Around the World in 106 Days with Ray & Claire!! Part 13 - Mumbai

Bombay was first settled by a community of Koli fisher folk who lived on the seven islands during the 2nd Century BC In 1996, the name of this city was changed to Mumbai (although most of the older generation still call it Bombay!!) it is now the capital of the Indian state of Ma-har-ash-tra, located on the west coast of India. A city of extreme contrasts, present day Mumbai has materialised as the largest metropolis in India, with around 16 million people, and its the second most populous city in the world. Mumbai is the financial capital of India and it has also gained the name of “City Of Dreams”, for Mumbai is home of the famous Indian film industry, that we know as “Bollywood”.

. These islands were under the control of a succession of Hindu dynasties for a spell around the 6th century AD before the Muslim Sultans of Gujarat surrendered the area to the Portuguese in 1534, who christened it Bom Bahai, meaning Good Bay or Good Harbour When these rulers came under attack from the Moghuls, the Portuguese stepped in to assist, and together they won against the enemy. As per a mutual treaty, Mumbai was then taken over by the Portuguese and Muslim rule came to an end The islands were eventually given as a dowry gift to the Portuguese Princess, Catherine of Braganza, when she married England’s Charles II

Come on slow- coach – the busses are waiting outside!!

Well, yes they are.... but in here......they are packing hundreds of tons of chick peas for the world market!

Bombay became the base for the Indian independence movement and it was from here that Mahatma Gandhi launched the “Quit India” campaign in 1942 Gandhi’s residence in Bombay

Mani Bhawan is the house where Gandhi stayed whilst in Mumbai The house actually belonged to Gandhi’s friend, and it was here in this house - in November that he fasted for four days in order to restore peace to the city This is his old spinning wheel - which in many ways symbolised the struggle for independence – and now appears on the Indian flag Ghandi’s room - as it is today

This house has now been converted into a museum of Ghandi’s life – and here is the library of books read and about Ghandi (also a more modern “spinning wheel”)

Judging by the amount of handbags that “some” people have purchased – they will need an armoured and camouflaged car to get them home!

(ironically, it was used in 1948 to parade off the last British Regiment as India gained Independence!) Built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay in 1911, it was opened to the general public in Parallel to the Promenade, is The Gateway of India

Built of basalt, this colonial triumphal arch faces out to Mumbai Harbour from the Tip of Apollo Bunder

Not far from the Gateway landmark is the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower which dates from 1903 and serves as a 5 star hotel with over 560 rooms It was built by a man named Jamsetji Tata who decided to build the hotel after he was refused entry to the Watsons Hotel (one of the City’s grandest hotels of the time) stopped him as it was for Whites Only

Built at a cost then of around £127,000 it really was very grand and consisted of two buildings, built at two different times in two architectural styles. It was the first hotel in India to have a steam elevator, as well as being the first hotel venue to import German elevators, Turkish baths, English butlers and American fans. Where the Tower stands today used to be Green’s Hotel, which had a reputation for sailors and wild parties due to its relatively cheap rates. In 1973 the hotel was demolished and the Tower wing was constructed in its place

The Tower wing was refurbished in the 1990’s but in 2008 the Hotel was severely damaged as a result of the Mumbai terrorist attacks and hostages were held inside, for around 60 hours. Following the attacks the hotel is being refurbished at a cost of several million rupees

Claire with our Tour Guide

Women trying to gain support for a lady member of Parliament The National flag also had a hand in the middle of them to symbolise women's rites

There are however plenty of museums to visit. The Foundation Stone of the Museum was laid by the Prince of Wales (who later was King George V) in November 1905 and it was then called the Prince of Wales Museum of Western India. When Bombay was changed to Mumbai, so the name of the museum changed from the Prince of Wales to Chat.....etc. in honour of the founder of the Maratha Empire In particular the Chhat-ra-pati Shevajee ma-har-aj Vastoo sang-ra-ha-laya (or to me and you the Prince of Wales Museum!) is Mumbai’s biggest and best museum situated in the Khala Goda

The Khala Goda Museum is where you will find the main art galleries and museums within the city and where cultural festivals and the like take place. The name translates as Black Horse in reference to a black stone statue of the then Prince of Wales mounted on a horse – and it is still known by this name today.

The Watson Hotel is now known as the Esplanade Mansion and is India’s oldest surviving Cast Iron Building Named after John Watson the original owner, the building was actually fabricated in England, resembling various high profile 19th century buildings in London such as Crystal Palace, and was shipped over to this site in the early 1860s The hotel closed down in the 1960s, when it was later divided up and rented out as homes and offices. Unfortunately as you can see today, it has been neglected over the years

The Raja-Bai Clock Tower is situated in the confines of the Mumbai University and the design was based on Big Ben. It stands at 85 metres high

The Mumbai University The University was founded in 1857 and modelled on British Universities The most notable feature of the complex is the Clock tower that sits in the gardens and is home to the University library

The Flora Fountain in Martyr’s Square was built in 1864 and named after the roman Goddess Flora. It was renamed Hutatma Chowk, or Martyr’s Square in remembrance of people who died back in the 1960s, when a peaceful demonstration by the United Mahar-ash-tra committee was set upon by Police and over 100 people were killed It is believed that the actions of these peaceful protestors and the event that took place sparked off the creation of the state of Mahar-ash-tra

Looking across to The Churchgate Train Station

The different types of buses used in Mumbai...and their attention to safety!!

