Bombay - The City Of Dreams

Bombay, now called Mumbai got its name from the goddess of the Koli fisher folk Mumbadevi. The enchanting city lies on the west coast of India and is the capital of the state of Maharashtra. It is undoubtedly the fastest moving, most affluent and industrialized city in India. The city has a natural harbor, which was developed by the British, which has today become one of the busiest ports of India, handling approximately 40 percent of India's maritime trade. It is no wonder then that Mumbai is today a major financial center, with people coming from all over the world.

Tourists come here year after year not only for business purposes but for leisure too. Bombay is quite famous for its beaches and these beautiful beaches offer excellent means to help the local people of Mumbai to refresh and relax. The Juhu Beach is an excellent idea to spend the evenings. Although one cannot expect to sunbathe or swim here, its a great place to taste some of the delicious local Mumbai snacks. The Juhu Beach is located approximately 18 kms north of the city centre and on the shores is one of the posh localities of Mumbai. It is no surprise that a lot of Page 3 people and the famous film personalities of Bollywood stay around this area. Another beach in Mumbai worth visiting is the Chowpatty Beach. Situated at the North end of the glittering Marine Drive, the beach is bustling with life and excitement and is a great place to try out Mumbais street delicacies like Wada Pau, Bhel, Missal Pau, double decker sandwiches etc.

Another must visit while in Bombay is the famed Mumbai Film City, based in the outskirts of the city limits at Goregaon (East). Also popularly known as Bollywood, the place seems no lesser than a dream world with makeshift recording rooms, gardens, lakes, theatres and grounds for fighting scenes.

The Haji Ali dargah or tomb is another very popular tourist spots of the city. This beautiful Indo-Islamic architecture is in the middle of the blue ocean connected to land with a narrow bridge. Legend says that Haji Ali died during his pilgrimage to Mecca and the casket carrying his body floated back, coming to a rest at the point where the mosque is built.

The next point of visit is the Gateway of India, facing the Arabian Sea. The structure was built to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay. It is a great idea to plan a pleasant escape to the spectacular Elephanta Caves 10 kms away from the Gateway of India. These caves are home to rock cut temples dating back to 5th Century and are dedicated to Lord Shiva.

While here, one must check out Kalbadevi. Named after a Hindu Goddess, this ancient place is abuzz all the time of the day, and the shopping experience it offers is truly amazing. Being a popular spot, this place is well connected with the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus only 4ms and Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport being just 20kms away.