Heaven opened and the water hammered down,
reviving the reluctant old well,
green mossing the pig less pigsty,
carpet bombing still, tea-colored
puddles
the way memory bombs still, tea-colored
minds
- Arundhati Roy
My take- Go for the food, and the history
If you have heard of Mumbai, you have
heard of Mumbai monsoon. I have heard of it to be a magical season in Mumbai,
and this time I got to experience it.
Being married to a “Mumbaite”, as they
so lovingly call themselves, my trip to the capital city of Maharashtra, was
long overdue. Ask any Mumbaite how they feel about this overpopulated city- and
you will not hear the end of it (in a good way!). To me, Hyderabad, my hometown,
is the best. But I did fall in love with the abundant choices of foods to eat,
things to do, streets to wander, in this fast-paced city.
Mumbai takes its name from the local
goddess Mumba, a form of Parvati (Lord Shiva’s better half). Before Mumbai
restored its name, it was known as Bombay during the British rule.
10 days as usual were not enough for me
to take in everything the city had to give- especially when you must meet
family and do non touristy stuff. But I made most of the it- ate a lot and shopped
to my heart’s content. There were parts of it that will have to wait until next
time.
Day 1-
Our arrival at night in the city of
dreams.
Day 2- Gateway of India, Marine Drive
and Sabudana Vada
Mumbai is all about food- whether you
are having pav bhaji (a Maharashtrian dish served with “pav” bread and a mix of
mashed & spiced vegetables in a gravy, garnished with coriander and chopped
onions.) in one of the many stalls on the street, or eating a three course meal
in one of the exotic and high end places which are not just heavy on your
stomach, but also on your wallet :-P. I have always preferred the street food; it
feels less tainted 😊
Speaking of food, we had to start our
trip with food. My husband raved about the sabudana vada (also a Maharashtrian
dish, this is a traditional deep fried snack made from tapioca), so our first
stop had to be Prakash
shakahari upahar kendra in Dadar. This was by far the best sabudana vada I
have had. Crispy on the outside, and velvety on the inside, it was a feast
inside your mouth. They served it with peanut chutney, which only added to the flavor.
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| Gateway of India |
After the heart filling breakfast, we
headed to the historical monument Gateway of India which was erected in the 12th
century to honor the arrival of the first British monarch- King George V and
Queen Mary. It is also said that it is from here that the last set of rulers
departed after we won our independence. Truly a historical site!
Access inside the gateway itself is not
allowed but you can be amazed by the sheer size of it from the outside and take
pictures to your heart’s glory.
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| Taj Hotel |
The gateway, along with the Taj Mahal
palace and Tower hotel right across, overlook the Arabian Sea, and together comprise to be the most
pictured place in Mumbai.
As we were taking pictures, I also got
to experience my first Mumbai monsoon, which made things messy, but we had fun
nevertheless 😊
We did not have a chance to see the
gateway at night, but it does light up after the sun sets and makes for some
great pictures.
The downpour lasted about an hour, after
we headed to Marine Drive. While my first impression of Mumbai with the
traffic, dirty roads, rain, was not great, I was enthralled by the 3.6km long promenade
in South Mumbai. It was well maintained and had a wide walking path. The boulevard
also goes by the name “Queen’s Necklace” as it resembles a necklace which can
be viewed from all points across the walkway. The necklace stands out even more
at night like lit up string of pearls.
The view at night here also is
something that we could not see during this trip. But worth a visit if you have
the time. Some of the points of perfect view of Marine Drive are- Hanging
Garden (free), Hotel Oberoi (might need a reservation), NCPA Apartments or
Meghdoot Building & Soona Mahal (which
are housing societies)
Come here with time in hand- take a
stroll along the entire walkway and don’t forget to go to the south most tip of
Mumbai where Marine Drive ends. It’s the best place for people watching.
From here you can see the very beautiful
Mumbai skyline, also visit Nariman point which is Mumbai’s business district/
downtown, located at the southern tip and at the end of Marine Drive.
Marine drive and Nariman point are witnessed
in many Bollywood movies- Wake Up Sid, Guru are a couple
Day 3- Shop Hopping
Mumbai, like almost all other Indian
cities contains a plethora of shopping options, whether it is street shopping
or mall hopping, you can shop to your heart’s content without breaking the bank.
We went to the Oberoi mall today to watch
a movie. While my husband and in-laws watched a movie, guess what I did? 😉 He he, yes, I shopped.
Oberoi mall is one of the biggest malls
and most luxurious malls in Mumbai, located in Goregaon East. You will find the
best brand stores to shop, a multitude of restaurants for your palate, and
films.
Day 4- Siddhi Vinayak Temple, Dadar
Chowpaty, Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Colaba, Round2- Gateway of India
and Chole Bature
Today we started our visit to the most popular
and most visited temple of the Elephant Headed God, Lord Ganesha. The temple is
called Siddhi Vinayak and dates back to 19th century and is listed
as the richest temple in India. The temple itself is small and cute, but there
is a certain energy in there that will make you want to just sit and absorb the
vibrations. The place can get crazy crowded on all days especially Tuesdays. To
avoid the madness, try not to go on Tuesdays and/ or go early while the lazy
people sleep 😊
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| Entrace to the Dadar Chowpaty |
On our way to the temple we stopped at
Dadar Chowpaty to get a glimpse of the Sea Link across the sea (see more on Sea
Link below). The view was not impressive and hence doesn’t go on my list of “to
see” when I go back.
 |
| :) |
After our darshan, we headed to
Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSTM), formerly known as Victoria Terminus
(VT), a historic train station and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name was
changed to CSTM in 1996 in memory of Shivaji- founder and ruler of the Maratha empire. Chatrapati
is a royal title used by the Marathas which equates to emperor.
