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Mumbai,
a cluster of seven islands, derives its name from "Mumbadevi",
the patron goddess of the Koli fisher folk, its oldest
inhabitants . Mumbai, till recently called Bombay, is
the "Finance Capital of India" and one of
the finest metropolitan in the world.
Mumbai
is the glamour of Bollywood cinema,
cricket on the maidans on weekends, bhelpuri on the
beach at Chowpatty and red double-decker buses. It is
also the infamous cages of the red-light district, Asia's
largest slums, communalist politics and powerful mafia
dons. This tug of war for the city's soul is played
out against a Victorian townscape more reminiscent of
a prosperous 19th century English industrial city than
anything you'd expect to find on the edge of the Arabian
Sea.
An
island connected by bridges to the mainland, Mumbai
is the
industrial hub of everything from textiles to petrochemicals,
and responsible for half of India's foreign trade. But
while it aspires to be another Singapore, it's also
a magnet for the rural poor. It's these new migrants
who are continually re-shaping the city, making sure
Mumbai keeps one foot in its hinterland and the other
in the global marketplace.
Area:
440 sq km (170 sq mi)
Population: 18 million
State: Maharashtra
Language: Hindi,
Marathi
Time Zone: GMT/UTC
plus 5.5 hours
Telephone Area Code:
022
Mumbai
is located on India's central-western coast along the
Arabian Sea. The city developed for 150 years in isolation
from its hinterland and still seems to belong in a different
world to the huge, predominantly Hindu state of Maharashtra
which encompasses a 500km (310mi) coastal strip, a portion
of the Western Ghats and a significant part of the Deccan
plateau. The Western Ghats (literally, steps) start to
rise just north of Mumbai and run parallel to the coast.
They have an average elevation of 915m (3001ft) and are
covered with tropical and temperate evergreen forests
and mixed deciduous forest and harbour a rich array of
plant and animal life, including 27% of India's flowering
plants.
Mumbai
itself is an island connected by bridges to the mainland.
The principal part of the city is concentrated at the
southern claw-shaped end of the island. The southernmost
peninsula is known as Colaba and this is where most
travellers gravitate since it has a decent range of
hotels and restaurants and two of the city's best landmarks,
the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal Hotel. Directly
north of Colaba is the area known as the Fort, since
this is where the old British fort once stood. Further
west is Marine Drive, which sweeps around Back Bay,
connecting the high-rise modern business centre with
Chowpatty Beach. To the north are the suburbs of Greater
Mumbai. Here you'll find the two airports, Sahar International
and the domestic Santa Cruz.
During
its long history, Mumbai (Bombay) has been known by
different names & ruled by diifferent kings &
different races. Whether the name Mumbai is derieved
from Mumba Ai or Maha Amba the patron goddess of the
Kolis or from the Portguese word 'Bombain' meaning 'Good
bay', it today is the most modern & cosmopolitan
city in the Republic of India.
Mumbai will always remain Gateway
to India, India's Pride.
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