Mumbai (Bombay)

 

Pop: 12.5 million Area Code: 022

Mumbai is India’s largest city and the capital of the state of Maharashtra. “Mumba” or “Mumbai” is a name for Parvati, the wife of Lord Siva. The name Bombay is a Portuguese corruption of Mumbai.

Mumbai is the most important business center in India, owning a high percentage of India’s wealth. Over one-third of the income tax paid in India comes from Mumbai, and half the foreign trade is carried out from here. Land prices here compare to Tokyo or New York. Mumbai is the Hollywood of India. More films are produced here than almost anywhere else in the world.

Most people coming to Mumbai stay only for a short while to do some business or to just travel through.

Mumbai is one of my favorite cities in India. It is a fast-paced, fairly hip, safe city, where people usually treat you good. There are not many con-men on the streets, and even the taxi drivers tend to use their meters without being asked. Many people will find the accommodations high-priced and may feel Mumbai too hectic and will want to leave as soon as they get here.

The best time to visit Mumbai is from December to the middle of February, during which time the weather is perfect. The rains during the rainy season are heavier than in most places in India.

History
Mumbai consists of seven islands connected by reclamation from the sea. When the Portuguese took these islands in the early 16th century, they were nothing but a collection of small villages. These islands were gifted to Charles II of England as part of his dowry, after he married Catherine of Braganza in 1661.

When the British took over, Bombay was a small town. The British government leased the islands to the East India Company for £10 in 1668. Gerald Aungier, Bombay’s East India Company governor, began construction in 1672, and the area became the capital of the Bombay Presidency in 1687. The British then built it up into an important port city. Merchants from around India were attracted to Bombay because the British were granting land and promising religious freedom. The Parsis built their first fire temple here in 1675.

The fort in Mumbai was built in the 1720s. Over the next 100 years, the seven original islands were joined together by land reclamation. In 1881, the British defeated the Marathas, connecting Mumbai with the rest of India. The first railway in Asia was built in 1853 and connected Mumbai with the town of Thana. The walls of the fort were dismantled in 1864.

Many cotton mills were built here, and when there was a shortage of cotton in Britain during the American Civil War, Mumbai became the main supplier. The Indian National Congress held its first meeting here in 1885. In 1942 in Mumbai, they expressed their demand for independence.

After Independence Mumbai became the capital of the Bombay Presidency, which included Maharashtra and much of the present-day Gujarat. In 1960 the Bombay Presidency was divided into two states, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
The Shiv Sena government renamed the city Mumbai in 1996.

Orientation
The city is a long, thin island which runs north to south. The downtown is located in the south, at the thinnest point of the island. The old part of the city is near the Taj Mahal Hotel and the Gateway of India. The less expensive hotels are in this area, up to Victoria Terminus. This area is called Colaba, and many tourists never leave this area of Mumbai because of the facilities both for tourist services and business.

The area called the Fort is just north of Colaba. This is the site upon which the original British fort was located and where many of the interesting, old British buildings are situated. Also located here are Victoria Terminus (VT) Station, banks, the GPO, and other business-oriented offices. To the west of this area is the Maidan, a grassy park. Churchgate Station, one of Mumbai’s main train stations, is further west.

The southwestern part of the island is called Nariman Point. Running north along the bay from Nariman Point past Chowpatty Beach is Marine Drive, which runs into the high-class residential area, Malabar Hill.

Located north of South Mumbai are a group of crowded bazaars. The streets in this area tend to be narrow and crowded. Located north of this area are Mumbai’s residential suburbs and the International and Domestic airports.

Juhu Beach is in the North Mumbai, 20km from downtown. It takes forty minutes by train to go from downtown to Juhu.

Some time ago, the city changed many of the street names. Some name changes were not popularly accepted, so people may know them by their old names and not by the new ones.
A very detailed map of Mumbai is Mumbai A to Z.

Tourist Offices
The Government of India Tourist Office (2220-7433; fax 2220-4496) is located across from Churchgate Station at 123 Maharishi Karve Rd. It is next to the office where tourist quota tickets for the train are sold. The tourist office is efficient and helpful. Open Mon to Fri 8.30 am to 6 pm, Saturday 8.30 am to 1.30 pm There is a 24-hour tourist counter at the international (Sahar) airport (832-5331), and a tourist counter at the domestic airport (614-9200).

