With a population of nearly 17 million, Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is India’s largest city and financial capital. Mumbai is a city of contrasts – modern buildings juxtaposed with colonial heritage sites, and the wealthy staying in the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel with the destitute beggars and rag pickers living on the pavements outside.
The Gateway of India was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary in 1911.
The Taj Mahal Palace – one of the world’s iconic hotels
Cricket is India’s number one sport. Space is at a premium in Mumbai so there were several games being played on this inner-city maidan (oval) behind the High Court and Mumbai University.
Chhatrapati Shivaji (Victoria) Terminus – headquarters of the Central Railway and Asia’s busiest railway station
Marine Drive
Girgaum Chowpatty – favourite hangout beach for “Mumbaikers” and tourists
The beautifully maintained interiors of the Dr Bhau Daji Lad museum
The Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat – probably the world’s biggest human powered laundry. The male dhobis (washers) painstakingly pound the dirt by hand from thousands of pieces of laundry every day against the flogging stone in each stall.
Banganga Tank – hidden behind a couple of apartment blocks and surrounded by Hindu shrines, dharamsalas (pilgrims’ rest houses) and ramshackle slums this is an ancient freshwater reservoir which sprung from the River Ganga when Lord Rama fired an arrow marking the centre of the earth (apparently).
The Haji Ali Dargah Mosque – built on top of a small islet connected to the mainland by a long narrow causeway.
The Maheshmurti panel, Elephanta Island, showing the three incarnations of Lord Shiva (the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer of the universe)
Prince of Wales Museum
Nothing goes to waste in Mumbai!
We were lucky to be in Mumbai for the final day of the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival. After 10 days of festivities, a funeral is held for Ganesh and he is taken and dumped in the river amidst much loud drumming, singing and dancing.
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