The Oval is just south of the Church Gate Station is a well used for cricket and soccer

St. Thomas Cathedral on Veer Nariman road (close to the train station and the Flora Fountain) was built in 1718 and is the first Anglican Church in Mumbai

The Horniman Circle - where you will find the Town Hall which houses the Asiatic Society library overlooking the Circle Gardens

The Marine Drive (by Church Gate) is built on land reclaimed from the Back Bay in 1920 and arcs along the shore of the Arabian Sea

At the northern end of Marine Drive is one of the most famous public beaches in Mumbai, not necessarily for its beach but for what else it has to offer Salesmen and vendors are a plenty here, and there are as many food stalls and fast food outlets where they sell Crunched puffed rice snacks and spicy potatoes cakes and a dish called paav baji – which is fried vegetable mash that is eaten with bread

During August and September this is the site the Mubai’s biggest annual festival. Spread over 10 days, it is in celebration of the elephant headed deity Ganesh where families and communities take their Ganesh statues to the seashore and line them up. On the tenth day - millions head for Chowpatty Beach and drown them!

Wedding Day Celebrations Even though 80% (apparently) of the country only earn about $US 2-3 per day, the Weddings last for 4 days and thousand people are invited at a cost of $US 35 per head in the City venues

The Indian Babulnath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva who is in the form of the Babul Tree

The Jain Temple.....dates back to 1905 and is beautifully decorated and adorned at the entrance with two stone elephants

The Jain Temple

The Victoria Terminus (known today as the Chhatra-Pati Sheevaji Terminus or the CST) is the city’s historic train station and one of the busiest stations in India In 2004 it became a UNESCO world heritage listed site and takes the form of several different architectural styles, with Indian, Gothic and Victorian influences. Its recent claim to fame is that it was featured in the box office hit film “Slumdog Millionaire”

The Victoria Gardens (now called Jija-mata Udyaan) There are a many statues in the gardens, including one of a giant elephant which was taken out from the Elephanta Caves and (for some reason) Mother Hubbard’s Shoe!!

The gardens originally belonged to a prominent businessman in the city who built the Victoria and Albert Museum Come on dreamer – lets go and see the other gardens

The Hanging Gardens So called because they are situated above a huge great water tank perched at the top of Malabar Hill

This Lego-type building is 28 stories high, has a huge great indoor and outdoor swimming pools, terraced gardens, parking for dozens of cars, a helicopter landing platform and more than 300 servants..... and four people live there!!

The Dhobi Ghat is the world’s biggest outdoor laundry with row upon row of concrete pens and flogging stones where the Dhobis (i.e. the washers) are hard at it washing the clothes from Mumbai’s hotels and hospitals A Bollywood film (“The Dhobi Ghat”) was recently released in and is loosely based around the open air laundry

Despite all the grandeur and skyscrapers that can be seen in Mumbai, let’s not forget that we also saw the other side of it too. Around 60% of the city’s population live in shantytowns and slums. One notable slum is Dharavi

Until around the 19th century, this particular area of Mumbai was just swamp, originally inhabited by the Koli Fisher folk When the swamp filled in with coconut leaves, rotten fish, and human waste; the Kolis were deprived of their fishing grounds and they joined the thousands of Tamils working in the booming textile industry.

All this consequentially creats the most diverse of slum neighbourhoods in Mumbai To us perhaps it’s an embarrassing eyesore, but for the people who live here quite happily, its home Many families have been here for generations and some of the younger residents have good well paying jobs and yet still choose to stay in the neighbourhood they grew up in

The Haji Ali Shrine is set out on a rock jetty in the sea and can only be accessed at low tide It is an extremely important shrine, named in honour of a Muslim Saint called Haji Ali who drowned here around 500 years ago on a pilgrimage to Mecca

Built in 1431, it’s both a mosque and a tomb and can only be reached by a long stretch of walkway (just above the water) lined with destitute families and beggars On Thursdays and Fridays tens of thousands of pilgrims flock here to receive blessings from the dead saint. Men and women must however enter through different doors

There are plenty of opportunities for shopping in Mumbai

Especially for some people!

This stretch of Marine Drive is called the Queen's Necklace because when viewed at night from an elevated point anywhere along the drive, the street lights resemble a string of pearls forming a necklace

Just off the Marine Drive is a “cemetery” for The Parsees – an Indian religion that celebrate the elements (Earth Fire, Water and Air) They believe that their bodies should not be buried but left to the vultures

This is a sacred tank that is surrounded by four hundred-year-old temples and modern skyscrapers and is part of an ancient temple complex. The water in this tank is believed to come from the Holy Ganges The Banganga

These are members of the Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association Every day, the Association have around 4,000 of their members deliver fresh home-cooked food from 100,000 suburban kitchens, to offices in the downtown area

Each meal is prepared by a loving wife or mother and packed into a set of stackable aluminium boxes The meals, dangling from shoulder-poles and bicycle handlebars and stacked on decorated handcarts, are transported to their hungry beneficiaries Tins are rarely, if ever, lost, and always find their way home again to be washed up for the next day's lunch

This wholesale fruit and vegetable market gives you the chance again to see a part of local every day life in Mumbai Crawford Market

Mumbai by night

“Sail Away Party” with Andrew Stewart Lloyd - The Singing Welsh Man-Mountain

We decided not to go on a 3 day, £5000 side tour to the Taj Mahal - but someday hope to be able to visit this fascinating and stunning site Built by Shah Jehan as a tribute to his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal is perhaps the greatest monument dedicated to love the world has ever known It took some 20,000 labourers over 22 years to complete this architectural masterpiece The Taj Mahal

Buckle up and enjoy the ride