The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation Office (MTDCO) (2202-6713; fax 285-2182), CDO Hutments, Madame Cama Rd, conducts tours of Mumbai and operates long-distance bus services to places such as Aurangabad. They also operate a hotel chain all over Maharashtra, and you can make bookings at this office. They have counters at the Gateway of India, VT Railway Station, and the international and domestic airports.

Island is a monthly magazine listing events in Mumbai.

State Tourist Offices
Delhi Tourism
c/o MTDC, CDO Hutments, Madam Cama Rd, Nariman Point (285-5736)
Goa 
Mumbai Central Station (308-6288)
Gujarat
Dhanraj Mahal, PJ Ramchandani Marg (202-4925)
Himachal Pradesh
World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade (218-1123)
Jammu and Kashmir
World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade (218-7603)
Himachal Pradesh
World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade (218-1123)
Kerala
c/o Kairali, Nirmal Building, Nariman Point (202-6817)
Madhya Pradesh
World Trade Centre (218-7603)
Rajasthan
230 Dr D Naoroji Rd. (207-4162)
Tamil Nadu
c/o Peerless Hotels and Travel Ltd, Churchgate Chambers, New Marines Lines (262-4811)
Uttar Pradesh
World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade (218-5458)

Tours
The MTDC City Tour (9 am to 1 pm and 2 to 6 pm) goes to the Gateway of India, the Aquarium, the Prince of Wales Museum, Hanging Gardens, Kamla Nehru Park, and the Gandhi Museum for Rs 70. The tour departs daily except Monday from the MTDC Office on Madame Cama Rd. (Opp LIC Office) at Nariman Point. It picks up passengers near the Gateway of India. You can purchase tickets at the MTDC counter next to the Gateway of India.

The MTDC Suburban Tour goes to Juhu Beach, the Kanheri Caves, the National Park, and the Lion Safari Park from 9.15 am to 6 pm for Rs 150.

Guides speaking several languages can be hired at the Government of India Tourist Office.

There is a four-day tour to Aurangabad, departing daily, run by ITDC that includes staying at the three-star Aurangabad Ashoka Hotel. The tour costs Rs 1600. ITDC also runs an overnight bus to Aurangabad (12 hr ) for Rs 150.

MTDC runs a one-day overnight tour to Nasik for Rs 350. They also have a luxury bus departing 6.30 am to Nasik (6 hr) for Rs 92.

Money
You can change money quickly at the American Express Travel Service Office (2204 8291), at the intersection of Colaba Causeway and Shivaji Marg, near Regal Cinema. They give cash against American Express credit cards. Open Mon to Sat 9.30 am to 6.30 pm. You can change only American Express travelers cheques at the American Express Bank (204-8278), Oriental Building, 364 Dr D Naoroji Rd. (Mon to Fri 10.30 am to 2.30 pm, Sat 10.30 am to 12.30 pm).

Equally efficient is Thomas Cook (2204-8556) on Dr D Naoroji Rd, between Flora Fountain and the Khadi Bhavan (Mon to Sat 9.30 am to 6 pm).

The major banks downtown all change foreign currency. Bank of America, Express Towers, Nariman Point, accepts MasterCard; the Andhra Bank, 18 Homi Mody St (near Flora Fountain), accepts Visa. Citibank, 293 D Naoroji Rd, gives cash advances on both MasterCard and Visa. They also have an ATM machine.

Hong Kong Bank, MG Rd, Flora Fountain, has an ATM machine and gives cash advances against MasterCard and Visa cards. Standard Chartered, 81 Ismail Building, Dr DN Rd, also has an ATM machine. There is an ATM machine at the HSBC Bank.

At Sahar airport you can change money at the State Bank of India’s 24-hour counter, where the rates are standard. You can also change money quickly at the Air India Building at Nariman Point (open all night).

Be careful of changing money on the streets. Mumbai is known for cheaters in this regard. A man will tell you that you have to go somewhere private to change the money, and when you agree and accompany the man to a private place, two other men appear. You may be handed a wad of bills stapled together, and just when you hand over the foreign money, you are told suddenly that the police are coming. Everyone disappears. When you count your money, you will often find the wad of bills you were handed contains only a few real bills on the top and the bottom of the pile, and that the rest is paper.

