Hello Local Guides around the Globe,
Namaste from Mumbai India.
Through this post I want to share my recent experience on touring the Mumbai City.
However I am living in this “city of dreams” from last six years, yet I experienced and got to know something new. Last Friday my elder brother has visited Mumbai along with two of his friends. I decided to accompany them in Mumbai city tour. Due to Ganesha Festival there was lots of crowd and chaos even in midnight. First we went to Lalbaugcha Raja (Lord Ganesha Temple) to get the blessings. Thereafter we reached Colaba, the southernmost part of Mumbai city which is also called as “White city” because of the British architecture in this place.
We booked a Mumbai Darshan Tour Bus (City sightseeing tour guide bus). Though the bus was not luxury but it was comfortable. The rate of bus is Rs. 250 (4 USD) for Non Air conditioned and Rs. 600 (9 USD) for Air Conditioned bus.
[Beware:- You may encounter several agents / brokers nearby Gateway of India and Hotel Taj, be double sure before giving any money to them for booking.]
Mumbai Darshan city tour started by picking up tourists from Gateway Of India at around 9:00 AM. The bus then headed to the various tourist spots. Our guide will showed us some of the places from a distance while we visited the other tourist attractions. The accompanying guide was good trained and could speak Hindi, Marathi, and English. We were offered this programme / list of places for the City Tour. I will explain about the places in short and things to do in Mumbai.
Gateway of India - Our tour started from here which is a “symbolic monument” that represents the city of Mumbai. It is an arch monument built during British Raj from 1915 to 1924. The monument was erected to commemorate the landing of King George V and Queen Mary at Apollo Bunder on their visit to India in 1911. This monument is having a great significance in Indian History. The last British troops to leave India following the country’s independence, the First Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry, passed through the Gateway on their way out in a ceremony on February 28, 1948, signalling the end of British rule. We enjoyed here a lot and proceeded for the next destination.
The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel is a heritage five-star luxury hotel in the Colaba region of Mumbai, situated next to the Gateway of India, Opposite the Arabian Sea. Historically it was known as the “Taj Mahal Hotel” or the “Taj Palace Hotel” or simply “the Taj”. In 2008 this hotel was chosen by a terrorist organization for an attack so that it will be “striking a blow against a symbol of Indian wealth and progress”.
Jehangir Art Gallery- A great and must visit place for artists situated at Kala Ghoda. Established in 1952, Jehangir Art Gallery is more than a prime art exhibition space. It has been made the impact on development of contemporary Indian art. Gallery hosts exhibitions by painters, sculptors, printmakers, craftsmen, ceramicists, photographers and weavers. The entry is free for all. Gallery has provided a platform for aspiring artists, who have always availed the opportunities provided by the gallery to interact with the art fraternity at various levels.
Prince of Wales Museum– Now renamed to “**The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya”, abbreviated CSMVS and formerly named the Prince of Wales Museum is the main museum in Maharashtra. The museum was planned in 1904 and was inaugurated in 1922. This museum was built to commemorate the visit of Prince of Wales, Edward VIII and thus, the museum got its name. Indo-Saracenic architecture build museum has more than 50,000 exhibits of ancient India and from other parts of the country. The museum is divided into three sections- National history, art and archaeology. The museum has artifacts from Indus Valley civilization, Mauryas, Guptas, Chalukya and other reigns. The interior of the building is built in 18th century style. The museum has a library, seminar room, exhibition gallery and conservation studio that were built a few decades ago and a garden of flower beds and palm trees. The entry fee for adult is Rs 80 (1 USD) and for foreigners Rs 500 (7 USD). Physical guides are not available. Audio guides are available in seven different languages English, Hindi, Marathi, German, Japanese, Spanish and French.
