The first thing that comes to my mind at the mention of Mumbai, India is its film industry, Bollywood. That’s why when I finally went to Mumbai a few years back, my biggest wish was to catch a glimpse of at least one Bollywood star.
And luckily for me, I scored big time when I saw three of them!
It was just sheer luck on my part when I came across the production of a television commercial on the streets of Mumbai, featuring heartthrob and eye candy Sidharth Malhotra. I spent quite some time watching the shoot, along with many bystanders.
The other two big stars I saw – this time, on stage – were veteran actors Naseeruddin Shah and Rajit Kapur, who played the lead roles in a play called A Walk In The Woods.
Since I love all things Bollywood, I decided to join a tour of celebrities’ homes. We passed by the mansions of Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and a few others on the tour, as well as the building of a well-known movie company, Mehboob Studios.
Also, as I was in the epicentre of the Hindi film industry, I figured it was only natural for me to watch a Hindi movie in the cinema. What an experience that was! Interestingly, the Indian national anthem was played before the movie began, and there was an interval halfway through the movie.
There were so many snacks to choose from, too. You could order Indian treats such as sev puri, bhel puri and samosa from the concessions stand prior to the movie – or even during the interval – and the waiters will serve them to you during the movie.
Of course, Mumbai has much more to offer besides the Bollywood glitz and glam. The city has many beautiful heritage buildings from colonial times, which are a blend of Victorian and Gothic architecture.
One of the top landmarks is the Gateway of India. Located on the waterfront overlooking the Arabian Sea, this monument was built to commemorate the first British monarch’s visit to India in the early 20th century. Across this monument is the luxurious Taj Palace Hotel. The interior of the hotel with its grand chandeliers befits a palace. My last-minute attempt to have high tea at the hotel proved futile as I was told that reservations need to be made way in advance.
Juhu Beach and Marine Drive are other enjoyable waterfront places to visit. They are popular spots with the Mumbaikars, or Mumbai locals.
At the jetty near the Gateway of India, I boarded a boat to Elephanta Island. The boat ride took about an hour, and funnily enough, seagulls were flying beside the boat that day. The Elephanta Cave on this island is a Unesco World Heritage Site that pays homage to Hinduism and Buddhism. It has rock-cut temples, statues of Hindu gods and stupas from centuries ago.
Another architectural marvel in Mumbai is the Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus which is a train terminal. Both the exterior and interior of this building were exquisite.
I also visited Dharavi slum, one of the largest slums in Asia. The tour started at one of the local train stations where the guide gave us the experience of riding on the Mumbai trains during non-peak hours. It was fascinating to see the Dabbawala (a lunch box delivery and return service) delivery folks in action in their signature white outfit and cap. There were also enterprising women selling their wares on the train and calling out to customers.
After several stations, we arrived at the densely populated slum, where you can clearly see the city’s dichotomy. The tour forbids photography and recording to protect the privacy of its residents.
The slum was surrounded by factories and buildings including a plastics recycling warehouse, garment manufacturing factory, a pottery house and tannery shop. Some women made their trade in cottage industries such as making and selling poppadums and pickles.
The slum seemed to be like a city of its own as it had schools, clinics, banks, grocery stores and other amenities. Some organisations had also set up language and computer classes for the youths and children living there.
The Dhobi Ghat, the world’s biggest outdoor laundry area created in 1890, was another place I visited. I was impressed by the highly efficient system there that sorts, washes and irons a whopping half a million clothing pieces daily.
Surprisingly, Mumbai is known for authentic Irani food. I visited two such restaurants and had some scrumptious pulao and pastries. These restaurants were adorned with vintage wooden furniture and tartan tablecloths, which gave them a nice nostalgic vibe. Garment shopping in this city is another tourist “must-do” activity, or at least, something that you can check out if you had time.
Overall, my trip to Mumbai was memorable and fun, and I look forward to revisit the place, as well as other cities in India soon.
The views expressed are entirely the reader’s own.
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