Foreign Consulates
Australia
Makers Tower, E Block, Cuffe Parade (218-1071)
Belgium
Morena, 11 M L Dahanukar Marg, Cumballa Hill
(493-9261)
Canada
41/42 Maker Chambers VI, Nariman Point  
(287-6028)
Denmark
L & T House, N Morarjee Marg,
Ballard Estate (261-8181)
France
Data Prasad Bldg, N G Gross Rd,
Cumballa Hill (495-0918)
Germany
Hoechst House (10th Floor), V K Shah Rd, Nariman Point (283-2422)
Indonesia
19 Altamount Rd (386-8678)
Ireland
2nd floor, Royal Mumbai Yacht Club,
Shivaji Marg, Colaba (202-4607)
Israel
Kailash, Poddar Rd (386-2794)
Italy
Kanchanjunga, 72 G Deshmukh Rd,
Cumballa Hill (387-2341)
Japan
1 Dahanukar Marg, Cumballa Hill (493-3857)
Malaysia
Rahimtoola House, Homji St (286-0056)
Mauritius
Dhanraj Mahal (3rd floor), Apollo Bunder
(202-7244)
Netherlands
International Building, Marine Lines Cross Rd,
Churchgate (201-6750; fax 206-9436)
Philippines
116 Free Press House, Nariman Point
(202-4792)
Singapore
94 Sakhar Bhavan, Nariman Point (204-3209)
Spain
Ador House, 6 K Dubash Marg, Fort (287-4797)
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka House, 34 Homi Mody St, Fort
(204-5861)
Switzerland
Maker Chambers IV, J Bajaj Marg, Nariman
Point (288-4563)
Thailand
Krishna Bagh, 43 Bhulabhai Desai,  
Cumballa Hill Rd (363-1404)
UK
Maker Chambers IV, 2nd Floor, J Bajaj Marg,
Nariman Point (283-3602)
USA
Lincoln House, 78 B Desai, Cumballa Hill Rd
(363-3611)

Travel Agencies
You can usually purchase international tickets for less in New Delhi or Calcutta than in Mumbai. Discount tickets are available from Travel Corner Ltd (204-8565), down a side street near Hotel Delamar on Veer Nariman Rd (Marine Drive).

For discounted tickets, Transway International (262-6066; fax 262-4465), Pantaky House, 8 Maruti Cross Lane (off Maruti St), Fort, is recommended.

Space Travels, Nanabhoy Mansion, Sir P. Mehta Rd, is a good discount travel agency.

Good travel agencies are Mercury Travel (202-3663), 70 VB Gandhi Marg and the Oberoi Hotel; Sita World Travel (223-3155), 8 Atlanta Building, Nariman Point; American Express (204-6349), Majithia Chamber, D Naoroji Rd; Thomas Cook (204-6349), Cooks Building, D Naoroji Rd.

Post, Phone and Internet
The GPO is off Nagar Chowk, near Victoria Terminus (VT). The parcel post office, open from 10 am to 4.30 pm, is in the back of the building on the 1st floor. There are people outside the post office to pack and seal your packages.

There is a reliable poste restante service open Mon to Sat 9 am to 6 pm. They usually throw away unclaimed letters after four weeks. You have to show your passport to get your mail.

Videsh Sanchar Bhavan, the government telecom building on MG Marg, has low prices for phone calls and faxes. You can also make collect calls from there and receive incoming calls for Rs 5.

Courier services: DHL Couriers Services (850-5050); Airfreight House, Lok Bharati Complex, Marol Maroshi Rd, Anderi; Skypak Worldwide Couriers (850-8181), Skypak House, Marol, Andheri; and Overnite Express (372-9915), 57/59 Poona St.

Internet: Asiatic Shopping Center (283-4526), Veer Nariman Rd, opposite Churchgate Station (Rs 100 per hour).
Internet Cyber Cafe (267-1331; fax 267-1756; email mahendra@indiayellowpages.com), 74 Nagindas Master Rd, Fort, near the Hong Kong Bank (Rs 100 per hour).

