>> What to see

Colaba
All visitors of Mumbai must not miss to have a look at the exaggerated colonial symbol of the city known as Gateway of India, a yellow basalt triumph arch which was officially inaugurated in 1924. After only twenty-four years it was already oudated, because the last English regiment left India with pomp while marching just under it, and it became even anachronistic when the passenger ships did not get to Mumbai anymore. Today it stands out in the background of the Apollo Bunder as a by now disused back door, and, apart from the necessary memory photos, it is only used by a picturesque crowd of bargain finders, sellers of ballons and souvenir cards, and snake-charmers, thanks to all these people it looks like a crowded bazaar.
The imposing Taj Mahal Hotel overlooks the Apollo Bunder and from its Apollo Bar, on the highest floor, you can enjoy a wonderful view of the arch. This hotel, a real institution in Mumbai, was built in 1903 by J.N.Tata, one of the main benefactors of this city, he was of Parsi origin, probably after he had been not allowed to enter one of the European hotels because he was “indigenous”, he built this hotel. The roads behind the Taj Mahal Hotel are the most popular ones among tourists. Along the major thoroughfare of the area, Colaba Causeway, you can see a multitude of street traders, shops, stalls and cafes, southwards leading to the Sassoon Dock – where the bustle becomes frenzied at sunset, when the fishing boats unload their haul on the pier –and northward leading to the charming Prince of Wales Museum, of Indian-Saracen style. The interesting National Gallery of Modern Art, recently moved to the nearby Cowasij Jehangir Public Hall, houses works of modern Indian art and is the most charming exhibition space in this city.

Fort
The peculiar buildings of Gothic-Victorian style built in the area of Fort seem to consolidate the European roots of this ciity and give the thrill of dejà vu to visiotors coming from the industrial centres in northern England. This lively quarter is situated on the site of an old English fortress and it is certainly the trading centre of Mumbai: it is incredibly full of commuters, stalls, magnificent façades of British eighteenth century institutions and commercial enterprises.
The Victoria Terminus station, the most outstanding building of Gothic style in this city, is more similar to a cathedral or to a magnificently decorated building than to a mere railway station: sculptures of peacocks, gargoyles, monkeys, elephants and English lions are mixed with rampant arches, domes, little towers, spires and decorated stained-glass windows. Above this pomp a statue of the “Progress” 4 mt. high, towers, while the rest of the building rather looks like a representation of Pandemonium. In any case do not wait for getting on a train to visit this station.
Among the other jewels of this city, let us remember the Bombay University, the Supreme Court, the BMC building and the majestic Horniman Circle, a circle of buildings built around the only surviving part of the original Cotton Green of Bombay. St.Thomas’ cathedral, situated in the neighbourhood of the 'Horniman Circle, was already started in 1672 but was completed only in 1718: its whitewashed rooms house picturesque colonial memories, such as the tombstone devoted to Henry Robertson Bower, lieutenant of the Royal Indian Marine, 'who lost his life coming back from the South Pole together with Scott'.

Marine Drive
Built on the lands rescued from the Back Bay in 1920, Marine Drive runs along the coast of the Arabic Sea from Nariman Point (after Chowpatty beach) up to the top of Malabar Hill. It is one of the favourite walks of the inhabitants of Mumbai, as well as an excellent place for admiring the sunset. You will certainly not be looking at the sea for long without being approached by someone wanting to start a conversation, even if only for showing you that his monkey can dance the breakdance. Along this walk some buildings form a line of a decadent art deco style, which would need a coat of paint in order to bring prestige to this quarter again. The tourist brochures define Marine Drive by the magniloquent expression of 'Queen's Necklace' for the spectacular curve of light outlined by its lights in the night, which is surely less picturesque in the sunlight; however projects meant for enhancing this area of the city are under examination.

Chowpatty Beach
The most famous beach in Mumbai is certainly not suitable for sunbathing of having a bath in the sea. It is not worthwhile coming up to here during the day, but in the evening, when the local people go walking among the sellers of balloons and peanuts and road artists, in Chowpatty there is a magic atmosphere. To have bhelpuri by one of the multitude of gaily lighted stalls being along the beach, is an experience not to be missed, like that of letting yourself be vigorously massaged by a malish-wallah. Chowpatty is also the ideal place for enjoying the yearly celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi.

