Sightseeing OverviewMumbai’s main areas of interest are located on the more southerly parts of the peninsula, where the European settlers established their enclave and where the various local communities took root. The center of
Imperial Bombay is the area known as
Fort, after the fortifications that protected the British settlement. Starting in the 1860s, the governors of Bombay embarked on an ambitious program of development, a process that continued under official and private patronage well into the 20th century. As a result, Mumbai boasts a stunning array
of High Victorian buildings in a fascinating range of architectural styles, which reflect the then prevailing British passion for the gothic as well as the influence of Indian and Saracenic styles. The result is a breathtaking affirmation of the wealth, panache and confidence of Imperial Bombay. There are numerous examples for the visitor to look at, but
Mumbai University,
Standard Chartered Bank Building and
Municipal Corporation Building give a flavor of what
can be expected.
At the same time as the
sahibs were building their modern imperial monuments in the Fort, the local communities were expanding rapidly to the north. This part of the city is every bit as characteristic of the modern city as the Fort is - some would say more so. Its narrow, twisting streets and
raucous bazaars (all noise, activity and thronging with people) are a complete contrast to the spacious, tree-lined boulevards of the more southerly areas.
Superimposed on these two distinctly different parts of Mumbai is the
modern city: the 1930s developments along Marine Drive and on Cumbala Hill, the modern office blocks to the west of the Maidans and the tower blocks that line the southern end of Back Bay. Further north, up the peninsula, are the suburbs of Mumbai and it is here that the worst of the
shanty towns and slums are located. These are, sadly, as much part of modern Mumbai as the more glamorous areas to the south. The poverty, squalor and degradation are truly shocking.
Mumbai was a city built on toleration (prosperity was considered more important than religious homogeneity) and this is reflected in the number and range of
places of worship that can be found in the city. The Anglican cathedral, Catholic church and Scottish kirk in Mumbai rub shoulders with countless Hindu temples, many mosques and other Parsee and Buddhist temples. Together, they form a rich and varied heritage.
Most attractions are fairly central and can be reached on foot, otherwise visitors tend to take taxis, as they are relatively cheap and infinitely more convenient than public transport.
Tourist InformationIndiatourism Mumbai123 Mararishi Karve Road, Churchgate
Tel: (022) 2207 4333/4
or 2203 3144/5.
Website:
www.incredibleindia.orgOpening hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1800, Sat 0830-1400.
There are also offices at the international and the domestic airports. Many of the individual states of India have their own tourist office in Mumbai. Indiatourism provides contact details.
PassesThere are currently no tourist passes available in Mumbai.
Key Attractions:Gateway of IndiaBuilt by the British to commemorate King George V and Queen Mary's visit to India in 1911, the Gateway of India stands as a monument to the importance of Mumbai as a port when the steamship was king. Designed by George Wittet, it replaced the temporary structure that the architect had erected for the Imperial visit itself and was completed in 1917. The archway is built from honey-colored basalt, in a style derived from Gujarati architecture of the 16th century. For many in the age of steam, the Gateway and the nearby Taj Hotel were their first and their last sights of India. Nowadays, it attracts a colorful crowd of tourists, hawkers and beggars.
Apollo Bunder seafront.
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Free admission.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) (formerly Victoria Terminus)Now the headquarters of the Central Railway, this magnificent terminus building, commonly known as CST, was completed in 1888, for the Great Indian Peninsular Railway, to designs by the architect FW Stevens. It is one of the world’s grandest railway stations, quite the equal of New York’s Grand Central Station or London’s St Pancras station. Built in the Italian Gothic style, it looks more like a cathedral than a railway station, an impression strengthened by the tall dome crowned with a statue representing ‘Progress’. In the public parts of the station, the Victorian arches soar splendidly above the hurrying throng, but its real glory is the main staircase. Sadly, this is in a part of the building to which the public is generally denied access, although a polite request to the stationmaster on the main concourse may result in permission being granted to visit the restricted areas. It is certainly worth the effort.
Dr D Navroji Road, Fort
Tel: (022) 2265 6565.
Opening hours: Daily early morning to late evening.
Free admission.
St Thomas’s CathedralSt Thomas’s is the Anglican cathedral of Mumbai and, having been founded in 1676, bears witness to almost the entire history of the British in Bombay. The main structure was not completed, due to lack of funds, until 1718. The tower and clock were added in 1838, while the chancel was built in 1863. The main interest for the visitor is in the splendid array of marble monuments that line the aisles of the cathedral, which give an immediate, anecdotal flavor of life and death in British Bombay. Many of them catch the eye but look out for the memorial to Captain George Hardinge RN. Hardinge, in naval uniform, is being borne away on a huge seashell pulled by two fiery seahorses, while below is a relief of the action in which he was killed. The cathedral has recently been splendidly restored.
3 Veer Nariman, Fort
Opening hours: Daily 0730-1800.
Free admission; donations welcome.
Town HallAn impressive neo-classical structure overlooking Horniman Circle, the Town Hall was built between 1821 and 1833, to designs by Colonel Thomas Cowper. It originally stood on Bombay Green, which was the center of the Fort area, and is one of the few remnants (along with the Mint Building) of pre-Victorian Bombay. It is now used as a public library.
Horniman Circle, Fort
Tel: (022) 2266 0956.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1030-1815.
Free admission.