Net Express Cybercafe (284-6278), Express Towers, Nariman Point, near the Air India Building, has internet facilities for Rs 150 per hour.

Visa Extension
The Foreigners’ Registration Office (262-0446), Annexe 2, Office of the Commissioner of Police, Dr D Naoroji Rd, near Crawford Market, is where visas are extended. I have been told that you are much more likely to receive an extension here than in Delhi.

Bookshops
The Bookpoint in the Ballard Estate and Nalanda Bookshop in the Taj Hotel are both very good shops. The Strand Book Stall, 15 Dhannur, off Sir PM Road, Fort area, north of Flora Fountain, has a good selection of books selling at twenty percent discounts.

Crossword (2492-0253), 1st floor, 22 Bhulabhai Desai Rd, Breach Candy has a great selection of books.

There is a decent bookstand outside the Cafe Mondegar on Colaba Causeway.

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kulapati, KM Munshi Marg by Chowpatty Beach, has a good selection of spiritual books.

Cultural Center and Libraries
British Council (2282-3530; Web site: http://www.bclindia.org), A Wind, Mittal Towers, Nariman Point, has recent British newspapers (Tues to Sat 10 am to 5 pm). It is not possible to enter the British Council Library just for the day for free. To enter you have to pay Rs 250 for a monthly membership.

American Center Library (2262-4590), 4 New Marine Lines, Churchgate, has a Rs 10 fee for nonmembers (Mon and Tues, and Thurs to Sat 10 am to 5 pm).

Alliance Française (2203-6187), Theosophy Hall, 40 New Marine Line, Churchgate, has French newspapers, books, and films.

Max Mueller Bhavan (2202-7542), Prince of Wales Annex, next to the Prince of Wales Museum, K Dubash Marg, Fort, has German newspapers and books (Mon 3 to 6 pm and Tues to Sat 11 am to 5 pm).

Hospitals
Breach Candy Hospital (363-3651), 60 Bhulabhai Desai Rd, Cumballa Hill, is recommended by the foreign embassies.
Mumbai Hospital (286-3343), V Thackersey Marg, is a good private hospital in the downtown area.

P D Hinduja National Hospital (444-0428), Mahim, is one of the most modern and best hospitals in all of India.

Crawford Market
Crawford Market is a busy, crowded fruit and vegetable market. Located in the market are bas reliefs done by Rudyard Kipling’s father and a fancy fountain that he designed.

The house where Rudyard Kipling was born in 1865 is now the JJ School of Art. It is located south of the market on Dr D Naoroji Rd.

Shopping
On the street in the Flora Fountain area between Churchgate Station and Victoria Station you can find many of the foreign items you may need.
A good selection of Indian clothing is available from Khadi Village Industries Emporium.
There are high-class clothing shops on August

Kranti Marg at Kemp’s corner.
North of the Fort area there are bazaars selling just about anything. Many bazaars are dedicated to certain items. Jhaveri (Zaveri) Bazaar, by the intersection of Kalbadevi and Sheikh Memon St, contains hundreds of shops selling gold, silver, and jewelry. At Chor Bazaar (“Thieves Market”) you can buy almost anything, often at such reduced prices you would think you were buying stolen goods. Many of the antique shops are on Mutton St in Chor Bazaar. Many items offered for sale as antiques are “aged” artificially, but still look good. Bargain accordingly. Mangaldas Market sells clothing.

Central Cottage Industries Emporium in Colaba has a good selection of handicrafts and gift items.
There are several state government emporiums in the World Trade Centre Arcade, Cuffee Parade and on Sir P Mehta Rd, Fort area. The Mumbai Store, Sir P Mehta Rd, Fort area, is a good department store with high quality items.

Shippers
Perfect Cargo Movers (287-3935), 56 Abdullabhai Currimjee Building, 4th Fl., Janmabhoomi Marg, Fort area by the Reserve Bank of India, a few blocks north of Flora Fountain, are reliable shippers. Their place is difficult to find, so you may want to call ahead for directions.

Photography
The Javeri Colour Lab, opposite Regal Cinema in Colaba, sells print and slide film.

