Mumbai is the largest city in India. It is also known as the glamour capital of the country and is home to the best known Bollywood stars, musicians and directors. It is the financial capital as well, as it has Asia’s oldest stock exchange, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE). It was earlier known as Bombay, which was popularly used by the British. This place is notorious for its fast pace of life and people from all over the country come here to “make their dreams come true”. It is a favorite place to live among the expatriates. It is also one of the best cities in the world.
The name Mumbai is an eponym, etymologically derived from Mumba or Maha-Amba— the name of the Hindu goddess Mumbadevi and Aai — mother in Marathi language. The former name Bombay had its origins in the 16th century when the Portuguese arrived in the area and called the place with various names which would finally take on the written form Bombaim, still common in current Portuguese use. After the British gained possession in the 17th century, it was anglicized to Bombay.
Present Mumbai was originally an archipelago of seven islands. Artifacts found in northern Mumbai indicate that these islands had been inhabited since the Stone Age. Documented evidence of human habitation dates back to 250 BC. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 transformed Bombay into one of the largest seaports on the Arabian Sea. Over the next thirty years, the city grew into a major urban centre, spurred by an improvement in infrastructure and the construction of many of the city's institutions
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Heritage walks past historic and architecturally significant areas of the city.
Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is India's busiest airport and one of the main international gateways to the country. The airport consists of two terminals : International Terminal (Terminal 2, Sahar) and a Domestic Terminal (Terminal 1, Santacruz). Both terminals use the same airspace but are 4 km apart. There are flights to all major international destinations from Mumbai. The domestic terminal handles flights from more than 30 Indian cities.
By Road: Mumbai is well served by buses from destinations within India. The MSRTC (Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation) operates services to Mumbai from various cities in Maharashtra like Pune, Aurangabad, Nagpur, etc. There also exist numerous private bus operators who operate a large number of services to Mumbai from all the major cities of the country including Bangalore, Goa, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Udaipur.
By Rail: Trains arrive in Mumbai from all over India. The two major lines and one minor line serve different parts of the country. The Central line sKurla Terminus. The erves Southern India, Eastern India and parts of North India. The key stations are Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus, known just as VT), Dadar Terminus and Western line connects to the Western states of Gujarat, Rajasthan and some parts of North India. There are regular trains to cities like Bhopal, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Goa, Kolkata, Ahmedabad etc.
Mumbai has a humid temperature, thanks to its proximity to the sea. The temperature is mostly pleasant. During summer the temperature rises up to 35 to 38 degrees C, and in winter it drops to 15 degrees C. However, due to the Global Warming effect, Mumbai is also witnessing some major fluctuations in its weather.
A tourist visa applicable for the entire country (India) is sufficient.
The Indian Rupee is the acceptable form of currency. There are many banks and travel agents that offer money changing facilities. Money can also be changed at the 24 hour exchange bureaus at the airports are at one of the many foreign exchange offices in Colaba. Credit/Debit cards are accepted at most of the hotels and larger merchant locations. ATM's of almost all the banks are can be spotted every few yards. Carry enough cash while street shopping or eating at the roadside stalls.
Girgaum Chowpatti: It is commonly known as Chowpatti and is a small public beach adjoining Marine Drive in Girgaum area of Mumbai, India. The beach is famous for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations when hundreds of people from all over Mumbai come to immerse the idols of Lord Ganapati in Arabian Sea.
Marine Drive: It is one of the most popular landmarks. 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.
Juhu Beach: It is the most famous beach in Mumbai city. It is situated on the shores of Arabian Sea in Juhu. Many tourists make it a point to visit the beach when they come to Mumbai.
The Haji Ali Dargah: It is a mosque and dargah (tomb) located on a tiny islet off the coast of Worli in Mumbai. Lying in the heart of the city , the dargah is one of the most recognizable landmarks of Mumbai.
Mahalaxmi Temple: It is one of the most famous temples of Mumbai. Built around 1785, it is very close to The Haji Ali Dargah.
The Gateway of India: This is a landmark monument in Mumbai, India. The Gateway is traditionally the first thing visitors arriving by boat would see of Mumbai from the southern side. Behind the Gateway steps lead down to the waterfront, where boat trips can be had to locations such as Elephanta Island
Some of the most famous museums and art galleries in India are found here. The Kala Ghoda area in South Mumbai teems with them, particularly the Prince of Wales Museum, and the National Gallery of Modern Art.
Elephanta Island is an island off Bombay that is home to the Elephanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The artwork in the cave temples is some of the most impressive temple carvings in India The cave temples are carved into the basalt rock of the island.
The British built a magnificent city within the walls of Fort St. George. Some fine examples of the Gothic revival, Neo-classical style and Indo-Saracenic style are seen within this area. Worth seeing are the Gateway of India, the CST terminus, the Police headquarters or generally take a stroll around South Mumbai
Shopping : There are numerous markets in Mumbai where one can pick up antiques , curios, handicrafts and gifts to carry back home. The main markets are in Mumbai : Chor bazaar in Grant road (for antiques), Fashion Street (for cheap clothes), Colaba Causeway (for authentic Indian souvenirs, antiques, carpets and chandeliers). Also check out the government emporiums like Khadi and Village Industries Emporium, Central Cottage Industries Emporium, Kashmir Government Arts Emporium etc
Source: wikipedia / wikitravel
Mumbai has a vibrant theatre scene with plays in many languages including English, Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi. While South Mumbai has frequent performances, the best organized theatre effort is at Prithvi theatre, Juhu in the Western Suburbs. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy Indian classical music and dance , you will find frequent performances of Carnatic music in Shanmukhananda Hall, Matunga in the South Central suburbs.
Mumbai is the entertainment hub of India. One can find a lot of night clubs, pubs and discotheques in the city. It is a place for people who love uninterrupted night outs.
Where To Eat:
Since Mumbai is an international city, one can get any type of cuisine – Indian, Chinese, Spanish, Lebanese, Continental, Italian, et al. Mumbai is famous for its street food like panipuri, behlpuri, and pav bhaji. You can find great local restaurants, Irani cafes and street stalls.
Where To Stay :
Accommodation in Mumbai is more expensive than most other cities in India due to lack of space. It is very difficult to find good budget hotels in Mumbai. If you are a tourist or a business traveller, you may have to stay in South Mumbai, which is where both the business district and the touristy areas are. One inexpensive alternative is to live with a local family as a paying guest. A list of available families can be obtained from the Government of India tourist office opposite Churchgate train station. Those who are willing to splurge can stay at the Taj in Colaba, the oldest in India, the Leela Kempinski, the ITC Grand Maratha, or the J W Marriott