Malabar Hill
On the northern promontory of Back Bay there is the exclusive residential area of Malabar Hill, caressed by a cool breeze and favoured by a panoramic view of the bay. The little wooden colonial style houses, which dotted the side of Malabar hill in the 18th century, have been replaced by modern blocks of flats built from poor quality materials for the new rich people in Mumbai. The neat Hanging Gardens (also called Pherozeshah Mehta Gardens), on the top of the hill, are interesting for those who want to study the courting rituals of the shy Indian couples hidden behind the bushes, but above all for the splendid view of the city which you can enjoy from the nearby Kamala Nehru Park. Quite invisible near the gardens there are the Towers of Silence of the parsi people: since they believe that the fire, the earth and the water are sacred, they neither cremate nor bury their dead, but they expose their corpses on the towers, where they will be cleared out by vultures (or crows); the towers are carefully protected by curious people having a taste for the macabre.
Moving to the southern end of the promontory, we meet the temple of Walkeshwar, the Lord of Sands. According to what the Ramayana tells, Rama probably rested in this place during his journey towards the Lanka land in search of Sita, and there he erected a lingam of sand. The original temple was built about one thousand years ago, but its present structure is much more recent. Just below this building there is the Banganga Tank, excavated in the point where the bana (arrow) of Rama hit the soil causing the water to spring. The pilgrims having their ablutions and the swarms of curious children make this temple an oasis of peace among the surrounding luxury buildings.

Haji Ali Mosque
Situated at the end of a long raised road looking ove the Arabic Sea, this white fairy-tale mosque houses the tomb of the Muslim sain Haji Ali. The saint is said to be a rich a merchant living in this area, who, after a pilgrimage to Mecca, renounced to the pleasure of earthly life and retired in meditation on a nearby promontory. The mosque and the tomb were built by devotees at the beginning of the 19th century. Another version of this story tells that Haji Ali died during his pilgrimage to Mecca and that his coffin surprisingly came back to Bombay by floating on the waters and landing just where today the building devoted to it stands. The mosque can be reached only during the low tide, when along the road the beggars afflicted by any kind of infirmities and unimaginable deformities form a line. Nothing sad you can see, on the contrary, in the cool courtyard of the mosque, which is usually crowded with little families chatting to each other and stalls selling drinks. The rocks emerging behind the building during the low tide are the ideal place where you can enjoy the breeze.

Crawford Market
This picturesque covered market, also called Phule Market and situated to the north of Victoria Terminus, is the last outpost of the English Bombay before the bustle of central bazaars. Once it was a wholesale market, which was later strategically moved to the New Bombay, while today it is the place where the inhabitants of the central quarters buy fruit, vegetables and meat.
Some basreliefs carried out by Lockwood Kipling, Rudyard’s father, decorate the outside of this building of a Gothic-Nporman style, while the majestic fountain designed by the same artist is almost buried under old cardboard boxes in the middle of the market. At the animal market, on its back, everything is sold, from badger dogs to parrots, and almost all of them are confined into very small cages. The market of meat is recommended only to those whose stomach is strong, since it is one of the few places where someone can suggest you to buy a bleeding goat’s head. Just at the beginning of the southern side of this market you can find the J. J. School of Art, where in 1865 Rudyard Kipling was born.

Kalbadevi
No visit of Mumbai can be considered complete without paying a flying visit to the bazaars of Kalbadevi, being situated to the north of Crawford Market. The narrow lanes of this area of the city, which is mostly Muslim, are covered with freshly laundered shawls and invaded by a whirling mass of people, causing continuous traffic jams: a really strong contrast with the quite wide, orderly and modern South Mumbai.
Whole roads are often devoted to the sale of one specific item since that the tradition of castes is still now stronger than the capitalistic theories about trade; therefore venturing around this market can be an unusual experience. For someone, moreover, the bazaar is a real show, instead of being a place where you can go shopping: the most amusing thing is to enjoy both opportunities.
The main areas of the market are the Zaveri Bazaar (jewels), the Mangaldas Market (clothes), Dhabu St (leather articles) and the Chor Bazaar (the market of “thieves” in Mumbai). At the Chor Bazaar you will find everything, from car spare parts to porcelains of the Victorian age: you will often hear a quip about being possible to also find in this bazaar what you have been robbed of. Mutton St, at the Chor Bazaar, is specialized in antiques, very well done fakes and trash of any kind: do not count too much on the authenticity or the long life of objects having mechanic parts.
Other opportunities of going shopping around this area are represented by the Jama Masjid and the Temple of Mumbadevi, devoted to the patroness of the old inhabitahts of the island, being of the koli ethnic group. The best thing is venturing around the bazaars without any precise destination and wandering about until you have had enough of it.