Swimming
You can use the swimming pool at the Fariyas Hotel for Rs 200; and the facilities at Breach Candy Club, Bhulabhai Desai Rd, which has a large pool in the shape of the Indian subcontinent; Rs 200 on weekdays; Rs 300 on weekends. It has a good restaurant.

Colaba and Taj Mahal Hotel
The area near the Taj Mahal Hotel is a main tourist area for travelers because most foreigners choose to stay in the hotels in this area. Colaba Causeway (Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg) is the main road passing through the Colaba area.

The Taj Mahal Hotel overlooks Apollo Bunder and the sea. JN Tata built it in 1903. JN Tata, a Parsi, is said to have been refused a room in one of the European hotels because he was Indian. It is said that he built this hotel to outdo the one in which he was refused a room.

The Church of St John the Evangelist (also known as the Afghan Church), near the south end of Colaba Causeway, was built in 1847. It is dedicated to the soldiers who died in the war in Sind and the First Afghan War of 1843. It has stained glass windows and plaques dedicated to the soldiers.

Gateway of India
This is a large arch, built to commemorate King George V’s visit to India in 1911. It is located right next to the sea in Apollo Bunder. It was built in 16th century Muslim-Gujarati style. The last British regiment marched under this arch in 1947 when the British officially left India. It is a popular place for locals to spend time in the evenings.

There is a statue of the great Maratha general Shivaji on a horse, and one of Swami Vivekananda, nearby.

Prince of Wales Museum
This is one of the more interesting museums in India. It was built to honor the visit of King George V to India when he was the Prince of Wales in 1905, but it was not opened until 1923. It is built in the Indo-Saracenic style and it has a large central hall with a massive dome.

The museum contains some interesting paintings, excellent sculptures, and historical exhibits from Elephanta Island. There are stone tools from Harappa and Mohenjo Daro dating from 2500-1700 BC, a good collection of 16th-18th century metal deities, and an excellent collection of miniatures from Mughal, Rajasthani, and the South Indian schools.

In the excellent weapon collection are the swords of the emperors Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb and the shield and armor of Akbar. Open daily except Mon 10 am to 6 pm. Admission: Rs 150; camera Rs 20. Bags must be left at the cloakroom near the entrance.

National Gallery of Modern Art & Jehangir Art Gallery
Jehangir Art Gallery, on the same block as the Prince of Wales Museum, contains modern paintings and special traveling exhibits. Open daily 11 am to 7 pm. Admission free. From the roof you can get a good view of the city.

The National Gallery contains impressive exhibits of modern Indian art. Open daily 10 am to 5 pm. Located in the Sir Cowasji Jehangir Public Hall.

High Court & Mumbai University
Along Oval Maidan, the park running south from Churchgate Station, there are old, impressive buildings built by the British in the 1860s and ’70s. There is the 80m high Rajabai Clock Tower over the library, which once played God Save the Queen and Home Sweet Home to mark the hour. The University Library and Convocation Hall are equally impressive. The inside of the library is interesting. You are usually only allowed in if you say you are coming to use the library and not just to look around. Gilbert Scott, who designed St Pancras Station in London, designed Mumbai University.

The High Court is an impressive building built by Colonel JA Fuller in the early English style. There are statues of Justice and Mercy on top of the building.

Flora Fountain & Horniman Circle
Flora Fountain is named after the Roman goddess of abundance. It was built in 1869 to honor Sir Bartle Frere, then Governor of Bombay, who dismantled the walls of the old fort. There is a monument here to honor the people who died to form the state of Maharashtra. The new name of the area is Hutatma Chowk, or Martyr’s Square.
Horniman Circle has a group of impressive old British buildings around it. There is a peaceful park in the center that still contains the old banyan tree where stock would be traded in the early days of the Mumbai Stock Exchange. To the east is Town Hall, containing the Asiatic Library and the State Central Library. Behind the Town Hall are what remains of the original Bombay Castle and the Mint.

St Thomas’ Cathedral, Tamarind St, was started in 1672 and finished in 1718. Inside the church are old British memorials (daily 7 am to 6 pm).

