I am a born and bred Bombaite. A Mumbaikar, if you will. I have sat in a vehicle for hours in traffic, heard the bustling crowds go by, smelt the saltiness of the fresh catch as I pass by a fishery, watched the determination in people’s eyes as they wait for their trains, seen mansions of the wealthiest, and seen slums of the poorest. I have witnessed the official Christening of Bombay, the name the Portuguese gave the bay (Bombay literally translates to “good bay” in Portuguese), to Mumbai, after the goddess Mumba Devi (although, I’ll admit, I was very young when it happened). I have witnessed the townie life in South Bombay (SoBo, if you prefer), and the ’burbie life in the suburbs of Bandra, Santacruz, Mahim and Andheri. It’s safe to say that if you were in Mumbai, the city of dreams, you would be in good hands if I were your tour guide. Although nearly impossible to encapsulate this beautiful city in a list, these are the top six destinations I would take you to.
You have to experience the waterfront.
We will walk along the promenade of the Worli Sea Face silently. We would then sit overlooking the water, our legs dangling along the edge precariously, admiring the glittering Arabian Sea. We’ll watch cars zoom along the Bandra Worli Sea Link Bridge, viewing the imposing suspension bridge in awe. We’ll pensively watch the waves lapping at the shore, squint out into the horizon, and wonder whether the large expanse of water is never-ending. I would point out how tiny and trivial we seem compared to this city that never stops.
We’ll go shopping at Colaba Causeway and Hill Road.
We will walk around, admiring the chunky bracelets, beaded necklaces, adorned slippers, and cute coin purses. We will marvel at the colour, design, and texture of the fabric of saris, shawls and dupattas (an Indian scarf). We will have a hard time selecting which bracelet or necklace or purse or pair of earrings we want to buy, because each is unique. After we have finally selected our jewellery, you’ll witness my proficient bargaining skills as I haggle my way to a decent, affordable price.
We will visit the Prince of Wales Museum (aka Chhatrapati Shivaji Vastu Sangrahalaya), the Asiatic Library, and Victoria Terminus (aka Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus).
We will marvel at the European architecture: the arching domes, the strong pillars, and the spires atop the buildings that stand tall and proud. At the Prince of Wales Museum, will learn about the history of Mumbai, paying tribute to the fishermen and women whose livelihood depended on the fisheries before the British Raj, and continue to depend on it even today. We’ll notice the need to overcome colonial influence and preserve an Indian identity in Mumbai, from the way things are renamed (Prince of Wales to Shivaji, Bombay to Mumbai), in the way we learn about our history in the museum, and in the way we encourage Hindi and regional languages in the library. However, we would also observe the lingering British past with unease. We will see it in Victoria Terminus, one of the busiest railway stations in India in one of the most connected railways in the world, built by the British to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. We’ll also see it in the Victorian Gothic Architecture, and see how the system mirrors the railway network in the UK.
We’ll hitch a ride in a rickshaw.
We will hurtle along at 25 miles per hour in a rickety contraption know as a rickshaw (or Rick, as we call it), a hybrid of a motorcycle and a car, with no doors or windows. We will experience the gusts of wind whooshing past. We will grimace in guilt, and then laugh in exhilaration as the driver breaks a traffic rule or two. We will know what it feels like to live life precariously, holding onto the bar for dear life as the rickshaw makes twists and (illegal) turns along the way.
We’ll watch a Bollywood movie.
Yeah, yeah, I know what you’ll say, you can do that anywhere. Bollywood is a global industry after all. However, watching a film in a theater in Mumbai, the birthplace and hub of Bollywood, is a different vibe altogether. We will holler along with the audience as the hero makes a spectacular entry, boo at the villain, get charged with adrenaline at the sensational fight scenes, tap our feet to the dance numbers,sing along with the audience, and cheer when the heroine falls in love with the hero.
We’ll eat at Cafe Mondegar or Cafe Leopold
At the entrance, we’ll bow our heads respectfully as we see the bullet hole above us, still preserved to remember the horrors of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008. We’ll admire the Gateway of India, which is situated just 450 meters away from the Cafe. Upon entering the cafe, we see the life of Mumbai, literally, in mural paintings on the wall, called “Life in Mumbai,” painted by Mario Miranda, an Indian cartoonist and painter.
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