India’s
sparkling showcase of East-meets-West,
Mumbai—formerly known as Bombay—is a spanking
metropolis, the second most densely-populated city
in the world with a population of almost 14 million
people, and India’s largest city. Home to Bollywood,
luxury brand names, Times of India, the
Elephanta Caves (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and
the renowned Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai,
one can clearly see the advanced societal
infrastructure, technology, education and media
here, as well as get some sense of the evolved,
almost-shiny, commercialism so typical of big and
successful cities around the world.
Sights and
sounds seem endless in Mumbai, there being a
veritable kaleidoscope of things to see and do. The
most popular tourist attractions would be the
majestic Gateway of India, an early-20th
century archway built as a welcome for King George V
and Queen Mary when they visited in 1911, the rock
temples of the Elephanta Caves, which most famously
houses an impressively-immense 3-headed bust of Lord
Shiva called the Trimurti, and the popular Jijamata
Udyan zoo (originally known as the Victoria
Gardens), known for its collection of rare animals
and birds. In addition to that, Mumbai has one other
UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Gothic-style
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, previously the
Victoria Terminus, constructed in the late 19th
century and taking 10 years to be completed.
Brilliantly lit up at night, this station is one of
busiest stations in the country, and is the
headquarters of the Indian Central Railways. Places
of worship that one should also make time to visit
are the seaside Mahalakshmi Temple, a revered
landmark in Mumbai, the resplendent Siddhivinayak
Temple dedicated to the deity Lord Ganesha, son of
Shiva and Parvati (also incidentally the richest
temple in Mumbai, receiving donations of more than
100 million rupees per year), and the
intricately-detailed Haji Ali Dargah Mosque, tomb of
Muslim saint Haji Ali, built offshore and connected
to land only by a thin strip of causeway that
disappears when the tide rises, making it seem as
though the mosque and tomb are floating on the sea.
While in Mumbai,
one should also not miss the opportunity to sample
the local specialties, from Bombay duck in curry to
dhan sak, an extremely-savory dish with
Persian influences. Roadside stalls providing snack
foods are also very popular in Mumbai, serving up
delicious crispy panipuri, crunchy
bhelpuri and the vegetarian vadapavs,
a local breakfast staple.
