BOOM.... Welcome to Bombay Town. Review on Mumbai

How I know Bombay?

Bombay to me is my birth place. The place where I have grown from a small kid to my early twenties and hope to live n' grow further. So thought I have qualified to write a review on the city. All these years I haven't learn't all about Bombay, but can write a lill' bit I know. All have written a lill' bit of their Bombay. So maybe all these reviews including mine can bring in front of us the whole picture of Bombay. As far as I have observed, Bombay is a wild city full of wild dreams. Each person here has that spark in him/her. A spark to grow, to flourish, to do something in his/her life. This spark is the main characteristic of this city. It lends this character of it's own to every willing individual who dares to dream.

Today as we see Bombay:

Bombay is the largest metropolitan city of India. Recently it has been renamed to 'Mumbai'. But who cares for the names? They will keep changing with each government. Bombay is the centre of earning daily bread n' butter for infinite no. of people across India. This is because it is one of the most important centres of India's high technology industries. All these people along with their dreams sum up to the city's population of approximately 20 millions. Bombay is well known as the largest port of India and to add to this it is the main destination for incoming international flights to India. Both of these mark Bombay as the main centre for foreign trade in India. The factor that adds to the charm of the city is it's comfortable transportation. Trains and Buses are available through out the day and till late nights to move anywhere as one's wish through the city. This makes it highly efficient for any individual to run with ease from Colaba to Thane or Bhayandar or even further and back.

Evolution of Bombay:

Bombay emerged out as a city after the merging of seven islands. Let's proceed from South to North and have a look at these islands.

# Colaba is derived from the ancient Kolbhat which the Kolis then had named so. Maybe the pronouncations of the British or the Portuguese changed the word from Kolbhat into Colaba.

# The Old Woman's Island was a small rock between the island of Colaba and then Bombay.

# Bombay island stretched from Dongri to Malabar Hill. This island is the present day area of 'Fort'. The name 'Fort' comes from the seventeenth century's British fortifications around the Bombay harbour.

# Mazagaon was seperated from Bombay by two creeks namely Umarkhadi & Pydhonie. The word 'Mazagaon' as some believe has been derived from the sanskrit word Matsya Gram which means fishing village, while some believe it is derived from the Marathi words Maaza Gaon meaning my village

# Worli was seperated from Bombay by the sea of The Great Breach

# Parel was the union of four of the suburbs of the present day including Parel, Matunga, Dharavi and Sion.

# Mahim island derived it's name from the Mahim creek. The island lied on the west of Parel and north of Worli. Modern day Dadar was a part of this island of Mahim.

The Climate of Bombay:

The climate of Bombay can be described as warm n' humid. The climate is warm through out the year. Each year, the rains visit between June and September. October stands for the most hot month of the year. October heat is something that is more dreaded than the heat in May. However from November to Feb, the nights happen to be cool. The winter season makes it's presence felt only at nights of these months. The December nights are the ones I personally enjoy the most.

The spirit of Bombay:

Life in Bombay runs on high velocity. The city never tends to sleep. Though nowadays the partying atmosphere has been spoiled due to early closing hours of the pubs.

The thing I most adore here is I never lose my space. A person never loses his privacy (unless he/she is a celebrity). Bombay has it's own way to work and enjoy. A city of free souls is what Bombay feels to me like. Ofcourse everyone can feel it differently. But the spirit of Bombay never lets you down. It has a place reserved for everybody from the rich to the middle class to the poor. People come in many varieties. Some who have not so great present but do strive for the better future. Left at his own will, a person takes his own responsibility. He will starve for a day or two but the third day will see him with a provision to fill up his belly. Then there are people who have things which others die for, but they hardly care or respect what they have. It's just a part of the game called Life in Bombay.

The Kingdom of Bollywood:

Bombay has the second largest film production house in the whole world. First being Hollywood (U.S.) This is apna Bollywood. In India movies play an important role in the world of entertainment. But the verdict of any movie is majorly counted according to it's business in Bombay. Bombay has theatres varying from multiplexes to Deepmandirs (Premjit's favourite) or even worse. As I said Bombay has a place for everybody.

The crime scene:

The darker side of Bombay is the gangland of Bombay. Majority of Indian gangs have taken birth in the starky city of Bombay. These ganglords dream of ruling major parts of Bombay and eventually India while some go to the extent of dreaming to rule the world. As I said Bombay is a wild city of wild dreams. To control such wierd dreams, we have the Mumbai police which is listed among the best police forces in the world. And then there are shoot outs and encounters. Oops... am I the target? But all this is just a part of the game.

Places to visit:

Gateway Of India, Elephanta Caves, Prince Of Wales Museum, Marine Drive, Hanging Gardens, Jijamata Udyan, Nehru Planetarium, Mahalaxmi Temple, Haji Ali, Siddhivinayak Temple, Mount Mary Church, Sanjay Gandhi National Park,

Essel World & Water Kingdom

Hang Outs:

Cyclone, Geoffrey's, Grand Canyon,J49, Madness, Fire & Ice, Razzberry Rhinoceros, Rasna Pub, Twice As Nice, 3 Flights Up

Phew... There are many more. But spare me for now.