Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million. Mumbai lies on the west coast of India and has a deep natural harbor. It is also the wealthiest city in India, and has the highest GDP of any city in South, West or Central Asia.
The seven islands that came to constitute Mumbai were home to communities of fishing colonies. For centuries, the islands were under the control of successive indigenous empires before being ceded to the Portuguese and subsequently to the British East India Company. During the mid-18th century, Mumbai was reshaped by the Hornby Vellard Project, which reclaimed the area between the seven islands from the sea.
Along with construction of major roads and railways, the reclamation project, completed in 1845, transformed Bombay into a major seaport on the Arabian Sea. Bombay in the 19th century was characterized by economic and educational development and by the early 20th century it became a strong base for the Indian independence movement.
Upon India's independence in 1947, the State of Bombay was formed. In 1960, following the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, which demanded the creation of a separate Marathi-speaking state out of the then bilingual State of Bombay, the new state of Maharashtra was created. Bombay became the capital, which was renamed Mumbai in 1996.
Mumbai is the commercial and entertainment capital of India. While it has some of the country's best architecture, restaurants, and museums, it also has some of the worst slums, traffic jams, and security problems.
This weekend, we'll be hoping to see the Gateway of India, built to commemorate the visit of George V in 1911 and Mani Bhavan, Mahatma Gandhi's temporary residence (1917-1934), which houses the Gandhi museum. The memorial there is dedicated to the father of the Nation.
Thankfully, our flight is less than two hours from Hyderabad - a walk around the block compared to what had become our customary itinerary. Visiting a few temples, a Catholic church and a "little" shopping at the bazaars and markets will be on tap this weekend.