Jehangir Art GalleryThe premier exhibition space in Mumbai for contemporary Indian art, the Jehangir Art Gallery was founded by Sir Cowasji Jehangir, in memory of his son. It boasts two large galleries, which frequently stage changing exhibitions.
Mahatma Gandhi Road, Fort
Tel: (022) 2204 8212.
Opening hours: Daily 1100-1900.
Free admission; some exhibitions may charge.
Shrine of Haji AliCommemorating a Muslim saint who died while on pilgrimage to Mecca, the Shrine of Haji Ali rises out of the sea off Mumbai, sparkling in the bright sunshine like an priceless jewel. The shrine, which is topped by an elegant tower, is connected to the mainland by a causeway (thronging with beggars) and is only accessible at low tide.
Off Lala Lajpa Trai Murg
Opening hours: Daily 0500-2200, subject to tides.
Free admission.
Balbulnath TemplePerched on the northeastern end of Malabar Hill, overlooking Chowpatty Beach, a visit to Balbulnath Temple necessitates a steep climb. Nevertheless the effort is amply rewarded by the elaborate terrace and the splendid carving, picked out in blue, which adorns the pillared hall.
Near junction of Walkeshwar and Marine Drive
Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk.
Free admission; donations welcome.
Mumbadevi TempleThe shady and ornate first-floor balcony overlooking the noisy, chaotic square in the middle of the Bhuleshwar Market is part of the Mumbadevi Temple. The interior of the temple (in complete contrast to the bustle outside) is serenely calm, cool and dark. The temple is on three floors set around a central atrium that ascends to a dome. The carving that decorates the interior is ornate but never surrenders to fussiness. Next door, two other Hindu temples are similarly worth visiting.
Bhuleshwar Market
Opening hours: Daily 0630-2130.
Free admission; donations welcome.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly the Prince of Wales Museum)Set in beautiful lush gardens, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya is one of the landmarks of south Bombay. The museum is housed in a grand and somewhat exotic building, designed by George Wittet in 1909, in the Indo-Saracenic style. The collections include ancient and medieval sculptures and artifacts, Indian decorative arts and a large number of beautiful miniatures. There is also a natural history section which contains a large number of stuffed animals and fish. The admission fee includes an audio tour.
159-161 Mahatma Gandhi Road, Fort
Tel: (022) 2284 4484.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1015-1800.
Admission charge; concessions available.
Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum (formerly Victoria and Albert Museum)Housed in a purpose-built 19th-century Palladian villa, the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum collections are of mixed interest and quality and are generally badly displayed and poorly lit. There are some fine carvings in both wood and ivory, some interesting antique Indian weapons and a fascinating display of photographs of old Bombay. There are delightful and extensive formal gardens surrounding the villa, which also accommodate a zoo. Other highlights of the gardens are the elaborate Italian Renaissance-style gateway and the equestrian statue of Edward VII as Prince of Wales.
Dr B Ambedkar Road, Byculla
Tel: (022) 372 5799.
Opening hours: Daily 1030-1630, closed Wed.
Admission charge.
Horniman CircleLaid out in 1869, on the site of the old Bombay Green and originally called Elphinstone Circle, Horniman Circle is the epicenter of the Fort area. The Circle consists of James Scott’s elegantly curved, arcade terraces with a garden in the middle. It was the first significant piece of the city's redevelopment, which began under the governorship of Sir Bartle Frere in the 1860s. The gardens in the middle of the Circle, which are open to the public, are a lush and shady retreat from the glare and bustle of the streets, a good place to break a morning’s sightseeing. Following independence, the Circle was renamed Horniman Circle, after an English journalist, Benjamin Horniman, who was a leading advocate of Indian self-determination.
Horniman Circle, Fort
Opening hours: Sun-Fri 1000-2030, Sat 1600-2030.
Free admission.
Further Distractions:Dhobi Ghat (Washing Place)Dhobi Ghat is a few hundred yards from the manicured lawns of Mahalaxmi Racecourse, but in spirit could not be further removed. Here Mumbai’s laundry is done (by hand in concrete sinks and dried by the sun) as it has been for generations. A
dhobiwallah is someone who does the laundry.
Dr E Moses Road, Mahalaxmi
Opening hours: Dawn to dusk.
Free admission.
Marine Drive and Chowpatty BeachBuilt on land reclaimed from the sea, Marine Drive is Mumbai’s most famous thoroughfare. Lined with crumbling art deco buildings, it runs down Back Bay from Malabar Hill to Nariman Point. At the top end of Marine Drive is Chowpatty Beach. The only beach in the central part of Mumbai, it is a popular and lively place to spend an afternoon.
Malabar Hill to Nariman Point
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Free admission.
MaidansThe Maidans are a long strip of palm-fringed green in the middle of Mumbai. They serve as the lungs of the city, where Mumbaikers can stroll, play cricket and football or simply laze in the shade. From the Oval Maidan there is a fine view of the gothic mass of the Law Courts and, towering high above the palm trees, the University Library Clocktower.
Fort area, Marine Drive
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Free admission.
Malabar Hill and the Hanging GardensJutting out into the sea from the north end of Marine Drive, Malabar Hill offers splendid views of Mumbai. The hill used to be one of the most desirable residential areas of Mumbai and, to this day, the state governor’s official residence is at the end of the point. On the top of the hill are the Hanging Gardens, laid out formally.
Marine Drive
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Free admission.
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