Victoria Terminus (VT)
This beautiful railway station is an impressive Gothic building which looks more like an important government building or a church. It was designed by William Stevens and was completed in 1887. On top of the building is a 4m tall statue of “Progress.” The building has stained glass windows, domes, spires, and carvings of lions, peacocks, and elephants. It has been renamed Chhatrapati Shiviji Terminus.

Marine Drive & Chowpatty Beach
Marine Drive (renamed Netaji S Bose Rd) runs along the Arabian Sea starting at Nariman Point, past Chowpatty Beach, to Malabar Hill. It is a popular place for people to stroll in the early evenings. Many people come here to watch the sunset.

Chowpatty Beach is an interesting place in the evening with its food vendors, horse rides, and fairground atmosphere. It is not a place to swim or sun  bathe.

The Taraporewala Aquarium is near Chowpatty Beach on Marine Drive (daily except Mon 10 am to 7 pm).

Malabar Hill
Malabar Hill is the home of Mumbai’s well-to-do.
The Jain Temple (1904), dedicated to Adinath, the first Jain tirthankara, is on the main road to Malabar Hill.

The Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens (Hanging Gardens) were set out in 1880 and redone in 1921. The best time to visit is in the early evening as the sun is setting and you can have a pleasant walk. It is on top of Malabar Hill. From the nearby Kamala Nehru Park, there are good views of the city.

The seven large Parsi Towers of Silence are next to the gardens, but they are off limits to visitors. The Parsis believe that a dead body should not be placed into the earth or cremated. When someone dies, their body is placed on the Towers of Silence and vultures strip the flesh from the body. The sun and wind then purify the bones. The actual towers are screened from view by trees and can not be seen by anyone.

The Walkeshwara (Sand Lord) Temple is at the end of the peninsula. Lord Rama, on his way to rescue Sita from Ravana, is said to have stopped here. It is said that every night Laksman would provide his brother with a Siva-linga from Varanasi to worship. On this night, he did not arrive on time, so Rama made a linga from sand (waluk). The current temple was built in 1715, but there has been a temple at this site for thousands of years. At one time the temple was busy, but now it is almost deserted. There is the large, sacred Banganga bathing tank next to the temple, that is said to have been created by an arrow from Rama’s bow shot into the ground. This temple is by the Raj Bhavan.

Raj Bhavan is the home of the Maharashtra Governor and was once the main seat of the British government.

Mani Bhavan
This is the place where Mahatma Gandhi stayed when he visited Mumbai between 1917 and 1934. It is now a museum dedicated to Gandhi. The room where he stayed has been left almost untouched. There is a picture exhibit on Gandhi’s life and a library containing books by and about him.

Open daily 9.30 am to 6 pm. Located at 19 Laburnum Rd, near Gamdevi Police Station.
Nearby is August Kranti Maidan, where the campaign for the British to “Quit India” was begun.

Mahalakshmi Mandir
This temple is located in an alley off Bhulabhai Desai Rd, north of Malabar Hill, by the seashore. There has been a temple here for a thousand years, but the present temple was built during the 18th century. At that time, when this area of the city was still a swamp, the land was drained and a breach-wall constructed.

It is said that Lakshmi appeared in a dream to the contractor and told him that unless he built a temple and installed the Deity of her that would appear from the sea, the breach-wall would not hold. The next day, workmen found a Lakshmi Deity and she was installed in this temple.

On weekends the line to see the Deity can be quite long.

Shrine of Haji Ali
This shrine (early 18th century) dedicated to the Sufi Saint Haji Ali is located on an island in the middle of the Arabian Sea. The walkway to this place is under water during high tide and during monsoon storms. Non-Muslims are permitted. This place is close to the Mahalakshmi Temple.

Nehru Centre
The Nehru Science Museum (496-4676), Lala Lajpat Rai Rd, contains exhibits on India’s contribution to science such as mathematics, Ayurvedic medicine, and the genetics findings of HG Khorana. Open daily 11 am to 5 pm.

The Nehru Planetarium (492-0510), Dr AB Rd, near the Shrine of Haji Ali, has English shows (1 hr) at 3 and 6 pm. Open daily except Mon 11 am to 1.45 pm and 2.30 to 6 pm.

The park you pass on the way to the museum has animal rides and train cars.