Rajabai Clock Tower– This soaring, 250-foot high clock tower combines Gothic, wonderful blend of the Venetian and early French-style architectures. Doesn’t it look like Big Ben. This tower basically hosts the Mumbai University’s library within its premises. If you are on a tour to Mumbai, do not miss a visit to this place. The tower was built in 9 years between 1869 and 1878 and cost was nearby 2 lakh rupees at that time. The majestic tower holds a big clock which can be viewed from a distance. The clock plays melodic tunes at fixed intervals. Earlier 16 tunes were played in during british era like “Rule Britannia”, “God Save the King”. However, only one tune is played now, once in every 15 minutes. The Rajabai tower is named after the mother of its founder. Earlier, tourists were allowed to see the tower from the inside. But few suicide attempts were done from this tower. Since then the entry inside the tower has been restricted for tourists. Tourists can take photos from the road outside.
Mantralaya - It is the administrative headquarters of the state government of Maharashtra in South Mumbai, built in 1955. It is a seven storeyed building which was earlier known as Sachivalaya.
Marine Drive – the most beautiful place in Mumbai. It is a 3.6-kilometre-long Boulevard in South Mumbai. It is a ‘C’-shaped six-lane concrete road along the coast, which is a natural bay. The road links Nariman Point to Babulnath and Malabar Hill. Marine Drive is situated on reclaimed land facing west-south-west. A promenade lies parallel to this road. This is also known as the Queen’s Necklace because, if viewed at night from an elevated point anywhere along the drive, the street lights resemble a string of pearls in a necklace. The official name for this road is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Road. The promenade is lined with palm trees. Most of the buildings erected by wealthy Parsis display an art deco style which was popular in the 1920s and 1930s.
Hotel Oberoi- The Oberoi, a 5 tar deluxe hotel situated on the exclusive Marine Drive, with unparalleled views of the ocean and the Queen’s Necklace.
Air India Building - The Air India Building is a 23-storey commercial tower on Marine Drive in Nariman Point. The building served as the corporate headquarters for the Indian national airline, Air India, up to 2013.
Wankhede Stadium – The most famous cricket stadium of India.
Nariman Point – Located at the southern tip of Mumbai’s peninsula, of Marine Drive, Nariman Point offers breathtaking views of the Arabian Sea, making it one of Mumbai’s major tourist attractions. Nariman Point is celebrated as one of the poshest and premium business hubs in Mumbai; strewn with skyscrapers, it gives the impression of New York’s Manhattan; therefore, it often designated as the ‘Manhattan of Mumbai.’ This is also a shopping destination in Mumbai, with the presence of various domestic and international brands. Nariman Point is known to have a lively nightlife, with a chain of lounges, pubs, and restaurants found in the area, accompanied by a breathtaking view of the ‘Queen’s Necklace.
Taraporewala Acqurium – Taraporewala Aquarium is India’s oldest aquarium and one of the city’s main attractions. It is home to an impressive variety of marine and freshwater fish, including some coral fish that are native to the Lakshadweep Islands. A separate section houses multiple specimens of preserved fish and some rare varieties of seashells. The most popular attractions of the aquarium are moray eels, turtles, sharks, starfishes, and stingrays.
Girgaon Chowpatty - It is one of the most famous beach, located in the heart of the city. Watching the glorious sunsets from this beach is a sight worth seeing. People of all age-groups come here to enjoy the scenic beauty offered by the beach. Tourists who visit Mumbai make it a point to visit this beach to experience the peaceful and serene atmosphere. One can find monkeys dancing, snake-charmers who entertain the crowds with their antics. Fortune-tellers also capture the attention. Many tourists who come here are interested to experience camel and horse rides. Also it is a perfect place to perform Yoga ‘Asanas’ and to go for jogs. The merry-go-rounds, ferry wheels, beebee gun shooting galleries on the beach are fun opportunities for the children to spend a great time.