Another place where the night view is
worth a watch where the terminus lits up with a thousand yellow soft lights.
Across the terminus is a viewing area from
where good shots of the building can be captured.
We then went to Colaba causeway to do
some street shopping. This, like several other streets in Mumbai, offers
opportunity to just walk, watch people, experience the locals, and just chill! While
we were there we stopped at the famous Irani Leopold Café which dates back to
the late 19th century when the Iranis came to India.
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| Southern most tip |
After Colaba, our next stop was back at
Marine Drive (we seriously did not get enough of it the other day). The weather
was better this time and we took a stroll along the entire promenade and sunk
in the views of the sea and the skyline. After the long walk in the sun, we
stopped at Cream
Centre to have their famous chole bature (chole = chickpeas which are
cooked in aromatic and flavorful spices; bature = a deep fried puffed bread
made with wheat and white flour).
If you are getting a to go- note that
you will be charged for the container and the bag without any prior notice from
them, which is the part that pssedd me off! I would go back for the food though
and not get a to go 😊
Back home after a long and productive day!
Day 5- Kanheri Caves, Vada Pav, Lands’
End, Shah Rukh Khan’s Mannat, Bandstand and Bandra Fort
While Elephant Caves are the most
talked about caves in Mumbai, my research made me lean towards Kanheri Caves
which sit inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park on the western outskirts of the
city. I am a big fan of Buddha and his belief system and continue to be
fascinated by the mark he has left on the world. The caves contain several
Buddhist sculptures, inscriptions, carvings which date back to 1st
century BC. This place was a city where the caves were used for living, studying,
praying.
There are around 100 caves that are part of the mountain (Kanheri = black mountain) and are located in several places which require a steep climb and a lot of walking. There is a map at the entrance of which you might have to take a photo to spot where you are going. There is also information on some of the prominent caves and what to look for in them (see pics below) There were no tour guides available.
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| Cave No. 3- Great Chaitya cave |
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| Buddha statue at the entrance |
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| 2nd Buddha statue at the entrance |
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| Cave No. 90 |
 |
| Cave No. 90 |
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| View as we descended from the mountain |
All the walking made us hungry. We stopped
at a stall across Mithibhai College to have my husband’s favorite vada pav which
brings back memories to him as a student there. I have to admit- the vada pav
was to die for (Vada pav = Maharastran fast food dish comprised of vada, a deep
fried potato dumpling placed in the pav, a bread bun, splashed with mint and or
tamarind chutneys).
Our next stop was Shah Rukh Khan’s home-
Mannat (Mannat = prayer). Shah Rukh Khan is referred to as the “King Khan” and
is one of the most prevalent figures in Bollywood. My husband and I are part of
the 3 billion fanatic fans that across the world. At any time of the week or
day- you will see a flock of them outside his house taking pictures, and hoping
to get a glimpse of him.
We took a walk on the Bandstand walkway
along the sea and got to Lands’ End which is the southernmost tip of Bandra before
stopping at Bandra Fort also known as Catella de Aguada (means fort at the waterpoint
in Portuguese). From here you get panoramic views of the Sea Link or Rajiv Gandhi
Sea Link which is a bridge that links Bandra on the west and Worli in the
south. The cable stayed bridge is one of the recent bridges built in the city
and has architecture that speaks for itself. A must see during your visit!
Our remaining time in Mumbai was spent
with family and street food.
Plan before you plan-
Weather- Winters are mild and are the best
months to travel (Oct- Mar), but flights will be expensive. Summers are hot and
humid with the monsoon season setting in. Go if you want to experience the
monsoon 😊
Cost-
- Food- Mumbai can
range from $10 a day on food to $100 a day depending on where you eat. Most
street food is safe to eat if it is served hot. We eat street food all the time
when we travel.
- Hotels- you can get a
3 star hotel starting from $40 a night.
- Flights- Air India,
Emirates, United and several other airlines offer direct flights to Mumbai
(14-15hour)
Know before you go-
What and where to eat-
- Sabudana vada at Prakash shakahari upahar kendra in Dadar
- Pani puri and chaat at Sunder Nagar
- Rabdi in Big Bazaar @ Infinity Mall
- Vada pav at MM's Nataraj Market
- Vada pav near Mithibhai College
- Veggie burger at Hearsch bakery, Bandra
- Pav bhaji- any fast food place
- Poha- any Maharashtran restaurant
Dress code- Dress liberally, be mindful
to cover your shoulders and legs when you visit religious places.
Currency- Indian Rupee (INR). Most places
take credit cards. Carry enough cash for street food and shopping.
Bargaining- Use your negotiating skills
to avoid paying hefty prices on things you want to buy. This applies to anything
you buy outside a mall.
Tips- looks like the country runs on
tips, so do so liberally if you are happy with the service.
Traffic- Traffic is crazy in Mumbai. So please factor in lots of additional time for sight seeing.
Other places to see in Mumbai-
- Go inside Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus
- Elephant Caves
- Marine drive at night
- Gateway of India at night
- Asiatic library
- Dharavi
- Juhu beach or Aksa beach
For travel tips or more information- do
not hesitate to reach me at melonseeds@gmail.com
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