Victoria and Albert Museum (Veermata Jijabhai Bhosle Udyan Gardens) and Zoo
This interesting museum has a Mumbai history exhibit. The stone elephant that was removed from Elephanta Island—from which the island takes its name—is located to the right of the museum with a group of other statues. Open daily except Mon 9.30 am to 5 pm. Admission Rs 2. The museum is located in the Byculla area, north of downtown.

Near the museum are the Mumbai Zoo (372-5799) (Rs 5) and the pleasant Botanical Gardens. Open daily except Wed 9 am to 5.30 pm.

Elephanta Caves (Gharapuri)
These thousand-year-old caves are 10km from Mumbai on an island in the middle of the harbor. There are four rock-carved temples on the island, constructed between 450 and 750 AD.

The main Siva temple is carved out of the western hill, about 75m (250 ft) above sea level. The main altar, which contains a Siva-linga has entrances on all four sides and dwarapalas (door guards) on each side of the doors. There are detailed carved wall panels depicting Siva’s pastimes. One panel depicts the marriage of Siva and Parvati. The panels on the south side of the cave are the most impressive. The famous three-headed Trimurti statue is carved out of a single rock. This statue is considered to be one of the masterpieces of Indian sculpture. It is 6m (20 ft) tall; each head is 2m (6 ft) high. To one side, a panel depicts Siva’s receipt of the Ganges River on his head. In another, Siva is depicted as Ardhanari, a simultaneous male and female form. There is also a panel depicting Ravana trying to rip up Mount Kailash, and another of Siva killing the demon Andhaka.

Boats leave every thirty minutes from the Gateway of India from 9 am to 2.30 pm (Rs 35). You purchase a ticket from the booth on the boat landing or just before boarding. Luxury boats cost double the price of regular boats. Both arrive at the same time, but the luxury boat provides a free guide on the island and the boat may not be as crowded. The boat trip takes about an hour. You can take any boat back if you have a luxury boat ticket.

A catamaran (287-5473) departs daily at 10 am and returns at 2 pm from India Gate (45 min, Rs 175).

There are official guides at the top of the hill who speak good English and know the area well. As soon as you come off the boat, freelance guides will probably approach you. Ignore them, as the official guides are both better and cost less. You can get refreshments at the MTDC Chalukya Restaurant.

Visitors must climb a steep set of stairs to reach the caves. It is also possible to hire a palanquin and to be carried up (Rs 10). It takes about an hour to see everything at the top of the hill. It is best to come here on a weekday, as weekends are quite crowded.

The entry fee for Elephanta Caves is Foriegners/Indians US$5/ Rs 10.

ISKCON (Hare Krishna) Temple
Located on four acres of land in Mumbai’s picturesque Juhu Beach, ISKCON’s Hare Krishna Land (620-6860) includes a spacious marble temple, theater, restaurant, Bhaktivedanta Institute, and a twin-towered seven-storey hotel. The project cost more than $2 million dollars in 1976 and took nearly three years to build.

The main Deities on the center temple altar are Radha-Rasabihari and the gopis Lalita and Visakha. Rasabihari is a name for Krishna meaning “the enjoyer of the transcendental rasa dance.”

On the right altar are Sita-Rama, Their servant Hanuman, and Rama’s brother Laksman. On the left are Prabhu Nityananda and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. At their feet sit Srila Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, and his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur.

In alcoves on either side of the courtyard, fifteen colorful dioramas depict scenes from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and Ramayana. There is an excellent vegetarian restaurant and a maha-prasada booth.

To get here from downtown, you can take either an express train from Churchgate Station to Andheri Station, or a local train to Vile Parle Station, which is closer to the downtown but is served only by local trains. Then take an auto-rickshaw the rest of the way (about Rs 20 from Andheri or Vile Parle). Most of the rickshaw drivers know the temple as the “Hare Krishna Mandir, ISKCON.”

Entertainment
There are event pages in the Indian Express and Times of India newspapers. The Government of India tourist office prints an entertainment guide every other week.

The National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) (283-3737), at the end of Nariman Point, has regular, high-quality dance, music, and drama performances. The box office is open 9 am to 1.30 pm and 4.30 to 6.30 pm.

Regal Cinema in Colaba shows movies in English.

Copyright ©2001 John Howley and Spiritual Guides