Jain Temple - Mumbai’s Famous Jain Temple located at Walkeshwar Teen Batti area, Malabar Hill. It was built in 1904 and a holy place for Jain Community. They do not offer flowers to their God/Goddess in any of their there jain temple as there may be small insect that might be present inside flowers/petals they offer and might get killed. It is famous for its carving work and beautiful architectures, colors, Paintings etc. I would have loved to have seen inside but unfortunately we were not appropriately dressed. Footwear is to be removed before entering temple. Also women should wear dress modestly. (No shorts, low cut tops). From the outside it looked a maze of beautiful architectural styles with the most colourful of statues and ornaments.
Kamla Nehru Park, Boot House, Hanging Garden - Kamla Nehru Park, situated on the top of Malabar Hill in South Mumbai, is primarily Children’s Park, where families bring their children for some fun. The biggest attraction is the Old Lady Shoe, where children below 12 years of age, can climb up the shoe and have fun. The park provides excellent view of the beach, namely Girgaon Chowpatty, popular for selfies by the youngsters. The entry is free. This was a nice stretching point and a great time to relax a bit while we were on a city tour. Always nice to view nature’s contributions when touring the city and all the concrete and such, it is a refreshing break. It was pretty hot the day we stopped there, we needed a rest in the shade. Shoe adds a nice whimsical touch. Interesting animal shaped hedges and topiaries all around the park. The bird’s eye view of Marine Drive and Chowpatty.
Tower of Silence – It’s not a tourist attraction but only a crematorium of Parsi people. Our Guide informs us that a non Parsi cannot enter here. The last rituals of the Parsis after their death are performed here and their body is then kept on the Tower for the scavengers to feed on. Since the Parsi rituals are complex and long, which can go upto 4 days, their are cottages built inside for the families to live. The place is huge and in the lap of nature. One cannot believe that outside the boundary, there is busy & noisy city out there. We were fortunate that it we had to see this from outside only and not inside.
Antilia - Most Extravagant House In The World - world’s most expensive residential property (valued $1-2 billion) - Antilia is a private home in South Mumbai, India. It is owned by Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries and has a staff of 600 to maintain the residence 24 hours a day for a family of 5 Members. It has 27 floors with extra-high ceilings which is actually around 40 floor building. Out of 27 floors, 4 floors are reserved for car Parking, for 200 cars at a time. Beside parking space there is Helipad space for 3 Helicopters on the roof of Antilia. It is equipped with many amenities a mega-temple, a host of guest suites, lounges, a salon, an ice-cream parlour and a private movie theatre to accommodate 50 people and it has its own snow world that keeps the house cool even when it is burning hot outside. The interior of the home is designed such as to save the energy and the hanging gardens absorb sunlight that keeps the house fresh and cool. It has also a lap pool with lounge chairs shaded by trees and Jacuzzi that take in views of the city skyline. The family doesn’t need to outside for anything. However the entry is restricted, yet the view of this magnificent beauty is breathtaking.
Shree Mahalaxmi Temple - Shree Mahalakshmi Temple is located at the North of the Malabar Hill. The beauty of the temple, its mythological importance & its proximity to the seashore, all combine together to make the place a wonderful tourist attraction, as well. This temple is dedicated to the three deities Shree Mahakali or Durga (Destroyer of Demon), Shree Mahalakshmi (Goddesses of Wealth) and Shree Mahasaraswati (Goddesses of Learning). A Hindu merchant built the temple in 1831.
Due to 20,000 character limit, rest part is in first comment below. please check.
Note :- there are many tour and travel services which provide the city tour. Out of which I will recommend for MTDC. Maharashtra Tourism and Development Corporation has introduced air-conditioned buses to facilitate the visitors to enjoy a comfortable city tour. These buses offer a memorable ride to the visitors by providing an excellent view of various prominent landmarks. They have two pick up points- CST and Dadar. Their service starts at 9: 00 AM (Confirm timings with MTDC) and ends at 6:00 PM, on all Saturdays and Sundays. Their bookings can be easily done via the MTDC official website for a convenient Mumbai Darshan.
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