in the Western Suburbs of Mumbai with Worli in South Mumbai. The bridge is a part of the proposed Western Freeway that will link the Western Suburbs to Nariman Point in Mumbai's main business district. The ₹16 billion (US$220 million) bridge was commissioned by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), and built by the Hindustan Construction Company. The first four of the eight lanes of the bridge were opened to the public on 30 June 2009. All eight lanes were opened on 24 March 2010. The sea-link reduces travel time between Bandra and Worli during peak hours from 60–90 minutes to 20–30 minutes. As of October 2009, BWSL had an average daily traffic of around 37,500 vehicles. The sea-link's website reported that in first eleven months since its opening, 8.33 + .
+ +So, these are the top 10 tourist attractions of Mumbai. Hope you will enjoy your visit to Mumbai. + However the spirit of the city, Mumbai can only be fully embraced by stepping onto its lively streets, immersing oneself in its vibrant culture, and witnessing the tales that unfold around every corner.
+ +